Wii U successor 2017 or 2018?

[Dr.Henry_Killinger]

Soundwave said:

Dr.Henry_Killinger said:

Soundwave said:

Why do you guys keep thinking there is a separate platform here coming? Fusion is the successor to both the 3DS and Wii U.

I don't really understand why it's that hard to understand. Iwata has basically spelt it out in his investor meeting comments.

- They will make a devices that's akin to Apple's product line ... meaning several hardware variants that use one software ecosystem like iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch all have the same apps and even a similar chipset.

- Nintendo has even collapsed their handheld and console teams now into one singular entity, there is no longer any seperation, this should be a pretty strong tip-off of what's coming. 

- This will launch approximately two years from May 2014 (so May 2016-ish).

That's straight from Iwata. The age of completely distinct handhelds and consoles with different software libraries from Nintendo is over. A "new definition" is coming in 2016 ... and that's direct from Mr. Iwata speaking to his shareholders. You guys are still thinking in the old, traditional paradigm, but Nintendo is going in a different direction. 

Hopefully, it is a rumor because its a terrible TERRIBLE idea.
-multiple hardware variants is the very antithesis of a console which is standardized across the board. The iDevices are essentially the same device in a different form factor, this works for necessities, not luxuries, especially in this day and age.

-combining handheld and console markets results in both being smaller overall

A lot of Nintendo fans would say the same thing if you told them the concept of the Wii in 2004 without actually showing them the concept in action (it's not going to compete with PS3/360 infact the graphics aren't much better than your GameCube at all ... that would've throw a lot of Nintendo fans into a fit if you told them that).  

My guess is you will feel differently once Nintendo shows this thing with Mario Galaxy 3, Animal Crossing Next, and it dawns on most Nintendo fans that they can now play the main Pokemon RPG games at home in HD on their TV if they want. 

No no no its not a bad idea because of what I think.

Its a bad idea because its conceptually flawed.

Take 3DS+Wii U market share

thats 55 mill currently

If a 1 device is both handheld and home, the wii u part of the sales become redundant so it drops down to 47mil

if b two devices that interface sold seperatly making both devices cheaper. At best you get the current level of sales but at worst, the Wii U becomes pseudo redundant as the games are avaliable on a cheaper platform. 47 mil < sales < 55 mil

if c two devices that interface sold together making one device that is expensive. Decrease in Handheld market who aren't looking for physical console sales. Decrease in total sales due to price. << 55 mil

In every scenario, it is lower than the combined wii u and 3DS market share. Every sceneario lowers the total user base.

 

Several production variants is not an increase in the POM because you are manufacturing less of each, unless your making doing iphone or higher level production, manfacturing and shipping millions weekly. Adds confusion to customers, similar to the complaints about purchasing pc and pc components for gaming. If the hardware variants are changes on nonessential components like hdd size and type, disc drive, wifi etc, all of those can be more cheaply periphalized rather than creating entirely new skus. If the changes are essential like increase in ram, gpu/cpu spec, etc...it is worse because the only way to guarantee a library in which every game works on every system is to design for the bottom line, essentially making the gpu/cpu and other essential option changes competely superflous and expensive.

In fact, several hardware models directly contradicts the concept of unifying the platforms into a handheld/homeconsole hybrid.

There is a reason apple is not in the console buisness. There is also a reason why smartphone production mentality does not work for consoles.

*Remember the Gameboy Adapter