So no one is going to mention that Nintendo's IP is now no longer tied to its own platforms?
Just look how much profit Nintendo had from Pokemon Go or the growth of its smart device segment with the release of Fire Emblem Heroes.
I'd argue that Nintendo's IP is reaching more than ever before.
In general I see more players experiencing Nintendo's IP, higher margins and higher profits than the Wii U/3DS gen.
In general, and this isn't just about Nintendo here, but I feel that a lot of members of this forum put too much stock into hardware sales and what that means.
Yes, hardware sales and install bases matter, but in 2017 it's software, services and multi platform expansion that is king. Yes we've seen the overall hardware install base decline. That's a fact for all three companies. But in general we've seen the average spend per user increase as the console audience ages, has more disposable income and is introduced to more content and services that they can interact with/purchase.
Just look at Xbox Live and PlayStation Network. PlayStation Network accounts for over 90% of Sony's profits today and the segment is larger than hardware sales in terms of Net Revenue. Microsoft may not be the hardware leader this gen but its Xbox Live service continues to grow in terms of the number of transactions + amount spent per transaction. Xbox has been profitable for the past couple of years becasue of this.
Both Sony and Microsoft are expanding their services with stuff like PS Vue, Remote Play, Forward Works, Xbox Games Pass, Beam, Play Anywhere etc...
Nintendo is doing something similar in expanding to mobile devices, amiibo, theme parks. All three taking similar approaches where the console is no longer the center of the business but one of many entry points into a much wider gaming ecosystem.
So yes, hardware install base is important. But just look at any companies financials to see what the more important metrics are today.
