Nintendo operates on a 6 year cycle for the most part. So they will launch their next in 2018, with a 2-3year development cycle. So they might get blueprints together for the next console next year, but we won't hear a peep about it until 2016.

I can/will never be satisfied, and I'll take what's new too.

Nintendo's next console might not be  backward compatible with the Wii.  It will sit next to whats new.

2015 is the last year for WII U.

Basides all this discussion about the WiiU and when it will be released a new console, it is interesting to see that its been selling more than xbone for several weeks in a row. I know it probably won't last much, but maybe with the release of hyrule warriors and smash bros we will see WiiU ahead of Xbone even after the holidays, something that I would never imagined would happen.

2016 will probably be the launch of the next Nintendo handheld and home console. 2017 at the latest. It will also launch with a core Mario Game. The big problem with Wii U and GameCube is that neither had new entries in the core Mario series, just spinoffs, and that is suicide for any Nintendo home console.

I don't think that there is any definite time that the new console will launch. Nintendo will do it when they want to do it. They honestly are not that concerned about profitibility. The need to keep loyal consumer's trust most of all. Their main priority is perfecting their games though. If the can't have any games for it till 2017 and release it in 2015, that is suicide. I don't care when they do it, as long as it will work and we're still getting games either way.

@OP

I'm sorry, but are you kidding? The system hasn't even been out a full two full years, and you want them to drop support after 2015 and release a new console in 2016? Is that what you personally want, or are you just speculating that that could happen?

What we've gotten so far in no realistic way constitutes an acceptable full catalog of one console's games.

When will Nintendo fans be "Satisfied"? Why does satisfaction have to be determined by a certain number of games, or a certain length of time? I, PERSONALLY, would be perfectly satisfied if Nintendo did what I think they should do, which is support Wii U through 2016, AT LEAST, and not release a new console until 2017. Why? Because the Wii U is just fine as it is, and it has hardware powerful enough to provide us with quite a lot of great gaming experiences. We don't need to cut that short just so I can run out and spend ANOTHER $400 on ANOTHER new console that has more hardware power.

I want as many good games (both retail and indie) out of THIS hardware as I can possibly get. And quite frankly, releasing new hardware is not going to "Cure" anything. Just because they release more powerful hardware (again), doesn't mean that all the sudden these so-called "core" gamers are going to run and jump on the new Nintendo bandwagon. Nintendo needs to support THIS console, and not only get THEIR money's worth, but make sure we get ours.

@Jumpin


Um....not to put too fine a point on it, but Wii launched without a Mario game, not even a spinoff....and don't quote me on this, but I get the feeling it did alright.....

There isn't going to be a $400 super duper Nintendo console. Not in 2017, not in 2018, not in 2019, not in 2020 IMO. 

Wii U in a lot of ways I think will be their last traditional console, they will simply just make a handheld next gen which also has a TV-centric (VitaTV) variant that allows the same games to be played on your television.

To be honest I think the gaming landscape is going to change radically after this gen anyway. Go see the Sony thread where Sony themselves is openly talking about streaming replacing consoles eventually. I think even for Sony, Playstation 5 will be their last traditional console. I'm not sure if MS will try again either if XBox One is considered a dissapointment. Nintendo is out after the Wii U IMO. 

Also with the "next-gen" Nintendo platform being more like a portable first, I don't think any of this will be a big issue for Nintendo. They can position it more as the 3DS successor at first, even if it is effectively replacing both the 3DS and Wii U in the long run. 

Yet another plus for going the "Fusion" route.