It seems like most people think that Nintendo will release their next console before Sony & Microsoft. I just don't understand that. If anything, they would release their console after Sony & Microsoft. If a console is so successful, why wouldn't you just let it keep selling.  Am I missing something. I don't understand a lot of things, but this just doesn't make sense to me. I know it's going to be out of date but that hasn't stopped from selling 20+mil a year. Please, enlighten me.

Because the Wii is the least future proof this gen.

Nintendo and Sony will release around the same time again.

Do you actually have proof that most people think that? Most people I've heard from seem to think that Microsoft will launch the first console (which makes a lot of sense).

As long as the Wii sells great and Nintendo software sells millions there's no need for a new console, if Third party want to profit on Nintendo's console they've to accept Wii.

But if this week is significant for another poor summer period (Wii under 200k) then Nintendo has a problem, another price cut can be done but it would cut profits a second time in a year...colours have already been used in Japan and Others, there are games to push hardware (Zelda, Mario, Xenoblade, The Last Story) but not by that much probably. So there's still the possibility of a Wii revision/remake next year, just to sell more Wiis before 2012, which would be an acceptable year to launch a new console.

But all depends on sales, Nintendo won't watch if Sony or MS will gain more marketshare after wand or Natal.

Good points. I'd add that nothing forbids Nintendo to keep on selling Wii also after Wii2 release, as long as it sells well, like Sony did with PSOne and is still doing with PS2. MS killed XB1 very early due to a disastrous deal with NVidia for GPU supplies, but it's not the rule by any means and best sellers surely don't follow it.

I would imagine that releasing early might not be such a bad idea for Nintendo. Look at what it did for 3rd party support on the 360. Imagine a console with Nintendo games and great 3rd party titles.

Two reasons:
#1- To be the first out the gate, cutting the momentum of the competitors and keeping the Wii ball rolling

#2- Getting 3rd party support real early.

because by the time the next sony console is out the ps3 will be 200$ and if nintendo hasnt made another console yet wii sales will be rock bottom.

Last generation, Sony was [close to] first to launch, and it gave them a tremendous boost for the generation.

The reason it worked so well for them is because they were the huge leaders of the previous generation, so they had brand power + tech advantage + timing advantage and that meant big things.

With that said, I guarantee you it would work for Nintendo the exact same way this next generation, should they play their cards that way.