I thought it was the Nintendo fans who say software is always the most important thing to a system's life. And yet, we really don't even know what the Wii U's launch titles are. The only confirmed titles I've heard of is an HD Zelda and some ports of PS3/360 games. I also wouldn't be surprised if there was some sort of Wii sports-esque type game bundled with the system.

Pikmin 3 and a new Smash Bros have also been confirmed, as well as a game from Retro, and we'll almost certainly get the Chase Mii/Battle Mii montage of games shown at E3, and possibly a new 2D Mario similar to the one shown as well.

A new Super Smash on launch would entice me so... make it happen Nintendo!

I don't like Microsoft the most, but I think they are going to win. They have both the hardcore demographic and have made huge inroads into the casual/mom-approved gaming set with Kinect/updated 360 interface.

I also think the 360 is going nowhere, they are going to drop it to $199.99 w/Kinect + game for the next fall and Nintendo is going to have their hands full with that.

I think with XBox 720, they can afford to outspec Sony (Sony just doesn't have the money to compete in losses, while MS still has a monstrous cash pile) ... so I think MS is going to go for the kill and try to push Sony out of the industry while making the 720 the defacto "hardcore" platform for it's first few years.

The only wildcard I see is Apple. If they were ever to release a dedicated game-centric controller that could work with Apple TV + iMac + iPad ... that could be a game changer. 

you make some valid points. I suppose they do not have next gen locked up, however releasing a year early (rough estimate) is a huge advantage.

Now as for prices, I predict Sony will definitely take a different route than what they took with the PS3. And not assuming that people will want to get two jobs to buy the PS4 and launch with a casual friendly price. They were way too cocky. As for M$, they are definitely gaining steam. I never really noticed it until now but the PS brand isn't what it once was back in the PS2 days. The Xbox brand is taking over so its between them and Nintendo. But the Nextbox will be priced heavily. I have a feeling they will make that mistake, that's just me though. In fact I believe:

Wii U - $299 - $349 (But most likely $299)

Nextbox - $399 or higher

PS4 ~ $349 and up but not higher than $400

On the other hand, the PS4 and Nextbox are likely to have longer lifespans than the Wii U. Unless the Wii U proves to be about as popular as its predecessor, I don't think its earlier release will have too much of an impact.

However, if the Wii U is at least comparable to the other next-gen systems in terms of features and processing power, and still manages to significantly undercut the competition in terms of price, I'd say it would be very tough to beat.

When the Wii was released nothing could keep up.  You might insult the late Wii lineup but the fact that they have such a wide lead without "any release of a game in a while" says a lot.

I think Wii U could be an bomb..... The casual movement has come and now moved onto tablets. I think Wii U is still trying to cash in on blue ocean stategies that wont be nearly as effective this time around. I think the things that will define this gen are-

1. Functionality. No neccesarily how many features does it have, but how well do the work, and how well do they enhance the gaming experiance. Example having awsome music storage will not cut it, I am talking about digital distribution, online interface, and social interconnectivity of games.

2. Graphics- it will be a 7-8 year jump, people will be able to see the difference and will jump at it.

3. Cost- Who can best use those 2 mentioned areas and keep the launch price under 399, and be able to get it under 299 within 18-24 months. Face is, you can buy a decent PC for 399, you can build or buy a good gaming PC for 699 to 799 no one is going to pay 599 for the PS4 or 720.

Wii U will almost like a 2 gen leap for the current Wii consumer right?  If the Wii is 2 GCs duct taped together then the Wii U is about 4 Wiis duct taped together.  So the current Nintendo consumer will be wowed.  It will be like going from the NES to the SNES.  The Wii U is the SNES.

Expect a shorter life for all three console next gen than what we've seen so far. The market and tech is moving more rapidly and the need for new hardware and fresh ideas to keep the buyers sated will be more pressing as time moves on.