Home console

Wii 2 Gold

$250-$300

Gimmick + plays Nintendo games + profit = Nintendo console

Wii 2 Platinum

$400-450

Gimmick + plays Nintendo games + profit + $150-200 devoted to CPU and GPU (and possibly a MS Windows license) = Nintendo console + Gaming PC

Nintendo spending/charging an extra $100-200 on graphics this gen still wouldn't have gained 3rd party support. The most powerful console at launch is about 70-90% of a strong gaming PC. Nintendo's console is closer to 40-60% across the gen. Yet they all share the same components at different strength.

Instead of offering a bigger hard drive as a premium model, why not boost the graphics for the 'hardcore'. Whilst other systems offer Netflix and other great music and film services, why shouldn't Nintendo offer gaming services. Like Steam. On a PC. On Windows if necessary (for as little as $15 http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-02-21/microsoft-said-to-cut-windows-price-70-percent-to-push-low-cost-devices). Nintendo games would be the same across both models, maybe higher dolphin definition for the premium.

Winners:

MS-they sell some OSs

3rd partys- great PC games like Street Fighter and platformer games will finally be able to be played with proper controls without Nintendo getting a penny.

Gamers-Finally get great 3rd party support at the price they deserve (via Steam Holiday sale). Nintendo console + 80-90% gaming PC.

Nintendo- 3rd party games are playable on the console. No license money for Nintendo but that's no different to the current situation.

Valve/Steam-They get the steambox in the living room. Maybe they should help subsidise.

Losers:

XBOX division- Kinda rendered pointless unless Kinect takes off. The next gen equivalent of Gears of...er.. I mean Titanfall will be available on Nintendo's console at a jusifiable price (Holiday Sale) and games like Plants v Zombies:GW which would be more at home on a Nintendo console.

Sony- PC games +XBOX non platform, non timed, exclusive exclusives + Nintendo games + Nintendo gimmick > Uncharted+Killzone

I'm not advocating this but it is one way Nintendo could get 3rd party support. They could get more 3rd party support for their handheld by charging $30 extra to boot into Android and have access to Google Play account. Even if the console isn't being used for Nintendo games, at least it won't be getting dusty.

Or they make one powerful console.

Which wouldn't get 3rd party support.

Power = Guarenteed 3rd party support.

Nintendo just needs to get developer feedback for their next home console. Ask them want they would like to see and work with. Ask them how powerful it should be and also future proof it. Then nintendo consoles will get better 3rd party support

Or they can just spend their money and pay the porting fees

But really, does it matter? Third parties have never sold well on Nintendo consoles most of the time and I doubt they will. People buy Nintendo consoles to play Nintendo games for better or for worse... But we will see what the future holds

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How to get third-party support:

Don't make the development environment any more difficult than necessary.
Work to establish partnerships and listen to what developers are saying.
Support third-parties with advertising as much as possible.
At least be on par in terms of network and account features.

The question of more powerful hardware aside, the truth is that Nintendo does not work as hard as Microsoft or Sony when it comes to creating mutually beneficial business partnerships. Business is all about compromise, about making deals where both parties come out better than before. It's fine if Nintendo doesn't want to work at that, it's their choice, but they also have no room for complaints when developers ignore them.

Honestly, I don't see that happening anytime soon. Nintendo's current management doesn't seem very interested in increasing their developer support presence in the west.

This. Only Nintendo makes most of their money from Nintendo games, which in turn makes their own developer's requirements a higher priority. They really need to consult third parties more though.