Ben-DutkaEpic Games boss Cliff Bleszinski says the video game industry is in a state of turmoil , and Nintendo could end up becoming a third-party software developer. Yes, really.
Perhaps it would be fitting. Sega was forced to go that route after the PS2 and the arrival of Microsoft essentially killed off any hope of another Sega console (their last was the Dreamcast). And don't forget that before Nintendo pulled off a small miracle this past generation with the Wii, a great many analysts and industry insiders were expecting the game pioneers to leave the hardware business as well. Now, with the Wii U tracking well behind Wii sales and the PS4 already making Nintendo's "new" system look decidedly outdated…
Well, maybe CliffyB is right.
Obviously, it won't happen overnight but let's say this generation lasts at least five or six years (and it's possible that it'll go even longer). As the years go on and both the PS4 and the Xbox 720 continue to leave the Wii U in the dust in regards to cutting-edge interactive gaming experiences, Wii U sales may just keep dropping like a stone. The system isn't selling that great now ; what might happen when the two far more powerful consoles hit the market? If the generation lasts long enough, it might not be entirely out of the realm of possibility to see Nintendo games start arriving on multiple platforms. The Wii U will hang on as long as it can, of course, but how long will that be…? The fall could happen fast.
If it does happen, I just hope Mario and Zelda and Metroid don't get ruined the way Sonic did when Sega switched over to software only…still not sure what the hell happened there.