The Wii is not the natural trajectory of Nintendo hardware if MS wasn't in the business IMO (not that this is MS' fault, it's just an indirect result of it). That's just how I feel about it.

What the Wiimote actually was was intended to be an accessory add-on to the GameCube, but once the GameCube "failed" they switched gears and based an entire hardware concept around that controller. And the rest is of course history. It was great for Nintendo in the sense that it made them obsene amounts of money, probably easily the most profitable game console ever, perhaps not so great for their long term positioning in the game business though.

In the same way a Sega fan can say, Sega probably would still be making hardware today if Sony didn't enter the game business, and they're probably right.

The way MS harmed the industry even though they've helped with online is by empowering asshole companies like EA and Activision to nickel and dime customers. Any decision EA and Activision seems to make they are more than happy with even though the consumers hate it. Bobby Kotick loves the thought of Xbox Live and capitalized on getting his share out of that. DLC all day. American corporate mentality.

Not that I'm blaming MS of course.

Nintendo and we can bring Sega into this deserved some repurcussions for the mistakes they were making.

That said, I have to wonder if this industry is actually hyper-competetive too. Nintendo and Sega deserved to be humbled, but I don't think they deserved to be brought to their knees (or wiped out basically in Sega's case).

That's too harsh for making a silly mistake like making a purple console or mismanaging the Saturn hardware, but both company's paid very dearly for mistakes like this and once you make 1 mistake, consumers ditch you very quickly for someone else, and that is somewhat regrettable I think. Sega deserved better with the Dreamcast, Nintendo deserved better with the GameCube.

In Microsoft's case it's like, they don't even need the game business. This is just gravy for them, and even Sony really doesn't need it (though it helps them of course). Nintendo is a game company only though. So was Sega. It's kinda like c'mon dude, do you really have to go steal that 1 guy's girlfriend when he has no other options and you have your pick of multiple girls? lol.

i'm no xbox fan therefore i don't care.maybe i was until moore left but i never really trusted them-not because of the box but because of ms destroying and buying competition with windows for decades and i worry they can try to repeat it with console gaming-and they have the money.I'm 100% against monopoles,especially us-style.But sometimes you need a monopolist to fight another one(eg.bing to fight google)

But if you also think that nintendo deserve what they get and that gamecube was underrated you may have chosen a different headline for this thread

imo gamecube was never as great as n64 therefore i don't understand why you likee the system that much.

n64 had wave race,1080,mario 64,dk 64,oot,iss,golden eye,perfect dark,turok,ki,blast dozer etc etc.innovative,reference,sometimes revolutionary

gamecube was for me=great controller ,good graphics and pikmin .(mario sunshine can't hold a candle to m64 and galaxy)I bought so few games for this system that I still tend to think that grabbed by the ghoulies was a gamecube game instead xbox as it looked so "nintendo".

Then consumers should express their hate by not buying EA and Activision products. I'm not a fan of those two, but I can forgive them for getting a mixed message when people bitch about them and then make them the #1 and #2 publishers in the world.

It sucks when you love gaming and they buy up all the good properties but give you a dangling carrot. American corporatism.

@Soundwave:
Well that's kinda your fault for feeling that way about it. All I can say at this point is don't stress over what ifs. Just enjoy what you have, which are a ton of great games!

Nooo double post!

I think Nintendo should stick to make software and peripheries to Microsoft. That's the perfect combination.

The best in platform and somewhat JRPG with the best in action adventure games, arcades and multi-plats.

Seeing how Sega went after they exited making their own hardware makes me reticent on ideas like that. I remember people initially saying it would be great for Sega to have their games on other platforms and look at them today.