I rank them like this:
1) Sales. This is by a big margin. More sales of a consoles, more portential sales for third party developers. And without third party developers making money, there is going to be a lot less games.
2) Perception. This barely beats out #3. If the public percieves a console favorably they are more willing to get it over a competitor. This adds to #1.
3) Momentum. Again adds to #1. Keep the sales coming in and more reason for third parties to develope games on a console.
4) Market Share. Again adds to #1. Am I sounding like a broken record yet?
5) Profit. Since the console makers usually take a loss at the begining profit isn't to important for them yet, but third parties need to make money and look at #1-4.
6) Game quality is an off shoot of profit. Quality games often equal more sales and more money, though we have seen good sales for what us hard core gamers call shovel ware.
