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It is possible that they were going to have Nintendo NX be two separate purchases of handheld hardware and home hardware with a super streamlined SDK to port between the two systems (having possibly the same architecture and OS just with different performance profiles).

I think that plan (if it ever existed) went out the window fairly quickly when the Wii U mega-bombed (going from 101 million to 13 million is drastically worse performance for a console that was trying to ride on the successful brand of its predecessor).

It is fortunate that Wii and Wii U were low enough performance profiles that Nintendo Switch could receive slightly improved ports in a portable form factor. It makes you kind of wonder if, internally, the high ups at Nintendo had this merger of home and handheld consoles as a long term plan B or if it was just a bit of luck that the transition went so well (easily getting ports from Wii U to Switch).

If Wii U had sold say 50+ Million consoles, we might have had two different devices rather than the current Nintendo Switch.

I guess you could say it was the logical conclusion of inflating development budgets and Nintendo's very consistent success with portable hardware.

Maybe it could have taken another generation longer?
Maybe the transition to hybrid hardware could have been less powerful hardware than their most recent home console, making it a harder transition?
Maybe you could say it was inevitable, but just a matter of when, not if?

Maybe, but here we are, regardless which way we wax and wane on these thoughts...

That said, I am glad we got to the Nintendo Switch, the software and experience is much more my vibe than any of Nintendo's previous handhelds.

Would be bliss to get cool stuff like SSX Tricky HD on this thing. (I said that about Katamari and now we have that so... :P )