Whats a critical price point?
How does the number of games have any bearing? If the Xbox and Gamecube waited to reach that statistic there would only be a PS3 currently.
The price point going south to $150 or eventually $130 and finally $99 where even the most critical penny pinchers won't think twice and sales numbers spike along the road reguarding those who still have not purchased a current Wii console.
That is not true, Sony's PlayStation 2 came out almost a year an a half AFTER Sega made their move during a time when both companies had no clue what Microsoft was really up to.
Sony's PS3 plans where obviously accellerated and pressured to lauch years before the desired time frame also combine the rampant piracy that was and is still being battled, there is just no proof that Sony would have made a foolish decision to lauch before both Nintendo and Microsoft, specially Microsoft, unless it happened in real life it goes against the grain.
The current generation technology is useless for a console jump? What basis is there to even state that?
The answer is simple, the economy and people or customer's behaviour with reguards to the current gen console launch and the fact that Nintendo (or any console company) enjoyed their absolute best years when they had alot of 3rd parties making games years into the life cycle.
The current gen tech is useless because it does not add anything usefull over the console tech in use and the unpredictability of customers simply making a not buying decision or the economy issues that exist today that were not as prevalent as when the current gen consoles were being planned for development and lauch.
Sure if I worked at a company that was desperate to get a contract to sell my CPUs or GPUs for Nintendo to rush out another console next year, I would obviously be telling you lies like zomg its the greatest thing since slice bread but the fact that the current console market leader is simply proving that its not about graphics or super advanced complex tech should tell you a hint.
What says that the Wii is the easiest? I haven't seen developers praising how easy it is to make Wii games infact the only console to have that praise is the Xbox 360. They didn't say it was easy, they praised the tools for making the development process easier.
Of course they are not going to praise like the glowing press does the Xbox 360 yet despite that the Nintendo Wii only has ONE CPU core for processing and a graphics chip that has less complex architecture than Microsoft or PS3 not to mention that the Wii's dev tool maturity is currently in its 5th year. The Wii is very much capable but it depends on the developer's decisions.
It has the simplest hardware set up and limitations, and simplest dev tools for a traditional game console in the current gen. Don't take this the wrong way but any dev making excuses about Wii games is simply making excuses not games.
BTW I do not even own a Wii, I missed out on the Red Wii I was going to buy, I'll get one definetly though.
I can't say easiest but it is defintely the cheapest to produce for.
I don't see any new consoles coming out in 2012. The company that is most likely to drop a new console next would be Microsoft giving that theirs is the oldest and most problem filled. It should be easy to keep compatibility with games and hardware add-ons as well since the design of the devices has not reached a point of inefficiency.
Another layer, its cheaper due to the less complex nature of the console, that is not to say that complex games (within limitations) cannot be made, again its up to the developer.
But you are right unless Microsoft who have the deepest pockets reguardless what they do, make a new console there is no rush to make a jump.
I think that the earthquake and the nuclear disaster might also effect next-generation plan from both Nintendo and Sony. It will have a large hit on the economy.
I hope the situation improves in Japan and help gets to the affected areas, so much human loss and there is just no telling yet how much its going to affect future developments.