Well, not for hardcore fans to own necessarily(though it probably is, I contend).

It's the most talked about system.

Popularity can be good or bad, and the Wii gets more news articles, more threads, more mentions, more crap said about it on every freakin' site I post on, on every show I watch, in the mainstream, and from Sony, Microsoft, and PC fanboys, than any other system, even they systems they own.

Why? Is it because of sales? There are WAY more Wii haters out there than haters of any other console. There are a huge number of Nintendo fanboys also, probably more than any other console, but that said, the Wii gets talked about ALL the time. When a topic is made about the PS3, the Wii is brought up and compared.

This is such a stark contrast to last gen, when the Gamecube, if it was ever brought up, just ended in a cheap laugh, and a dismissive marginilaztation about being "kiddy" and having poor "sales."

I guess being "casual" and having god-like "sales" is more popular with the loons? 

Got any evidence to back this up?

Only anecdotal. Four words.

Does your anecdotal opinion say otherwise? 

I'm not sure where you're trying to say. But I like to think I'm hardcore and Wii is my only current-gen system, so I would contend along with you on that.

It also raped my mother, that's why I hate it. I'm going to torture and kill it, once it gets out of prison.

 Wait I thought the Wii printed money...

just go to n4g.com
and you will see how "popular" wii is.

The other consoles wouldn't sell if this were true. It would be complete domination.

I'm going to: "I wish everybody would STFU about the Wii if they don't have anything good to say about it, the only reason they bring it up is because they are jealous that public perception puts the Wii in first place over their cherished box of choice. Roast the fanboys, not the system. Roasting a system makes you a fanboy."

Excuse me but last year Ps3 WAS THE MOST HATED CONSOLE EVER!

In my school & EVERYWHERE I saw on forumns there was negative hype