This is the point though, as Nintendo aims for that broader audience, it alienates (or at least effects the perception of) many more mature gamers, and the audience which once flocked to the console in droves just isn't there anymore - the kids of today would rather have the latest iOS/Android powered phone, Tablet and play 'adult' consoles because their friends do too.

If nintendo were ever to die off and go software-only, the fault would not lie with Sony and Microsoft, but with the explosion of popularity in mobile phones and tablets - Infact looking back the introduction of tablets is roughly where Wii started to drop it's relatively good sales record.

Every gen for the Nintendo, the first parties never failed the consoles. I do worry a lot about Wii U. It's important for consoles to display something unique that the average consumer can't get from smartphones/ tablets.

Sony fans hate Nintendo because they think they are on some sort of righteous crusade. It is almost as though Sony fans think if Sony wins, that Sony will house and feed them.

In reality, Sony is in a very desperate situation. Their company is in disarray. They lack any sort of competent leadership. They are losing billions of dollars a year. They are bleeding employees by the thousands per year. Their last console, the PS3, lost tens of millions of customers from the previous generation, and hundreds of millions of game sales.

Their first incursion into the 8th generation of gaming with the Vita, saw them brutally mauled by the 3DS. Which Sony fans were cheering arms, arms waving up in the air, as a handheld that was dead before it was even off the ground. Now 3DS has enjoyed a year and a half reign as the fastest selling dedicated gaming hardware currently on the market.

Anyway, you can cross THQ off the list. They were the first company of the identified bunch to perish. Although, I would say Activision and EA are companies that want to put their games where they can sell. They don't particularly care about what videogame company is on top.

I don't think Nintendo would ever end up being just a software company, the Wii U will be at least as successful as the GameCube which turned a decent profit for them.

Perhaps next gen Nintendo should focus solely on their next portable device, imagine the sheer volume of quality software that would get published, I mean they've already merged their portable and home console development teams together so I don't see this being such a wacky out their possibility.

Gamecube wasn't profitable, the GBA was.

Ah well, I guess in a funny way we might just see a repeat of that generation then with Nintendo's home console not being profitable and the 3DS making all the money.
Thanks for setting me straight though :)

Nintendo is the heart and soul of gaming and therefore is gaming, the rest are just big company money man impersonators who wanted a peace of the pie, we are lucky to still have an oringinal "real" video games company in our presence, an original, the spirit of Nintendo will never die and can't be killed.

People said that about Sega back in the day..

Oops.

Simple, it is the absolute biggest video game company in terms of number of retail games sold and in terms of revenue. This is without even taking into consideration its hardware business. It is bigger than any other company in terms of software only. Think of it like how Apple and Google both are trying to take down Microsoft. It is the biggest, thus it eats other companies' sales, thus it is fought.

Check up on your history.  The Gamecube might not have sold huge numbers, but under Satoro Iwata it actually managed to pull a profit.  That was one the things that convinced The owner of Nintendo to hand of controll to him.  His mangement capabilties are top notch.  The GBA on the other hand.......well yeah it made billions.