lol I like how the majority are thinking it's an anti PS4 article and then you come along ;)

Its going to be funny to see how IGN responds to the Wii U by the end of this year when it is at 11 - 12 million sold. I remember reading about how the 3DS was dead and how games like Mario Kart,Zelda, and Pokemon were not big enough to save the console, and that the Vita was the portable that gamers truely wanted. The PS4 has done amazing no doubt so far, but there is only one launch, and after that sales come and go due to new software. The Wii U will have Kart/Smash/DK, Xbox One will have Halo 5, I am not really sure what the PS4's system seller will be going forward. When the hell did IGN become Fox News / MSNBC.

You really should look back at past Nintendo consoles. No offense but it really feels like when people speak mightily of Nintendo's first party titles and hardware they conveniently forget the times it didn't work out for them. Like the Nintendo 64 or the Gamecube. I swear sometimes it almost feels like Nintendo went straight from the Super Nintendo to the Wii by listening to certain people. As if that two console generation dark age didn't exist.

The 3DS went on to succeed because after 6 months of poor sales it received a dramatic price drop that doesn't normally happen until after more than a year has gone by. What also helped it to sell even more is that its new generation competition, the Vita, sold at a price relatively no one was willing to pay for a handheld. That made the 3DS a much more attractive option. Not to mention the 3DS just has something about it that makes it more marketable and inviting. Having a library that made the 3DS worth the cost didn't happen until after sales had already jumped and stayed that way.

For consoles the Wii U is in a much different position. Despite a price drop and the holiday sales the Wii U is not flying off the shelves. Its competition is more attractive and more numerous than what the 3DS is up against. The Wii U is not offering as much of what's become expected of consoles now. You're right. There is only one launch. Both the PS4 and X1 killed it, too. The fact that the PS4 sold more consoles in less than two months than the Wii U did all year and the X1 pretty much matched it should be indication enough that the Wii U has some fierce competition right out of the gate.

Bombshell exclusive titles aren't necessarily needed to move consoles in the opening year nor can they guarantee enough consoles will be moved because of them. While I agree that Mario Kart and Smash Bros are big deals... Donkey Kong? You listed Donkey Kong as something that could move the Wii U but you don't see anything coming up that could move PS4s? Infamous? The Order? Uncharted if it releases this year? Driveclub if it turns out to be awesome? Halo is really the only game that could move the X1? Let me ask you this. Did the Wii sell 100 million consoles because of Mario Kart, Smash Bros, Mario games, and Zelda games or did those games sell as well as they did because the Wii sold 100 million consoles? Because if you look at the Gamecube those franchises did very, very well but the Gamecube only moved about 21 million consoles. Shouldn't those franchises have been able to push the Gamecube far beyond the Xbox and make it competitive with the PlayStation 2? Listening to certain people you'd think that should have been a given.

Wow, I actually prepared to laugh but this is a pretty level headed analysis. They even acknowledged that the PS4 is not finished selling.
They also didn't ride the "But the X1 sold great even though it costs more" train. Because I think that the majority of X1 buyers would've bought it regardless of price(read core xbox fans).

Yes Donkey Kong.   The SNES ones sold over 17 million and were the game that pushed the SNES over the Genesis.   More recently DKCR has sold 6.1 million on Wii and the 3DS version is at 1.14 million which is higher then the Vitas top selling game.   Infamous?  The 1st two combined only sold 4 million, and it was a pack in game for a while.   Donkey Kong is terms of sales is just as big an Uncharted, and since Nintendo has'nt run it in to the ground by releasing 4 in 5 years, I have no doubt it will sell consoles.    The Gamecube didnt sell great because 1. It didnt have a DVD player 2. Came out when the PS2 already had a massive install base 3. Tried to be the graphic powerhouse, hardcore console and that has never worked.   Mario Kart and Smash Bros have had over a decade to grow in popularity since then and the recent sales on Wii, DS, and 3DS prove that they have.   I could even make an easy case that Wii Fit is the most underated system seller ever.  Wii Fit and Wii Fit Plus combined sold 44 million, yet Infamous which sold 10 percent of that is a system seller.  Come on now numbers dont lie.

This seems like an article completely talking about things everyone already knew...

The Gamecubes lineup was also a huge reason why it never took off.

Metroid Prime - Smaller Franchise / FPS were more of a mid level genre back then.
Wind Waker - People HATED the new style, and it only picked up a following later on.
Luigi's Mansion - New IP with a B charecter, that also picked up a bigger following later.
Mario Party - Nintendo made them way too fast and people lost interest
Pikmin- RTS Niche RPG....never really had a chance, it barely moves the needle now.
Everything else was aimed at the same crowd. The 13 - 24 year old guy gamers, Soul Calibur, Custom Robo,Sonic Adventure, Star Fox,Dragonball Z. etc.

The only games that actually moved consoles were Smash Bros, and Mario Kart. It also didnt have a real Donkey Kong game, unlike SNES and N64, which I have no doubt hurt alot. The Wii did what it did because it was innovative, but the Wii Series (Sports,Resort,Play,Fit,Party, even Music sold 3.5 m.) was massive along with Nintendos other stuff.

Just like they said, strong launches for the X1 and PS4. But, we still have a long way to go....

Lol that last graph, damage controlling! Its like Arse technica's "dont read too much into it"