I guess this is a little Jab at Sony.

http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=191544

Satoru Iwata says predicting console lifespan is "nonsense"
News by Rob Purchese

Today 17:53

Nintendo boss Satoru Iwata thinks predicting how long a console will last for is "nonsense".

He believes hardware should only be rethought when developers can no longer innovate on it.

"Deciding upon a certain time period that someone can sell is becoming a nonsense," Iwata told the BBC, referencing Sony's 'ten-year plan'.

"After all, the primary concern for me is not to let consumers purchase hardware but to enjoy software.

"Having said that, however hard our software developers try create new unprecedented titles with great ideas eventually there'll be a day when developers say they have no more means with the hardware, that's exactly the time we need to introduce people to new hardware," added Iwata.

Here is the actual interview with video:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7511215.stm

20 year life-span for Wii confirmed?

Finally, someone who realises Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft are in the game business, not the hardware business, OS update business, multimedia business or advertising business.

Haha Iwata you wrong and you know it so cut the bullshit. You release a new console when the market is over saturated just like you do with any product. And when Wii stops selling beastly amounts of the competition stop steady sales a new product comes out and the 8th generation starts.

True but the way I see it, the 10 year life span that Sony is talking about is more like a "we'll support it and keep making games for it" for up to 10 years. I think that they will do what they did with PS1 and PS2, when the successor is released, they will still be selling the previous console and making games for it and such. Not everybody can buy a console within the first 8 years of release lol.

That's always been Nintendo's approach. After all, unlike MS and Sony, they produce hardware for their software ideas. MS and Sony produce software based on what their hardware ideas finalized at.

NES lasted, and dominated, well into the next generation due to this philosophy. Wii will do the same as long as it is dominating the neXtbox and PS4.

Nintendo was still shipping a few thousand NES units each year to Japan through March 2000 even though it released in 1983.

Compare that to GC which was largely abandonded by Nintendo in Japan by 2006 despite releasing in 2001 and you have an idea on why he takes this position.

Well said Iwata. Keep up the good work.

Yeah F you Iwata because the Wiimote could have easily been a Gamecube add on and you know it.