@3B: I don't think it really matters too much whether or not nintendo can convince shareholders. I also think that buying existing studios would be the best decision as it is a quicker turnaround than creating a new studio. Not buying Atlas was a HUGE missed opportunity for Nintendo...

Also, Nintendo doesn't need the 3DS to sell as well as the DS. The DS will always be a beast and one of the best selling consoles of all time. 3DS just needs to maintain its momentum and with its great software library hopefully they can keep it up!

I am curious to see if Nintendo decides to make a portable/home console hybrid next gen. It seems to be getting increasingly difficult (with increasing dev times and costs) for Nintendo to support two systems and condensing all third party support to one console would make things better on that front. I'm not sure if it would be a good move (or if it is technologically feasible) but it would be interesting and save me a few hundred dollars :P

EDIT: Cut down the quote pyramid a bit

No worries, I was already going to cut it down:)

3DS is selling as a beast, because they don't have any compentition on the portable console market. Okay, there is Playstation Vita, but let's be honest Sony doesn't have the quality IP's for the Vita. Don't take it wrong, they got great quality IP's for their console.  

All I know, is that right now Nintendo's future doesn't look really bright. There are a lot of chances and opportunity. If their next home/portable console sells also weak. Then there is a huge chance they have to go 3th party or find a realistic way to earn millions/billions. 

IMO, these are two ideas Nintendo should do in this generation:
1. Keep their software exclusive to their hardware.

Nintendo can lose one generation like they did the with the N64 and GameCube because the GameBoy helped them. The 3DS isn't as helpful, but it still is. Wii U will be profitable at some point. Having an Apple like control of their software will increase the value of their software as along as the software is still high quality. And Apple is known for keeping their software exclusive to their system even when they faced very tough times before. People wanted them to release their OS to other platforms, but Apple didn't listen and they made other products with software exclusive to those like the iPod, and eventually, the Macbooks, iPhone and now iPad. Nintendo has a lot of money still, and they can try to be like Apple and make a more appealing console next generation. Heck, they are even making a Quality of Life machine to branch out their company. Maybe that will be their "iPod."

2. Get more studios: I don' care how.
Getting exclusive developers if affordable, forming new studios in the West, or even expanding their current ones. Maybe they are already doing the last point behind the scenes because of rising HD game development. And to be fair, I guess Nintendo DID try this earlier this gen when EA said they would give unprecedented support to Wii U. But now that we know Nintendo and third parties can't seem to get along for WHATEVER the reason (we all have our ideas, opinions, or facts we choose to believe) Nintendo should have bigger and more studios in case their relationship with third parties continue to be bad in the future.

One idea they should do next generation is help marketing third party games. I really believe this signifcantly encourages third parties to make games for Sony and Microsoft. Unfortunately, Sony and Microsoft are waaaay bigger than Nintendo, so it's sort of understandable why Nintendo would try not to get into a marketing war between those two. The other companies can pay more money to a third party company to get their version more or even all the attention (Call of Duty Xbox bundles). But we're seeing two generations in a row (including this one) that third parties are still happy to release games for Sony and Microsoft systems and I still think its because of marketing. Nintendo needs to strategically choose which third party game they wish to market or even "moneyhat" if given the opportunity next generation.

TL;DR: Nintendo should keep their software like Apple and make bigger studios or expand. Next generation, they should market their good third party games better like Microsoft or Sony if valuable.

You were playing devil's advocate. Nothing wrong with that. I knew it would never affect your purchases, and it shouldn't.

The point is, Nintendo for whatever reason, does not put out games that people want. It's been a problem for the past 2 generations. They are so focussed on making the next big thing that they forget entirely about all the potential revenue they could be earning. That's like Nintendo in a nutshell. They have this backwards approach to it, much like 80s and 90s era Disney.

I'm not even sure what strategy is behind it...what, do they think that if they put all their games out, prices will go down, and they'll make a short term profit and long term failure? Because it's not like that at all. That's crazy. It's crazy that instead of having games on there that people do want, they put out the ones people don't want. That is absolute nonsense.

PS: I'm not saying Nintendo only has bad games. They have a lot of great games. Unfortunately, they've made sure that before you have access to all the great ones, you have to sort through all the rubbish. It's like they know metroid 1 won't sell, but they'll put it on vc before fusion because, you know what, what choice do you have?