I think there's a misunderstanding about "hype" needing X amount of time to generate. As if you unveil longer before launch, you are guaranteed more hype. It doesn't work like this.
"Hype" comes from excitement about a product, excitement for a product only occurs if the product is worth being excited over in the first place.
If you have a great product that really impresses people, hype is the easiest part of the equation.
There was sky high hype for the N64, and really Nintendo only really formally unveiled the N64 seven months prior to its Japanese launch (November 1995 unveiling, June 1996 launch in Japan).
Hype is not the be-all, end-all, you need to have a very well thought out product that illicits a lot of value to the consumer.
Hype hasn't been Nintendo's problem. Not being able to relate to modern Western gamers that make up the bulk of the industry now, poor hardware decisions oand gambling on gimmicks to sell hardware, split development resources between home console and portables, and poor relationships with third parties are Nintendo's core problems, not hype.
