Nintendo announce new 3rd pillar platform for 2015

[JWeinCom]

Mr Khan said:

JWeinCom said:

curl-6 said:
Wasn't the DS the same strategy? A blue ocean third pillar to shore up a struggling home console?

That was the theory, but it didn't quite turn out that way.  The DS basically shortened the life of the GBA significantly,   If the new device takes off, I'm not sure they'll keep the old one up.  With the Wii U, it would be easier to pull the plug.

It's not a game console though, not as far as i can tell. It's a branch service off in a very different direction.

Seems to be a device that runs software.  If you consider things like Brain Age and Wii Fit to be games, then this seems like a game console.

jonathanalis said:
what is blue ocean?

Think of sharks.  You're a shark, and there is a kill in the area which means blood.  You can go after the blood (red ocean), and try to fight off every other shark for a cut of the meat.  Or, you can head out into the waters (blue ocean).  Instead of focusing on the already dead and bleeding fish, you focus on every other fish.

In video game terms the red ocean is a known market, where the blue ocean is a new market.  So, if you're a game developer you could release a product like Homefront in hopes of appealing to the existing market of shooter fans.  You know the market is there, but there is already tons of competition. This is red ocean strategy.   Alternatively, you can make a novel product and hope that you can attract a new market for it.  Minecraft is an example of Blue Ocean strategy.