TheSource said: I think of the industry in terms of human development from an embryo to a healthy adult.. John Lucas, Nintendo is more like the brain of the industry. It knows how to allocate its resources to support various appendage (trends and ideas) across the vastly different needs of the body (the various peoples of the world). Sony is more like the skeletal structure..it provides a place for organs and other vitalities to lay (3rd parties), but without the brain providing analysis and unbiased skill at assembling the skelton blue brint, the skeleton could not exist (natal development) at its full potential, merely a cancer or a skeletal disease (cough CD-I). Microsoft is like the musculature, it commands tremendous resources from the brain, taxing it heavily...but it also must rely on the flexibility of the skeleton to accomodate the brain's knowledge of trends...The latest trend that Nintendo saw was how casuals were being indoctrinated into gaming with more realistic experiences. What they noted was that the experience was too difficult for potential gamers who were starting with no experience. So they expanded on what Sony did with PS2, giving more support to 3rd parties by making their games more accessible to the masses, with easier control schemes...and by making non games for people who will never enjoy traditional arcade/goal oriented play like we do. If Microsoft or Sony knocked Nintendo out of the hardware business, I think it would be equivalent to the industry becoming a vegetable. Nintendo is the company that has the uncanny eye for the onset of greatness with the ability to deliver on it. They know it too. An interview with Miyamoto a few years ago said he expected GTAIII to be a huge hit in the west when he read about 'how much freedom' was possible in the game, well before the game was released. Sony was pleasently suprised by the hit, Nintendo was simply annoyed that they couldn't get it on their hardware, they knew it would be big. The reverse seems to be rarely true. Sony was not aware of the potential of Pokemon, Nintendogs, Goldeneye 007, Halo on competing systems. Peter Moore at least worked for Sega, so he has some idea of how much insight Nintendo has into the industry. There is no doubt that Sony created a much better environment for 3rd parties with PS1, but that allowed Sony to benefit from surprise hits, they certaintly didn't plan them. In terms of Microsoft, long term, I think they could be the company to end Nintendo's profitability because they have more experience with software, and billions more to spend. But Sony is certaintly no slouch, and it appears Nintendo has survived their best shot at knocking them out (PS2-PSP). With Microsoft's goal this generation to get like a 30% market share, and Sony's not to come in 3rd, it seems like Nintendo has finally 'rebuilt' the body (shedding that excess fat and muscle decay...), and is ready to become the force that brings gaming even more mainstream.
I agree with your analogy, The Source.
It's basically what I meant. It all comes back to Nintendo in the very end. Without them this whole thing collapses. And YES I am not worried about Sony taking over this thing as much as I am for Microsoft. They will raid this place & leave gaming a wasteland if they ever truly got power here. They got nearly endless money to keep afloat their projects. It's not everlasting; eventually the stockholders and co. will get tired of the waste but they got stamina to wait out everybody. Maybe this is what scares those who get antsy when Sony is criticized. Maybe they are secretly fearing that if Sony drops out no one will be able to stem back Microsoft's advances. Maybe that's what all the laments about competition are really coming from.
I like to refer to Nintendo as "Dad". And the 3rd parties as "The Kids". Because "Dad's house", the Famicom/NES, is what put most of those "kids" on the map. And Nintendo LIKE a stereotypical overbearing father told those kids what to do, how to do it, when to do it, where to do it and why it should be done. It's GOT to be a reflection of Yamauchi that makes this analogy so strong to me. And naturally "kids" chafe at being bossed around by the household authority figure. "Why do I gotta clean my room, Dad?" "This is MY house and as long as you live under MY roof you will live under MY rules!" To Cosby it: "I am your father. I brought ya into this world and I can take ya out."
"The Kids" grew up at "age 16 (bit)" and started to rebel against "Pop's" mandates from on-high. They saw "Uncle Sony" as a cool adult to hang around and gave "Dad" the middle finger leaving him by himself at "HIS house". Let him boss around thin air around for a spell, see how he likes it. 3rd party's abandonment is what destroyed Nintendo's console power. You need 1st party/2nd party naturally but as the technology grew more complex and the games followed suit bigger teams were needed to put games out so more time passed between in-house titles. Independent makers have their own studios & schedules totally focused on getting game out and nothing else. They provide your depth and variety. If it wasn't for one of "the kids", Rare, staying home with "Dad", "Dad" woulda had a harder time paying his mortgage in Nineteen 64. Rare was always a good boy.
"Dad" with house fixtures in disrepair suddenly realized how heavy-handed he had been all these years with "The Kids" & started making amends. Olive branch to "Kid Capcom" to help fix up the Zelda Garden in the backyard (Oracle of Ages/Seasons, Minish Cap). Giving them some Advanced wheels for "the kids" to party late into the night (GBA). Getting out the old ball & glove to play a game of stickball with "Kid Namco" for ol' times sake (Mario Superstar Baseball). Letting "Kid Rare" leave the house to go stay at "XBox Dorm" to further his education. Getting together with the old neighbor they used to feud with (Sega) to show "the kids" that "Dad" has turned over a new leaf. The old rivals even went on a drive together (F-Zero GX). "Kid Namco", "Neighbor S" & "the old man" even tinkered on some cars together in the driveway (Triforce arcade board). Dad" checking out "Kid Capcom's" new mansion (Resident Evils).
Eventually together they built a guesthouse on "Dad's" eState (DS) and "Dad" made sure "the Kids" were well taken care of here. Though they could always crash at "Uncle Sony's" PoSh Pad (PSP) "Dad" wanted to make sure "his kids" were as comfortable as they could be after a late night partying on 6th Gen Blvd. "The Kids" had realized that "Dad" had mellowed out & were willing to reestablish relations again. It was fun living it up with "Uncle Sony" but he loved the fast life too much, always chasing HD skirts, & getting into trouble paying his bills. "The Kids" had to bail him out on plenty of occasion and it was starting to wear thin. Though they didn't relish the old memories of battleaxe "Dad" bossing them around, they began to understand what he was saying. It's always that way. Sometimes you don't get what your parents are telling you until you're older and have lived life a little bit. And "Kid Rare" understands how tough living is in "XBox Dorm". I'm sure there are many times he wish he could just move back home.
Now "Dad" has built up his house with whole new furnishings sure to wow "his kids". He lets "the kids" decide if they wanna move back home, no pressure from "Dad". No more dictating, now "Dad" simply asks what "his kids" want to do. Now "Dad's" motto is: It's not about you or me, it's about Wii.
I can go on & on with this silly analogy. 
Hahahahaha!
Watching Nintendo outlast the giants is impressive to watch. I wanna see how Microsoft progresses in the game business. Very interested in that & how Nintendo can handle the endless money of Bill Gates's Microsoft.
John Lucas
Essay Pro