It's amusing that you call what I have to say "unsubstantiated opinion", when all you have is an old Forbes article to "prove" that Nintendo is failing. I'm looking at history and trends, you're looking at one financial article that, like Pachter, has no real understanding of video games. If you actually bothered to know your shit or pay attention, dear sir, you'd know that SINCE that article came out in, what, Sept. 2011? Nintendo has since stated that they actually HAVE been making profit off of 3DS again, both because of system sales, and game sales. How do I know that the big Mario titles, etc., would have helped spur sales even without the drastic price drop? Well gee, let's see here......

Super Mario Bros. 3 - 17.28 million sold

Super Mario 64 - 11.89 million sold

Super Mario Sunshine - 6.31 million sold

Super Mario Galaxy - 10.71 million sold

Super Mario Galaxy 2 - 6.99 million sold

Super Mario Kart - 8.76 million sold

Mario Kart 64 - 9.87 million sold

Mario Kart Super Circuit - 5.47 million sold

Mario Kart Double Dash - 6.95 million sold

Mario Kart DS - 22.44 million sold

Mario Kart Wii - 33.44 million sold

I specifically chose games that weren't pack ins, just so there'd be no "padded numbers" bs. But hell, even NSMB on DS sold nearly 30 million copies. And the Wii game has sold over 26 million, most of that before it became a budle pack-in. Point being, Mario sells. There's a reason that JUST the main series itself is the highest selling franchise in gaming history, and Mario in general has sold over 400 million copies on the whole. It's called history, and it tends to keep up. And what do you know? Super Mario 3D Land has sold 8 million and counting. Mario Kart 7 has sold 7.5 million and counting. Even NSMB2 has sold over 5 million and counting. Mario sells, and it also pushes consoles off shelves. A lot of people wait to buy a Nintendo system until one of Nintendo's "big franchises" hits. Who was honestly going to buy the 3DS for Steel Diver, or a port of SFIV, or Pilotwings? All fine games. But not system sellers. Not even Nintendogs + Cats could do that. People wanted Mario, they got it, it sold. Would the 3DS sales have been spurred a bit LESS without the price drop? Sure. But it still would have flown off shelves once people could get their hands on Mario Kart, etc. Now they're getting games like Fire Emblem, Luigi's Mansion, Paper Mario, Mario & Luigi, Monster Hunter, Pokemon, etc. That's how it goes.

As for Wii U? Where do I get the 4 million sold mark from? Well...let's see. The system has already sold over 3 million units worldwide. Not GREAT, but honestly on par with PS3, etc. within the same time frame. By the end of March, I said, I think it will be over 4 million. That's not THAT hard of an estimate to make, considering that Lego City Undercover, an anticipated exclusive, and Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate, which will come with a console bundle set of it's own, will be out. I have literally heard people on this very forum say that they're waiting for Monster Hunter to come out before they get their Wii U. I had heard other people make similar statements about Pikmin 3, or Rayman (so much for that), etc. And as for Wii Fit U? Well, sure, you're right, those "lazy moms" haven't run out and bought themselves a Wii U yet.....know why? No Wii Fit. Wii Fit and Wii Fit Plus each sold 20+ million copies. Just going off of that, I'm willing to bet that while it might not reach THOSE numbers, Wii Fit U will sell some consoles. And while yes, Wii U already has a Mario game, the system has sold over 3 million units, and NSMBU has sold over 2.5 million copies. That's a pretty damn good attach rate, despite the Wii U's slow sales in Jan. and Feb.

But excuse me for saying so, 2 months of slow sales do not equal DOOM for Nintendo. And yes, I AM saying that the Wii U sales will pick up in March. Will they pick up AS MUCH as they will when a Wii Fit or a Mario 3D or Mario Kart of whateever comes out later on? No. But they will pick up. And when those titles DO come out down the line, say, later this year, sales for Wii U will be just fine. Which is why I stick to my original predicition that it is completely within the realm of possibility that Wii U will have sold at least 10 million consoles by the end of 2013. You may not like what I have to say, nor that I have failed to produce for you some fancy Forbes article that you probably wouldn't read anyway. But, I honestly don't care much if one guy on the internet doesn't share my viewpoints on the fiscal health of Nintendo or the ultimate fate of the Wii U console. Couldn't give two shits, actually. Not sure why you would actually expect me or anyone else to for that matter. I was merely sharing my thoughts, and if you don't like them, I do believe the expression goes "Too bad." Again, no offense.

