Nintendo is poorly positioned in the console video games market right now. That can all change with an impressive next generation console, but from what I can tell, Sony and Microsoft control their own destinies as far as the next gen is concerned. Nintendo, even with Sega backing, is not in a position to compete in the games area with Sony, EA, and the Xbox. Sure, there might be a handfull of killer games that Gamecube owners had to have, but I strongly suspect that the per console game sales numbers for GC are a bit below that of the other two.
As everyone knows, console manufacturers sell their systems BELOW COST, and make money on the games.
All of this is a way of saying that Nintendo will have to deliver diverse, quality games to a somewhat broader audiance than they did with GC. Secondly, I'm deeply skeptical about the new controller promises. Sony did just fine by sticking with the familiar. If Nintendo brings a complex controller to market, and let's assume the thing is actually reliable, they'll have to undercut the price of it as well. Nobody's going to drop over $50 on a controller, much less the 1-3 more they have to have to play with friends.
So, that's just more lost money they'll have to make up from game sales. Or simply use their robust handheld sales to prop up their console division, though I wonder how long they're prepared to keep up such an arrangement, particularly with Sony determined to muscle its way into that arena as well.
(I suppose I let my economics brain seep in there a bit much, apologies if anyone was bored by the bottom line.)
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