They still appear to be aiming for two very different markets with one product, which has proven to the be downfall of the Wii U. Also, Nintendo's handhelds have been in a steep decline with the 3DS, and their answer if coming up with a console that is almost exactly like the most fierce competition in form factor? That doesn't seem very smart (pun very much intended), and detachable controllers have been around for some time but were never popular, there's a reason for that.
As the go-to alternative for simple on-the go gaming in small bouts, phones will still be king, bringing your friends out to the park or the basketball court to play local multiplayer is a highly unrealistic target for any console, more focus on online would make a heap more business sense at this point but they have yet to show a shred of focus on their famously poor online components. On the airplane; what sort of multimedia functionality will it have? Not a single mention of this. Can you have Netflix, HBO, Amazon Prime on it, what formats does it support, codecs? Youtube integration, social media and sharing possibilities?
I'm sorry, but once more, they take a couple of market driving features, mix them up in a bowl and add their own zest to it, thinking it will start some revolution. Besides Pokemon Go, people just don't play games in the manner their trailer suggests, and they're likely not about to start. It seems like the classic "there's no real market for this but we will force one into being", add to the mix that they seem to be re-introducing Wii like controllers for mobile gaming, after a 4-5 year hiatus, and the confusion becomes complete.
You know what, after thinking on the whole thing some more, I have very little faith in this concept, game library and specs be damned (it will be beaten on both these fronts at any rate).
So, for home console gamers; it won't be cheap, probably, the competition will offer more power and vastly superior libraries of software as well as likely a lot more multimedia and online functionality, for the mobile bit, it provides little to no incentive over a smartphone, which thrive on free or nearly free and simple software with simplified controls and everything tailor-made for on-the go bursts of gaming out of the box. Delving into an open world RPG on the bus on a tiny screen and with click-on controllers or a flailing Wii like remote has an extreme obscure appeal in the real world.
They are set to butt heads with two markets once more, but from where I'm sitting, they'll end up with a huge headache at best and broken horns at worst. Quite honestly; I'm really worried about Nintendo right now if this is their master plan to remain relevant, or even a proper presence, in the console space. Of course, I could be sorely mistaken, and I hope I am for all our sakes.
