PS2/xbox/gamecube

PS1/N64

remember these consoles?  yeah nintendo would be the one irrelevant, not Sony. because the n64 and gamecube were both "standard next-gen" and they were crushed, nintendo needs something different to be able to compete with sony and they know that, hence the WiiU is what it is, not a "standard next-gen"

Good points, but the thing is no matter how powerful Nintendo made WiiU, Microsoft could still outperform it due to the fact that their console would be releasing a year later and they have more to spend on tech to boot. 

But I think the main problem with this philosophy is that Nintendo would be following the pattern of what the others do, rather than setting a standard themselves.  While not everyone is sold on the WiiU Gamepad, we've already seen Sony and Microsoft respond with press statements and Smartglass functionality in ways that suggest, "Hey, our systems can do that too!" rather than "Aww, that's stupid... no one wants that".  Says a lot, IMO.

I personally wouldn't want an almighty powerful machine (that's what the PC is for). I would have bought it eventually since I love first party Nintendo tittles, but I prefer changes in how I play video games. I don't want the same exact controller for various gens in a row (not that there's anything wrong with them) so I always welcome new ways to play games, even if some people think they are "gimmicks". 

I really want the next xbox and the PS4 to have more things other than just more power. I want to be surprised and make me feel that "this is how I want to play games now". Nintendo did it with the wiimote (even though I will admit some of the games didn't worked like I expected) and I have enjoyed some Kinect as well. So far the GamePad looks like something that will make games better and I really looking forward to it.

God... so sick of this stupid ass question/assumption.

Wii U IS GENERATIONAL LEAP OVER LAST GEN.

Its more powerful and CODBLOPS2 and some other multi-plats have already been stated to be the best versions of the game. Did you really expect them to change the whole game for a brand new system? 360 didn't get that and it was a massive difference to its previous gen.

Then you add in the massive difference in gameplay with the continuance of motion and a new 2nd screen.

God I can't wait for neXtBoxPS4 to be shown and not only be similar in price, but also only slightly more powerful... if at all.

1) not having the Gamepad in every box would be stupid and destined to failure.
2) Gamepad IS a damn pro controller. I really don't see the point in using the "pro" over the Gamepad. Same buttons and its been said many times that the Gamepad is light and very comfortable. Beyond the potential for longer battery life, I don't see the point and will likely not even buy one.
3) MSony will NOT create another $500/$600 beast. They took over 3yrs each to be profitable last gen while Nintendo swam in million dollar bills. Vita's price/sales is a major proof that it still won't work. It will have to be below $400 USD price point to be marketable to the masses. Meaning it can't be much more costly than WiiU. Remove the Gamepad and sure, they can bump up the internal hardware a bit, but not by much. Probably just better CPU and barely better GPU... especially when you consider their higher priced model will likely have a HDD... a costly ($ and wattage use) part that WiiU lacks.

MSony are already in trouble if they don't come out by 2013 with a comparable price. Nintendo did it perfectly IMO with the slight exception that maybe it could of been made slightly larger for a better CPU... but time will tell if that was important or not. Keep in mind the primary CPU has only one function games and even that is primarily the job of the GPGPU. It has a smaller CPU for OS and other features.

I don't think how powerful it is will effect much at all. At the end of the day it will come down to how the public reacts. Funnily enough this whole wii u debate has been focused on nothing but power. Yet there are tonnes of holes in this. The majority definitely couldn't care less about power or the most powerful system would have done the best the whole time.

I still don't even know why people are so bothered about power. Everybody knew this was a hd console. Hd is the next logical step for nintendo.

Also about the who has the best version of what. Wii u would very unlikely have the best version of anything since developers are still getting used to the hardware.

It wouldn't be that cheap for starters. There's no way that a console will release featuring a GPU pushing over 1TFLOP with 4GB of RAM will retail for less than 400 pounds/dollars. The PS4 and 720 may end up being in a similar position to the Vita next gen given the target specs that developers have been given (2-4GB of RAM and a GPU pushing 1.8TFLOPs for the former and 6-8GB of RAM and a GPU pushing 1.1TFLOPs for the latter). There's no way that their consoles are going to retail at less than 400 notes unless they're going to make serious losses on each console sold.

finally a person with a logical point. thanks superchunk you always bring ligth to this threads

It is in fact! I still don't get the debate surrounding Wii U's legitimity as a new generation console. I mean in the end, does that really matters?

What if instead of releasing outrageously expensive super-PCs (super in '05 anyway), Sony and Microsoft had made normal 7th-gen consoles?

That will be insane, how dare you say something like that!!