Sorry for the long post in advance, but if you're a Nintendo fan, I'm sure it has some good ideas and can push the conversation forward.

I am not a huge Nintendo fan, but I agree with Mr. Iwata. Even if I'd like to see some exclusives on my PS3 (and future PS4), I think the exclusivity first party games has for Nintendo is what has kept them afloat. They've made many risky choices, some that have paid off (Wii) and some that have not (N64, GCN, Wii U), but throughout all of it, their first party games have continually sold well and made them profits. Going multiplatform would not only compromise their consoles' (home and handheld) appeal due to lack of exclusivity, it'd cut into their profits because they'd have to give a cut to whatever platform they were on (unless we're strictly talking PC and Android).

As of March of last year, Nintendo had 10.5 billion dollars in cash. That's not how much revenue they bring in, that's straight money in the bank. Don't know how much that has changed since then, but they have lots of money to keep them doing their own thing for years to come even with expected losses. I'd like to see them prosper in that time, because I have a fondness for them from the nostalgia that comes with NES/SNES days.

Even so, I'd like to see Nintendo use some of that money to make a console that can properly compete with the nextgen (not trying to flamebait the Wii U fans, so no disrespect is meant). If this generation is going to last 10 years, maybe they could release a console 3 or 4 years from now that is slightly better from a technological standpoint than PS4/XB1. But unlike N64 and GCN which were technologically superior in their heyday, Nintendo could take more risks on the games rather than in the hardware space (N64 sticking to cartridges, GCN having a fugly design and sticking to propriety disks instead of going Blu Ray). Bring us good ol' Zelda in nextgen awesomeness but add a new IP that can appeal to the types of people who'd buy a high end electronic (hint, not kids).

I just hope that with that insight Nintendo has for the future, they can see that they need to get with the times.

http://www.gonintendo.com/?mode=viewstory&id=173571

Why? Failure to launch titles notwithstanding, the Wii U is indeed gen 8's cheapest console by $50--and that ignores the basic model. I'm not going to argue too far into antiquity because this was *not* Nintendo's attitude before Microsoft entered the console business, but the DS, Wii, Wii U, and 3DS have all been their market's low tech/ low power consoles, and they make up for it by innovating on the consumer's experience. Meanwhile, Microsoft and Sony are off having a spec war.

What is your signature from?

Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha StrikerS.

Technically not a Yuri, though you won't know it for watching it...

Some people will just never understand Nintendo. It's like there is a veil that stops them from understanding what makes them succeed, and why they make the choices they make. I'm talking about the Mazties and the likes, who expect Nintendo to make new IPs, powerful consoles and so many more things that never led to their success, and it makes me happy that I see something they just never will.

As long as Ninty's business model is to profit a lot also on HW, it makes sense for it to keep its 1st party SW exclusive.

This is naive. It is pretty clear this is the generation that will be key to locking people into a particular ecosystem. Sony is going multiplatform with Gaikai, and MS looks to be doing the same from that leaked document (although they were too blunt and have been set back by the 180).

If you buy a game from Sony or MS you will be able to play it anywhere. This will be the final nail in the coffin for Nintendo's third party support. And this in turn will hurt their consoles.

I can't be the only person who finds it funny that this topic came up again on the same day that Sony announced that Playstation All Stars Island thing.

That's one example why it would be an awful idea.

Nintendo already has people locked into their particular ecosystem, and their own software is the key.

Keep banging that drum, Osc. Maybe one day you'll learn the rhythm.