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curl-6 on 28 January 2015
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Soundwave said:
curl-6 said:

Of course it's not, it only turned 2 a few months ago.

Even modern Nintendo isn't stupid enough to alienate what fans they have left by doing a Saturn and pulling the plug too soon. Plus, they still need to recoup the system's R&D costs and first year losses.

A replacement in November 2017 would be ideal, giving it a normal Nintendo console lifespan so buyers don't feel shortchanged. 


I honestly don't think Nintendo buyers have anything to feel short changed about, the Wii U is getting all the support Nintendo realistically can be expected to provide. By the end of 2016 its library will arguably have matched or even exceeded the original Wii or GameCube Nintendo output in a shorter period of time. 

Lets stack 'em up and compare (I left out the casual-fare and Mario Party titles)

Wii (2006-2012)

Super Mario Galaxy 1/2, New Super Mario Bros. U, Metroid Prime 3, Metroid: Other M, Legend of Zelda: TP, Legend of Zelda: SS, Link's Crossbow Training, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Mario Kart Wii, Punch-Out!, Sin & Punishment, Animal Crossing, Excite Truck/Bots, Endless Ocean 1/2, Fire Emblem, Super Paper Mario, Kirby's Epic Yarn, Donkey Kong Country Returns, Battallion Wars Wii, Xenoblade. 

Wii U (2012-2016)

New Super Mario Bros. U + New Luigi U, Super Mario 3D World, Mario Maker, Legend of Zelda: WWHD, Legend of Zelda U, Hyrule Warriors, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, Pikmin 3, Mario Kart 8, Super Smash Bros. U, The Wonderful 101, Bayonetta 1/2, LEGO City Undercover, Splatoon, Kirby Rainbow Curse, Devil's Third, Yoshi's Wooly World, Star Fox U, Xenoblade X, SMT x Fire Emblem, Captain Toad, NES Remix 1/2, Pokken Fighters. 

Rumored/Likely: Metroid U, Diddy Kong Racing U, Paper Mario U

Wii U more than holds it own honestly even with the Wii have an abnormally long lifecycle. 

The Saturn didn't kill Sega, its the combination of the Sega CD, Sega 32X, and Sega Saturn all released in about a 2 1/2 year span with unsatifactory software support for all three that really damaged Sega. Nintendo is no where close to that, Nintendo shifting off from the Wii U say after 2016 would be more analgous with the first XBox or GBA (except GBA wasn't nearly as well supported by Nintendo). 

It would depend a lot, I suppose, on whether the Wii U gets a well supported final year, or whether, like the Gamecube and Wii, it's left to rot for its last 12 months before replacement. I could see Wii U owners being fairly satisfied with a November 2016 replacement if 2016 has as many key Wii U releases as 2013 or 2014.

And I know the Saturn alone didn't kill Sega, and that Nintendo isn't in the same disastrous position, but I still think that if Wii U is dropped after this year, buyers will feel gypped.