Did we just revisit 2005?

Because this was exactly what the analysts were saying as the Gamecube sales languished at $99 and Nintendo was talking about its "Revolution" (now the Wii).

After all, doing that has worked so well for Sega's bottom line.

Had the Wii failed -- say with only 10M sales right now -- this might have made sense. But since it is nearing 50M in sales and has outsold the competition combined since its release, Nintendo is going to stay in the hardware game.

Mike from Morgantown

 I don't know but you're bringing quite a bit of sense to this thread.

Sure, I care about 3rd party support, but only so much as I get good games. I really don't care if a game is 3rd or 1st party as it makes no difference to me. I just buy quality games I like.

Nintendo isn't worried about 3rd party support. They have offered comparable liscense agreements, but they have no need to pay people to make them games, unlike what Microsoft does with some of their games. Nintendo is in the business of making video games. Sure they want to entertain you, but they also won't waste money trying to chase down 3rd party companies. They left the door wide open just very few want to take advantage of a console that lacks good 3rd party software. Rather than spending money on 3rd party games, Nintendo can and does invest the money in quality first party games.

Never forget pride, they would never develope games for the competition cause they hate each other =)

It´s a similiar thing with Apple, they also develope and sell hard- and (most) software together, it´s a package that belongs together, the software sells the hardware and the hardware sells the software.
Microsoft would be f***** u* with there OS without the Dells, Asuses, HPs ...

Both there just that good.

Agreed.It would be ilogical.Nintendo needs to keep on making hardware since they are succesful.

I mean, clearly this is not going to happen.  They are dominating console sales utterly, why in the world would they get out of the hardware business at this point?

That said, I would probably drop dead of joy if they did.  I own a Wii, and not to start a flamewar, but in my opinion it's a pile of shit.  The only reason I bought it is because Nintendo is far and away my favorite game developer of all time.  If I could play their amazing,  groundbreaking games without shelling out money for their b-grade consoles, I don't even know what I would do with myself.

I'm sure Nintendo as a third party developer would do pretty well for itself. But better than they're doing right now?

Have you seen the top ten software titles for this generation? Eliminate Nintendo as a hardware company and you could cross off Wii Sports (yes, it does generate revenue. About $30-50 per bundle), Wii Fit, Wii Play and cut Mario Kart Wii in half. Only Brawl stays on the list, maybe a little higher than it is in reality.

this article would make sense if it was about sony, since they don't make profit off hardware

Going 3rd party when you make billions and billions of $... Yeah bright idea, look we have now made sooo much money that we don't need anymore...let's go 3rd party and loose billions....Yay great plan...