Well, it depends. The Vita is very weak. Home consoles could very well make up 2 of the 3 best-selling platforms this gen in Japan if the Wii U and PS4 both sell decently.

I mean, if the Wii U and PS4 are both considered cripples, and if the PSV can't keep up with them, the whole market will be ruled by only one platform.

I think the Vita will still in the long run outsell both the PS4 and Wii U. I don't think PS4 will match PS3 in Japan nor will Wii U match Wii. 

There is another rising platform in Japan, even if people don't want to admit it -- a recent report showed that Japan spends more on smartphone/tablet apps than any country in the world, overtaking the US last year. And the no.1 type of app being download are games. 

Sad but true. Unless consoles are able to give players a must have experience not possible anywhere else, then i see little hope for home consoles. WiiU can offer an experience very unique to it - that family "get together" experience, so atleast WiiU will do good in the holidays.

It's impossible to know for sure at this point, but let's just say the Wii U is looking healthier at the moment and the PS4 will probably get off to a better start. Who knows how things will progress from there?

Smartphones are certainly growing in popularity in Japan. I would expect them to have more of a direct impact on handheld console sales than on home console sales, though.

Do you always sook?

You're right. This is the important bit. Sony in particular have done everything in their power with the PS4 to make it a success - easy to develop for architecture, reasonable launch price etc. but apart from Nintendo, traditionally the really big, huge movers on consoles in Japan have been 3rd parties - FF, KH, MGS, RE etc.

PS4's performance will hinge so much on those devs in Japan - if FFXV, KH3, MGSV, RE7 for example are disappointment, the reprocussions will go far beyond their respective developers and will profundly effect the entire games market in Japan. It will never match PS2, the casuals who helped to bolster its sales to stratospheric levels have moved (via Wii) to mobile or handhelds and furthermore, those platforms have stolen some of PS2's most important games (esp. DQ)

If Japan can return at least in part to those glory days were development was effecient and the games rapturously achieved, then PS4 in particular should do well, more then well enough to justify its existance. I think it is possible, but those last holdout AAA devs in Japan need to pull their fingers out - there is a lot riding on them, otherwise the traditional home console in Japan will face an uncertain future

Just to clarify, I don't think they'll ever die off unless something absolutely unbelievable happens, but I do think they will become more niche esp. compared to the west where they will continue to flourish

Can't we just start doing it like this?

It's refreshing to see some regular good news with regards to the Wii U. If consoles aren't dead in Japan PS3 should be doing better though. It's got a massive library.

You are always funny to read.

Vita will be big this Week. We have the Final Fantasy X/X2 Launch on the 26th