A Q4 launch for some sort of new Nintendo system really isn't so outlandish as some people here make it sound. By then. 3DS released early 2011. By the end of 2016 it'll be almost 6 years old. That's plenty, especially considering the system's sales will be down by a lot around that time. Sure the New 3DS will cause sales to pick up a bit next year, but not that much nor for that long. Remember, Q4 2016 is still 2 years from now, and sales for 3DS are already down significantly this year compared to before.
Wii U will be 4 years old by that time. That's on the short side for a gaming system's life cycle, but not outrageously so. On top of that, we all know Wii U's not doing so hot, and Nintendo could very easily decide it's time to phase it out after 4 years and plenty of games from their own studios.
Which brings me to the following point; both systems will have had iterations of pretty much all big Nintendo IPs, save the odd one here and there, 3DS especially.
It only makes sense for Nintendo to combine their efforts, time and money to cover one single system (or line of similar systems), instead of continuing to spend everything on an aging handheld that's most likely wound down almost entirely by then, and a home console that's definitely not even close to being as successful as they'd have liked it to be.
This all of course regardless of what their own hyped fans or rabid fans of competitors might think or wish.
Nintendo Network ID: Cheebee 3DS Code: 2320 - 6113 - 9046
