Play4Fun said:

Nintendo doesn't make loss-leading consoles like MS and Sony, so that's not likely at all.

Even at their low points with N64 and GC they were making money at launch.

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It most certainly helps that Nintendo doesn't sell their consoles at losses...... but that doesn't mean much if they can't sell them.

We are a week away from knowing what the Wii U is all about, but I have serious concerns about whether they can make lightning strike twice with Wii like success, because Nintendo never has had that type of success twice in a row before (and not the SNES either btw, because, because of the GENESIS, Nintendo actually lost marketshare).

At any rate, as expensive as making consoles has become, 1 bad generation could cause a MUCH SMALLER Nintendo to quit putting their neck out every 5 - 6 years like they do now.

That's waaaayyy more likely to happen than a government backed (if necessary) Sony deciding to leave their #1 business forever.  

like....Hello. lol

Lightining doesn't have to strike for Wii U, for them to have a financially successful generation. Lightning sure as hell  didn't strike with N64 or GC. 

Nintendo have billions in their treasure chest, no debts, some of the top selling software in the industry and are financially conservative as shown by the fact that they haven't jumped into the strategy of making consoles that take heavy losses and only just recently had their first loss in many decades.

Like...hello. lol.

I think it's far more likely that MS will drop out before any of the two options will come true... Sony's making some money from PS, and Nintendo is making money on EVERY console (even if it only sell 20 mill). MS on the other hands are doing so much, so if their Xbox brand wouldn't make enough revenue they's quit.

MS made some nice cash this gen though, especially with XBL.

They are the richest of the three and they came into the industry willing to lose alot of money to reach their main goal: to be the centre of the living room.

Now that they're so close to it, I don't see them dropping out anytime soon.

I didn't say anytime soon ;) But as far as I see it, their gaming devision isn't as important to them as it is to Sony and especially Nintendo. Therefore the opinion :P

"Buried in reams of financial data is the revelation that Nintendo have 812.8 billion Yen (£6.7/$10.5 billion) in the bank - enough for it to take a 20 billion Yen loss (£163/$257 million) every year until 2052. Then there's almost 469 billion Yen (£3.8/$6.0 billion) held in premises, equipment and investments. When that runs out - we're in the year 2075 by this point - they've got some of the most valuable intellectual property in gaming to sell off before the company goes out of business."

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Sony will sell off their gaming division long before Nintendo ever goes third party. Also, I guess I will remind everyone that Nintendo is never going 3rd party. They said themselves that the day they stop making consoles is the day they stop making video games. Still, I don't want either of these options to happen.

If SONY sells any division, it won't be the gaming one.
Nintendo's not leaving the hardware biz. Just don't see much reason for them to do so.

Guess I'd have to go with SEGA's triumphant return.

I was waiting for someone to post this, took you guys long enough.  Just for the record, I don't think either is very likely at all, but the Sony option has an outside (and INCREDIBLY thin) possibility of  happening in relation to the Nintendo one.   I also want to point out that If this poll was being taken in certain corners of the internet I can gurantee that the results would be very different (in favor of Sony).

I almost made the third option a Nintendo/Sony collaboration, but I felt the Sega answer was more fun.

I can imagine Sony selling their gaming division. Especially if their huge loses continue.

Both are extremely unlikely, because:

a) Nintendo sells enormous amounts of hardware
b) Gaming is the last division that Sony will abandon, because it's actually profitable and popular.

However, Sony selling its gaming division is very slightly less unimaginable, because there is a (very) small chance that the company could collapse completely.