How much hardware does Nintendo need to sell per generation to remain relevant?

[zorg1000]

Soundwave said:

zorg1000 said:

That's what I mean in the op, the number of hardware/software sold isn't necessarily the problem, it's that they have been selling hardware at a loss for over 3 years now, if 3DS & Wii U were sold at a loss at any point in their lives than their profits would be pretty good.

I think actually only one year of their losses was attributed to 3DS hardware loss. The other years they lost money were primarily becasue of a combination of a strong yen + sales of 3DS/Wii U that weren't strong enough to offset those losses. 

They need at least 50-60 million install base between their HH/console, I think that's what they are aiming for at minimum with their next unified platform. 

The question really I think is how much more damage are phones/tablets going to do to Nintendo's HH market? Does it level off at some point or does it continue to spread like a cancer? I don't think we can say for sure either way right now, except it doesn't look great right now. 

Yes from August 2011 to August 2012 3DS was sold at a loss, then from Nov 2012 to possibly currently Wii U has been sold at a loss. Had these devices never been sold at a loss then their financial situation would have looked much better these last few years.