I see Nintendo bringing out a new console in 4 years. And I see it being a hybrid home console and handheld. Though, that's just what I think when it comes to their console and handheld divisions joining together. Like Spire said, Nintendo will not drop out of the hardware business any time soon. They're too proud and honestly, I trust their products more than Microsoft's (Sony has generally a good track record).
The future of Wii U is troubling, but I'm confident they can turn it around. I don't think there's going to be this massive leap between Wii U and the X1/PS4 like a lot of people seem to believe. On paper, yes, there is a difference. But looking at the direction the gaming industry is going towards, AAA games will be few and far in between and indies are really starting to take over. I'm actually looking forward to more indie games on all platforms more than I am those big budget games. The indie games are just so different and fresh. I admit, though, that they kinda overdo the whole "retro" theme, but gameplay-wise, they're just more engaging and bring a breathe of fresh air along with them. I'm tired of the stagnant shooters that's been overpopulating the market as well as those short time wasters I see a lot on smartphones.
Good platformers are MIA for the most part, JRPGs are kinda becoming stale... A lot of games from these big publishers are just starting to become a bore. Nintendo and several other publishers do keep me coming back. The western market have this mindset that Americans just want to play Football games and shoot people. And I'm happy some have done something different with established genres (Borderlands by Gearbox especially).
Anyhow, if the Wii U has original and creative games available, I can see it really taking off. A lot of games on PS4 and Xbox One that have been announced, in my eyes, are getting the same experiences from this past generation with better textures. That's the industry though. Even Nintendo has done it plenty of times. NSMB2 was a disappointment for me. I did enjoy it, but honestly, it wasn't what I expected. They could have done a lot more in utilizing the 3DS and played it way too safe. And that's what I'm getting from these upcoming games on next-gen consoles. Playing way too safe. For good reason, I suppose. Not everyone has the money to spend on new properties considering the risks in the business.
