Have you missed the part where the Nintendo's president died? They got a new President. The communication strategy changed or got at least severely delayed. We only got 1 direct since his death.

I'm not sure what you are getting at. I do believe they are prepping for something. But it's most probably not a new next-gen home console, because as you very well point out it would require enourmous resources. A portable device makes more sense.

And yes, it will sap development resources from other platforms obviously. But, at the moment the drought in 3DS software is way more significant than the drought in Wii U software. Wii U has stuff coming out and will continue to have throughout the year because the president of Nintendo said they would continue to support it. 

Blame me for not assuming he is lieing with every word.

They had open oppurtunity at that November Direct (several months after Iwata's passing) and again the Game Awards at the year end where they have shown new product every year before ... this year ... nothing. Nothing new at E3 from their main teams either and that was before Iwata's passing. 

I'm sorry but I don't buy that excuse, they had plenty of oppurtunities before and after this year to show new product ... the only new product they chose to show us were farmed out games. As mentioned above they haven't shown a new Wii U project from any of their core teams being made largely internally in the last 18 months. 

"Sap" support from other platforms? Any kind of NX that's more powerful than a 3DS will effectively end Wii U and 3DS development. Because you can't just launch a system with "normal" support, the first 18 months of NX Portable will require several of Nintendo's BIG gun IPs early on, otherwise its install base is going to stall and you can kiss Nintendo's future in the hardware business goodbye period. The next 3D Mario, next Mario Kart, next Smash Brothers, next Splatoon, next Retro game, etc. need to be in development for the NX *right now*, even if it's a 2017 launch, game development doesn't happen in 6 months, it's 2016 already, for them to make a 2017 window even means game development needs to be fully underway for the NX as games take 18-24 months to complete (more like 24-36 months in Nintendo's case). 

NX ... console or not basically spells the end of the Wii U/3DS. Nintendo doesn't have the resources to even support one high end (PS3/360 level graphics) console and a lesser handheld with sub-GameCube visuals. Now all of the sudden they're going to continue to be able to support the Wii U (PS3/360+ graphics) and another handheld with almost equal graphics simulatenously? Not a chance in hell. 

Starfox Zero and Twilight Princess HD require minimal investment from Nintendo as Platinum/Tantalus can do the heavy lifting and the games have low production values to begin with, while there has been no indication that Pikmin 4 is a Wii U game.

The bulk of Nintendo's development resources have been shifted from Wii U to NX, that much is clear at this point. If there were still major games to come for the Wii U, we wouldn't have gone 18 months without any being announced.

It sucks, but it's the harsh reality.

So one game fully developed by them means no resources for NX? Alright buddy.

The non-announcement simply confirms what i have said. They had no communication strategy after Iwata's passing. It got jump started with the Direct we had. Regardless, this is pure speculation. I remember their announcement one of these years was Cranky kong as a playable character in Tropical freeze. Heavy announcements there. Last year what did they do? Zelda footage?

Better inform Nintendo that they are to cancel all ongoing projects for the Wii U. The authorities have spoken! You don't even know what the new system is!

Seriously... game development doesnt happen in 12 months. It's the product of alot of planning. It doesnt go away from one moment to the other. It occurs slowly and progressively.

I mean Sony doesnt give a s**t about the vita but they still had first party games come out this year. The projects were far too progressed to be canceled.

It doesn't "suck" really ... what's so bad about it? If you're a Nintendo fan you're going to have to buy an NX, because it's not as if you'll be able to play Nintendo games elsewhere. The only difference will be is that maybe you get to play say something like Mario Galaxy 3 on better hardware. Nothing wrong with that. 

I wouldn't have complained if Nintendo had moved say Zelda: Majora's Mask, Perfect Dark, and Conker's Bad Fur Day for example to the GameCube and improved the graphics/frame rate. 

Why would sony and ms wait so long to release their 9 gen systems if nintendo releases theirs in 2016? They would be the ones getting crushed by being so late.

It sucks cos I already own a Wii U and I don't want to spend hundreds of dollars on a new console. Also, at this stage I'm not even planning on getting an NX, I just can't take the game droughts and play-it-safe software any more.

Even logistically though even if we grant you your own time line, it still doesn't make sense. Lets say portable NX in late 2016, and console NX or whatever in 2017 ... game development for these platforms would still have to be well underway right now, and it can't be just half-assed "secondary" support either, Nintendo needs to prioritize the new platforms with their higher end projects otherwise those systems will not sell well out of the gate and their business is fucked for the next 5 years. 

If we assume a 24 month average dev cycle for most Nintendo games ... there simply isn't room for very much Wii U support in this equation. 

Not only do their next-gen handheld projects need to be in development (like deeeep into development)*right now*, their next-gen 2017 console projects also need to be starting development right now. 

Do you think Nintendo can supply software for 3 different systems simulatenously with the lowest end system having maybe Vita-XBox 360 graphics? 

Like I'm just doing the math here and it just doesn't equal out. They ditched the Wii U a while ago IMO, it's no great mystery why they haven't had anything new to show on the Wii U. Also why can they show Twlight Princess HD and Pokken Tournament but not all these other amazing 1st party exclusive Wii U projects? Like what does Iwata's passing have to do with that? They're so grief striken that they can only cut trailers for farmed out games?

Especially TP HD, at most that's like a few guys supervising for quality control purposes.