Is that why Wii has 42% market and slipping? The mass market cared about the ps2 hence the 80% market share and climbing

Archbrix - I have no clue what your calling hypocrite. I was addressing a comment towards the OP. Then I pointed to facts that people seem to ignore. No hypocrisy.

Also, you have no evidence on the contrary that the Ps360 couldn't reach those sales of past gens without the wii.

And?  Once more you follow up with something that I'm not debating.  My point above still stands.

But since you bring it up, it's foolish to believe that the market would have so readily abandoned the Wii had Nintendo continued to heavily support it.  The console would already be past the 100m mark had that been the case.

Why your claims are really something

Watch me I can do the same thing as you

"The ps2 would have sold 200 million units if the ps3 hadn't launched"

Proof? Where is the proof it would have chugged along sales wise? Do you have some sort of future telling machine or a what if caculator? All you are going on is what you BELIEVE would have happened. Personally, I believe the reason the sales dive occured is due to the fact that most of the Wii craze came off the backs of people who weren't gamers to begin with. They were hipsters, and people who just wanted to have the hottest "it" thing. When you look at the rise of mobile gaming, and the ipad, and you factor in the shift towards farmville...I think it's clear what happened. Nintendo didn't see it coming, and THAT'S why the Wii went down hill so fast. Facebook and mobile gaming took those non gamers away and all that was left was the core fanbase, or the "Gamecube" base.

This generation, those non gamers aren't coming back because they've moved on. If the Wii-U does well, it'll be because Nintendo made great core gamers.

@ Jay

I think 100+ million is good benchmark for what can be a mass market console. I admit it is vague and even arbitrary. PS1, PS2, Wii, and DS fits that criteria.

The PS4 and 720 will be competing against the Wii U which has an appealing feature and likely have most of the multiplats and likely be more inexpensive. I don't see the market choosing the PS4 or 720 over the Wii U. For such reasons the Wii U is certainly going to cut into potential 720/PS4 sales. In this economy (which likely won't improve for a long time) I really can't see many people spending $350+ on a console when they can play most of the same games on a more inexpensive console.

What hooks will the PS4/720 have that were as appealing as the inexpensive DVD player of PS2?

To add onto what prayformojo said

Don't you think Nintendo would have continued support if they thought the sales would keep chugging along. Why would a company just abandon a lucrative business?

It's clear where the shift in the market went. and nintendo probablly knew they were on the last leg already.

Also, you say ps360 couldnt surpass 6th gen without the wii... but again you have no proof for this statement. In fact the systems are almost at 140mil and still selling with 100 million wii buyers potentially buying a ps360. 200mil would have been a possibility... and thats something considering 6th gen had 4 consoles and ps360 are obviously only 2.

Lol, I've already pointed it out at least twice.  If you seriously have no clue then I suggest you re-read my previous posts.

As for the second part of your post, it's common sense.  If the Wii only sold to "casuals" and "non-gamers", then the PS360 was purchased by the "real" gamers wanting only better graphics and traditional gameplay... and the PS360 sales alone won't eclipse the 200m+ of the 6th gen consoles - which also catered to better graphics and traditional gameplay.  So either you're admitting that "real" gamers also bought the Wii (which is the case) or you're saying that "real" gamers are fewer in numbers now (which is not the case).  In any case, the Wii was necessary for the market's higher numbers this gen.

oosnap... you do realize that

A. the wii hasn't been system of choice for a while

B. The wii has always been a cheaper option

C. The economy is tough already

and

D. The ps360 were still selling at 350.

Everything you claim is going to happen can easily be shown not to be the factor by whats currently happening now

Archbrix the 100 million who bought wii's don't automatically dissapear... And thats just a false dilema you just presented.

In no way was the 200 million people who bought consoles last gen were all "real gamers" and in no way do only "real gamers" just buy ps360.