CoD obviously suffers the Activision curse. That one's a no-brainer. In due time it will fizzle.

The american-driven market has yet to prove itself, so far it's lead to market breakdown. 1 gen is not enough to say it works. A japanese-centric market has worked for gaming generations.

I like the direction Nintendo are heading..it might not be paying off yet with Wii U, but they are trying to balance out casual and hardcore. Their recent influx of games on 3DS and upcoming Wii U titles signify a return to form in my book.

The Wii U in reverse, I would think. A tablet-esque controller-cum-handheld, possibly with detachable buttons and triggers and analogues (i keep seeing ads for this thing called the WikiPad, something like that) to give it more form factor when you want to do mobile-type gaming, or more traditional factor when you want more traditional gaming, that would be synchable to set-top boxes (like DirecTV) or to Smart TVs, or Nintendo could sell their own little optional receiver for TVs, possibly with an optional disc drive for those who prefer to own games that way, but everything's processed on the pad's end.

I'm sure by the end of this decade they'd be able to cram something maybe 2x as strong as Wii U into the U Pad.

Are you saying the Wii U will be the PS360 of next gen?

And yet WW turned out to be one of the best Zelda's ever.

Just cause something doesn't look mature doesn't make it "unplayable".

They should have come out with that last year instead of WiiU when it would have been unique and exciting.  By the time such a device hits the market it will be competing with already established gaming tablet/consoles going into their second to forth editions depending on when this Wii3 device hits.   While Nintendo fans will of course buy it, it may get lost in the shuffle for the casual market and still lack appeal for the core.

You continually overestimate mobile gaming. For all its advantages in convenience, the reason handheld gaming even endures is because the software brands are stronger and more reliable. Like any Nintendo device, the strength of software will set it apart from devices whose only claim to fame are endless Candy Crush, Farmville, and Angry Birds clones.

And yet 3DS sales are soft outside Japan.   As I said, Nintendo fans will buy it. 

As mobile device continue to increase in power, so will the complexity of their games.  As more home/cross Android/iOS consoles become available so will games that utilize traditional controllers on these platforms.  Meaning the gap between mobile and home consoles will continue to close.  

At lot of next gen games will also have mobile app tie-ins continually blurring the line and creating a constant experience.  You can play the game 24/7 anywhere you go in some capacity.  This is PS4/XB1 games I talking.   EA has already stated they intend to have such a tie-in App for every game they make.  Again, as mobile devices become more powerful expect the difference from console game to app to shrink until it is basically the same. 

Your idea for a reverse WiiU is sound, if they launched it today.  In four years, it'll be standard fare and like WiiU, will only have Nintendo IPs to set it apart from existing competition.  And if it isn't an Android device (or such) and only plays Nintendo games, then why bother with it at all unless you're a die-hard fan of Nintendo games?   Too little too late by that time.

Maybe not the U, but the 3DS or their successor (singular).

Then Nintendo never really lost its way. 3DS and Vita seem to be following in the footsteps of the DS and PSP.