I’m pretty sure myself and a few others predicted 100+ million since the NX days based on what Iwata was saying about it.
One of the biggest challenges Nintendo faced was that increasing development times/cost/manpower, with their handhelds making the jump from 2D to 3D and their consoles from SD to HD, was making it too difficult to support two separate platforms at the same time and it was only going to get worse.
On top of that by this time it was pretty clear Sony wasn’t no longer interested in the handheld market so Nintendo would be able to absorb that audience as well. Individually 3DS, Wii U & Vita we’re all lacking in 3rd party support but when those markets were combined it became a very large and well rounded library.
3DS+Wii U+Vita did 100+ million so it was never unrealistic for a platform that replaces all 3 to replicate that.
When the herd loses its way, the shepard must kill the bull that leads them astray.
