The 7th gen may have brought some nice improvements and games, even so I (as well as many others) consider that console gaming is ceasing to be so. This is showed by the following ways:

-ALL 7th gen consoles have internet services that are mandatory for the consoles themselves (firmware upgrades). Many people still lack of high-speed internet access.

-ALL consoles include non-gaming features as their major sales cornerstones. The PS3 started that way (printer support, PC OS support, web browser, lots of media imputs...), making its competition (360 and in lesser degree the Wii) to include them to some extent.

-System Wars have been greatly about non-gaming features on consoles.

-Patches are required on many PS3 and 360 games (thank goodness the Wii doesn't require them).

-On the 360 and the PS3 game installations are required most of the times.

-The PSP's gaming utility is much too limited compared to its media playing features.

-PCs are just right the way they are (except for patch issues).

-The importance granted to High-Definition image is excessive for the PS3 and 360 (high definition is still far from consumer standard).

-Many Wii titles aren't gamer-oriented, and many of its good gaming ideas are ruined by poor development (mainly for controls).

The PS3's sales aren't as well as they could be since most versions of the system have more features that most gamers don't care about on a console, because it makes it overly expensive.

The Xbox 360's sales are higher (besides high-failure rate boosted sales) because it fits more on what a gamer wants. On the other hand, the 360 is not the right choice for people who want a multi-tasking system (all of those accesories and upgrades cost dough).

The Wii's sales are enormous since it fits best the interests of casual gamers and many non-gamers that gain interest on videogaming. They want a videogaming system, not a PC/media center plugged to a TV.

The PSP's sales (both hardware and software) are slow sonce it's overly expensive due to non-gaming features (same as PS3), and because there are much too few games worth the cconsole purchase.

The DS's sales are just fantastic, since it both offers what casual gamers and non-gamers interested on videogaming AND it has lots of games worth the purchase.

If we use traditional console gaming criteria, only the Wii and the Nintendo DS fit well. Maybe the industry would really fare off better (for gamers) if console gaming stayed as "plug in, fire up and play".

I would say Nintendo is either gone rotten for traditional gamers or that tis company is the videogame world's Illuminati. All due to what they're doing for the 7th gen market. This are the possible outcomes I see possible:

-If rotten for traditional gamers: Nintendo is aware that the non-gamers's market is bigger than the gamers' market. Just think of it: lots of young children, their parents, old people, opposers to the traditional videogames, people indifferent to videogames, you name them. The Wii is just the ideal console for that market: barely has "big kid games" (ESRB's equivalent to "T" and "M" rated games), uses several forms of motion controls as standards (some exercise), simple games, short games, isn't so expensive....And as long as they have a good hold of that market, they're not gonna leave it.

-If the company is the Videogame Illuminati: going against the competition's market trends works well if you know how to take advantage of it. My best bet for the 7th to 9th generations is that Nintendo is makin' dough with the non-gamers market. This has the effect of making the competition want to tap into this market as well (Microsoft fell for it in several areas); AND at the same time preparing future gamers for the next gen. When this potential market turns to the gamers' side (maybe in the 8th or 9th gen), Nintendo will make more profit with games that please traditional gamers. In that case, Nintendo would be keeping balance in the videogame industry while making tons of cash. All after a "miraculous resurrection" of the old Nintendo

Let's hope Nintendo is going for the 2nd posibility, returning back to its glorious days (from the Nintendo's traditional fans perspective) of the NES, SNES, N64 and GC.

Question? Comments? I'm waiting for your feedback.