The safest bet argument doesn't fly, because then Nintendo would have launched the 3DS with Super Mario Bros. 3DS, a sequel to the #1 selling game on the DS. The DS game released in 2006 and never got a sequel, so there was more than enough time to get the game ready for the 3DS launch. Releasing a sequel to your biggest IP on the launch day of a new system is the safest bet to get off to a good start. The reality is that Nintendo didn't even have the logo to show for SMB 3DS when they announced it at their last briefing, so everything points to a reaction to poor 3DS sales and the game may have not been made at all, if the 3DS had sold well. Let this sink in for a while: Nintendo would deliberately forego making a sequel to their biggest IP, that's how messed up things have been inside the company in the last couple of years. Would Microsoft stop making Halo? Unthinkable.

Since when has Nintendo's SW decisions made sense? 1 Zelda this gen? Practically 1 of everything actually. Nintendo don't seem to strategically place their SW no matter what the climate is, they're in their own bubble ...

I said the strategy is flawed and the PS3 is a good example of why it is. There's a chance that it does work, but if it doesn't, the company is screwed. Sony lost a lot of marketshare, mindshare and profits this generation.

Regardless, I said high, not stupidly high. MS is a good example of this.

I am pretty sure that Miyamoto is worried about his future, because he can't have his way. But Nintendo, as a company, has all the IPs and talent it takes to keep making dedicated gaming platforms, but their businessmen need to bitchslap their developers more often, because it's very much needed.

This sentence really doesn't make sense, because the only reason why people would choose iPhones and the likes over dedicated handhelds is if you take games out of the equation. A handheld without games is worthless, after all.

It makes perfect sense, in fact I am actually surprised you disagree with it. Especially with younger folk, the very fact DS was such a hot product it ended up selling to non gamers, or people that had never gamed before, ones that can take it or leave it. Now the only product on their mind is iPhone/iPad. Last gen (or DS's peak period if you like) phones were very limited so much so people had reasoning to carry around 2 portable products, now phones/tablets have evolved so much many people arnt even going to consider a dedicated gaming platform.

Cone I say this in the nicest way possible, you're not neutral to anything non Nintendo, it's plastered all over your post history. That's ok though, wear your Nintendo badge with pride

I don't know how you can project pre orders either, surely that's just random guessing on your part?

I agree they've set it up for a poor start though, the PSP was on life support long before DS was, they should have got it out the gate last christmas WW at the latest.

That or they could be handling it the right way by launching it now. Well, in the US anyways.

I was always under the assumption that launch sales are usually made by those "in the know". So these people have the Vita show up at a perfect time... Tax Time!  Now these people have all year to spread word of mouth, as well as the media, increasing awareness of the device. Of course with other sales coming along the way due to software releases.

Anyways, by the time Christmas comes around there will be much higher consumer awareness of the product than there would have if it launched 3 months ago, plus there is better opportunity for some real good bundles to make the $250 price seem not as bad as it would have if they didn't go this route due to having 6+ months of game releases. Not to mention it also gave plenty of developers time to have their bigger games ready for the Vita's first holiday season. This season might see Call of Duty, Assassin's Creed, FFX, Monster Hunter and who knows what else.

Not everything needs to come flying out of the gate as if it has dual rocket boosters strapped to it's back.

Edit - You also asked why people assume Monster Hunter is releasing on Vita? Just check the official Vita pamphlet released by Sony.

It says Monster Hunter Portable 3. That's the PSP version.

I have heard that argument before but this is not a Vita/PSP pamphlet, it is just upcoming Vita releases. Plus we have had multiple sources speaking out about MH coming to Vita this year.

For all you know it could be the PS3 remastered release of MHP3 on the Vita.

I have heard that argument before but this is not a Vita/PSP pamphlet, it is just upcoming Vita releases. Plus we have had multiple sources speaking out about MH coming to Vita this year.

For all you know it could be the PS3 remastered release of MHP3 on the Vita.

Then what's the point of having the PS3 version if they are just going to port it on the Vita? Plus, if that's true, then why keep the same name?

In Japan maybe, but the HD Remaster never made it to the west.

Also, didn't the 3DS just get a re-release of a re-release of a remake of Tri and it did wonders for it? Or was it a remake or a re-release of a remake of Tri?