I actually just bought a Wii U recently. I think it all depends on the cost. If the console went down to £100 then that would be great.

At the moment no one really wants to spend £35-40 on a Wii U game, when you can get a game far more technically superior on the PS4/X1 for £40+. The problem with the Wii U is that its seen as lesser quality than the other consoles. Which is true in a way.

Personally I think the currently gaming model is unsustainable, and that for the current model to survive one of the console manufacturers will have to drop out or the business model will have to change, which Nintendo is aiming to do for the moment.

 Problem with that is that Nintendo tried utilizing heavy third party support in the begining, but it proved to be completely futile when gamers continued to purchase the games on older hardware. Gamers are just way too invested in the consoles they already own, and see no point in dropping all that to waste $300 on a new console with similar hardware and fewer features. The fact that less than 1% of CoD: Ghosts' sales were the Wii-U version, kindof says it all. Mabye if Nintendo actually proved their hardware was far beyond that of 7 year old consoles, things might have different, but they ruined the chance at third party support when they released a severely gimped console. 

What PS3 had that WiiU doesn't.

1. Third party support.
2. A clear target audience.
3. High price as the reason for low sales
4. Strong brand recognition/loyalty in Europe

All significant.

I love your sparkling personality and upbeat, friendly attitude.

Sorry pal, but ignoring attach rates and the overall sale-rate of the CONSOLE is beyond foolish.

Yes, you're talking sales numbers. No shit. So am I. But I'm also being practical and taking into full account the SITUATION Wii U is in. FACT is, considering how long it's been out, and considering the sales of Wii U in general, Mario 3D World selling close to 1.5 million units since it's late Nov. release should in fact be considered solid sales. And like all Mario games, it will have legs, that will carry those sales for the next few years.

Super Mario Galaxy came out on a console that had a MEGA-HIT "must have" system seller in Wii Sports. By the time Mario Galaxy came out, mind you, roughly within the same time-frame from console launch (bout a year), the Wii had sold a LOT more units and had a much higher install-base than around 5 million. By the time NSMB Wii came out in 2009, the Wii already had tens of millions of consoles out in the wild, with Wii Sports, Wii Sports Resort, Wii Fit, and Mario Kart bringing in more sales every single month. Not sure if you've been paying attention, but Wii U has yet to have a SINGLE "must have" console-selling title. Not one. Nintendo Land, while neat, was nothing close to the "Easy to get into, easy to understand, anyone can play" type of killer app that Wii Sports was. Mario 3D World, while a great game, and certainly a game anyone CAN pick up and play, is still not a "MUST HAVE" title for some people. There are still a lot of folks holding off to get a Wii U until Mario Kart and/or Smash Bros. come out. I know this because I've heard countless people say so, online or in real life, even on these forums.

So no, I'm sorry, but their franchises haven't "lost power". If they had, Pokemon wouldn't still be selling by the fuckload, even though the franchise has been largely unchanged with each iteration since 1996. We'll have to wait and see just how well MK8 does, but I'm telling you, not only is the MK franchise more popular than ever, but Nintendo isn't resting on their laurels. They know how important that game is to them, they're going to be pushing/promoting/advertising the living fuck out of it. And there will be an MK bundle at some point in 2014, guaranteed.

Can't w/o third party support.

Very slim.
I love Nintendo but Wii U is too gimmicky looking for most people to buy.

MK also lost power too. MK7 hasn't even hit 10 million copies sold yet. -_-

The only exception thus far has been pokemon and that's a SECOND PARTY franchise. It's amazing how some third party developer is the holding one of nintendo's IP is the one to keep it in consistent power and quality compared to what inhouse nintendo studios is doing to their own franchises.

without 3rd party support and without a decent controller?... no sorry but it cant.
It's situation will improve but after having some hands on time with it at a friend's place and trying out the gamepad and pro controller (god that was a cheap build) i can say for sure that no way.
sales will improve with games but not immensely like people expect.

Nearly no 3rd Party and interest in it and especially not the community behind it > No chance