P.S. I do apologize for getting the least bit snotty with you, but I would like to point out in my defense, that your response was rather snotty in the first place, I merely responded in kind. Perhaps next time we could have an intellegent discussion without stooping to condescending attitudes? Have a nice day.

...ignoring the simple fact that how many of those Mario game sold because it was bundled with the console? (the same goes for Wii fit).

Also, isn't Super Mario Bros WiiU already out?

Anyway, I will quote myself in a months time and show you just how wrong you were with sales.

LOL with the prices the other two will have and the games Nintendo will bring out I see Nintendo coming out on top this horiday

Are we sure WiiU is getting Mario Kart or 3D Mario next holiday season? 2D Mario already released and its not moving any consoles, 2D Mario is a lot bigger than 3D Mario. They'll have Zelda Windwaker, Game&Wario, W101, Pikmin 3, WiiU Fit this year for sure but...

I don't think these games will move a lot of systems. WiiU Fit will be seen as unnecessary by many casuals as they already have Wii Fit. What will move systems is a big pricecut, coupled with the above games.

WiiU will do well this Holidays but nowhere near the levels of Wii.

SMB3 never was bundled

SM64 wasn't bundled either for all I know (COULD be wrong though)

The REMAKE of SM64 for the DS has sold over 12m and wasn't bundled

Mario sunshine... don't know...

Mario Galaxy 1&2 wasn't bundled

And the Mario Kart series has never been bundled from the get go. Mario Kart Wii got bundled way after it already had reached over 20m sales

And I don't think Wii Fit ever was bundled with the console?

So, most of those games weren't bundled. The only Mario games that has been is the original SMB and SMB World. And what's wrong with bundles anyway? God of War has had bundles... as has Uncharted...

SMB3 & SM64 are so old, and from such different gaming markets I don't even know why you have brought them up. When games are looking to show human emotions, why do you think people still want basic platformers?

There is a big drop from SMG to SMG2. Why is this? Normally sequels of successful games sell more, not considerably less.

Mario Kart Wii sold because it was able to sell on the gimmick of motion controls perfectly. However everyone I knew quickly broke out the gamecube ads once they realised the motion controls were to laggy and digital. So how will the WIiU version sell? What will its main feature be? The same goes for Wii Fit. It sold on the gimmick and a bunch of fat, bored housewives wanting to do something. This is why all gimmick based games sell well eg. Kinetc Adventures etc.

So what new marketing angle does the WIiU have? What will it allow games to do that people haven't seen before? Or, will the games just sell due to the franchise power Nintnedo has?

*Sigh*

This is precisely why people on the internet should actually bother reading what someone else has to say before responding to it.

I made it quite clear in plain text that the Mario games I was listing, SPECIFICALLY were not bundled with consoles, which is why I left out World, All-Stars, and NSMBWii. Also, I'm well aware that Wii Fit was bundled with the Wii, however, that hardly invalidates my point, in fact it backs it up, because I'm betting that many of those so-called "lazy mom" gamers you reference to, if they were to see a Wii Fit U bundled console, would be very likely to go out and pick it up, especially as a holidays item.

But hey, you know what? Have fun with your negativity. Trying to debate with someone on the internet who obviously doesn't see your point of view and isn't likely to ever see it, gains you exactly one thing: wasted time. So have a nice one bud.

And why would something sell now which sold well years ago?

Oh wait, it might not. Gaming progresses, and will Mario etc keep up? From the looks of ti, no, it won't.

Why do you assume that everyone wants the same thing out of games that you do?

People do realize/remember that the WiiU launch month was better than the Xbox 360 or PS3.
And even after the slump in January, the three-month sales numbers were higher than for those consoles.

Plus, the global economy is not what it was a few years back.

If Nintendo gets production efficiencies for a price cut, combined with Mario Kart and one or two other titles, it should fare fine.