| Asriel said: I think the last year of meaningful software support will be 2016, and that Wii U support will dry up in the first four to six months of 2017, for a replacement Christmas 2017. Nintendo need to get right whatever they launch next, and cutting and burning Wii U too soon will alienate part of their already small core fanbase. Anybody suggesting Nintendo cut and run and move quickly need to look at mid-90s Sega. |
The Sega analogy isn't really the best, they kept releasing unsupported devices throughout the 90's. Sega Game Gear-1991, Sega CD-1992, Sega 32x-1994, Sega Saturn-1995, Sega Nomad-1995 all discontinued within a few years and had minimal support.
A better example would be the original Xbox or Gameboy Advance which each were replaced within 4 years and the successors went on to sell much better. If Nintendo supports Wii U to the end and releases a well thought out console at an affordable price with strong software support then I doubt their will be much backlash with a holiday 2016 release.
By this time Wii U will have 2D Mario, Nintendo Land, Lego City, Game & Wario, Pikmin, Wonderful 101, Wii Party, Wind Waker HD, 3D Mario, Donkey Kong, Wii Fit, Wii Sports, NES Remix, Captain Toad, Mario Maker, Mario Kart, Hyrule Warriors, Bayonetta 1+2, Devil's Third, SMTxFire Emblem, Project Gaurd/Giant Robot, Kirby, Yoshi, Xenoblade, Star Fox, Splatoon, Mario Party, New Zelda, Fatal Frame, Monster Hunter, Mario & Sonic Olympics, Sonic Lost World, Sonic Boom plus likely a few major unannounced games like Animal Crossing, Metroid, Paper Mario, Pokken Fighters. U can't say Nintendo didn't give strong support to Wii U over the course of 4 years with a lineup like that.
Besides what exactly does Nintendo gain from dragging out Wii U an extra year? An extra 2 million sales and a long 2017 drought?
When the herd loses its way, the shepard must kill the bull that leads them astray.
