[Stu]

Nintendo's handhelds have always had massive third party support though. I don't think the two businesses are in any way comparable for the most part. I also think this magical refocus on hardcore gamers is being hyped up too much. The 3DS has a good selection of core games yeah but I wouldn't say Nintendo are pushing it that much.

Plus motion controls continue to be a serious issue. If the new system keeps the motion controller as the primary method of control it will almost certainly stick to the Wii's casual gamer trajectory. Far short of being the revolution it was touted as it's become almost unanimous this generation that proper gamers who play proper games it turns out can't stand doing it with motion control. And developers who want to make serious games certainly aren't doing it with motion control. It's such a non entity.

It's a clunky, expensive novelty that I really can't see Nintendo trading in for to attempt to try to redominate a core market two other companies already have a strangelhold on. The casual crowd they already have sewn up is a lisence to print money.

The battle lines have been drawn and I don't expect the status quo to change anytime soon. When it comes to home consoles Nintendo are in a different business to the likes of Sony & Microsoft.