EmCee, we really like you dude but we just can't see any value in the 3DS. It's undepowered, overpriced, ugly, has little to no worthwile games (no Zelda, Mario, Metroid) and feels almost last-gen despite the next-gen 3D effect. That's it. There's no underlying Nintendo hate. Vita would also get smashed here if it offered the same.
Wha? I ain't trying to convince ya'll to spend hundreds of dollars on anything. I haven't convinced myself to get a 3ds at this point. But I do hate hypocricy and erroneous arguments and cognitive dissonance. So when people want to pretend that the graphical output of the vita is somehow going to match the average consumer's value expectation in a way the 3ds couldn't, I call foul. It's a selfish way of interpreting the world to only validate what I or you personally enjoy.
This last gen proved most people like control gimmicks and affordable disposable entertaiment moreso than normal mapping, hd resolutions, or what have you. With that in mind, the vita is another 250 dollar waggle touchscreen portable with what I assume will be $40+ games as well. Setting aside our preferences, the market potential for these devices similarly comes down to whether a machine that is primarily a games machine can carve a sustainable niche.
Its one thing to anticipate the Vita/WiiU/Nextbox etc. Its quite another to proclaim success or failure depending on "reason" extrapolated from your worldwishing.
That being said I AM a fanboy and WILL get irrationally defensive from time to time. If anyone has a portfolio with enough mass market appeal to prop a system up, its nintendo. I'm sure if they decide to drop software prices things will improve for them. Now, does that ever happen..... hmmm. There's precedent with stuff like Endless Ocean (30ish) and Picross3d (20ish), so I BELIEVE.
