Well, I mispoke in my original post.  50 million would actually be 1/3 of the DS sales, meaning they'd have lost 2/3.

And yeah, I don't think the PS3 was a success.  I'm pretty sure it lost Sony money in the long run, and it lost them a huge chunk of marketshare. 

I don't know why people keep saying tablets like that's an excuse.  It's Nintendo's job to make sure that their product is appealing, and it's their job to adapt to a changing market.  If they don't do that, it's a failure on their part. 

Software sales are way down for the 3DS.  2008 software sales for the DS were 155 million.  2013 DS sales were 57 million.  The same gap in hardware is showing up in software.  So, that'd not an argument for success.

As for the whole, "if it makes a profit it's a success" argument, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opportunity_cost

I love my 3DS, and good on Nintendo for saving it from total disaster, but it's simply not a success.  I'm not sure if I'm comfortable using the word failure though.

No Virtual Boy is the worst sold handheld.

A success especially compared to how the Vita is performing and how popular smartphones are.

Except that wasnt a handheld

It really depends on how many software units sell, not so much the hardware.

A system that sells 50 million units and 600 million software is more successful than one which sells 80 million and only 400 million software.

If we go with the assumption that handhelds sell about 5 games per system, and given the past success of handhelds, but considering the rise of the Smartphone market. I would say the breakdown is probably like this:

50 million and below = major failure
50-70 million = failure
70-90 million = minor failure
90-115 million = success - I think this is the on target range
115-140 million = major success
140 million+ = phenomenal success

Would be a success for any gaming company besides Nintendo . 50m for a main Nintendo handheld would be pretty bad, but the way things are going it might just happen next gen.

Edit: Actually even for Sony it wouldn't be a success, but Sony is no Nintendo in the handheld business.

I dont kno the exact profits for each but with software sales it is true of wat you said (HW~SW arguement) but 1st party software>3rd party software.

So lets say a MS and Sony for example sell the same amunt of consoles (50mil)

Which profits more? (assuming all games were sold full price)

MS  500mil (3rd party)     50mil (1st party)  Total 550mil

PS  300mil (3rd party)    150mil (1st party)  Total 450mil

Aside from all that nonsense :p  You practically called all Nintendo consoles Failures (aside from Wii) lol 

It's a great success. The issue with 3DS was its initial launch and the lack of games. Any console can sell it just needs the games to back it up.

That  thing is as portable as my damn TV! >.>

I'd consider 50million to be a success in the current market conditions plus the 3DS did make Ninty a profit so as long as a profit is made (regardless of big or small), it is still considered a success in my books.