Topic: How will the Wii U be viewed years down the road?

Nintendo fanboys will remember it as the greatest thing next only to Nintendo's next console, haters will remember it as an epic fail, neutrals will remember it as a so okay its average console which was not bad but could not keep up with the competition

yes you are right about that....but still, when EA left the console that was the sign, or let's say the beginning of the end...

My Dreamcast comparison, however, was mainly because also Dreamcast is remembered by fans to be an excellent console strongly underrated (or ignored) by general opinion...

Call me crazy...but I don't believe that the introduction of Amiibo figurines will increase the install base by close to 10 million units. That is just insane.

A really good console that many people should have brought.

I think it will be more like a TG16 or Saturn than Dreamcast. (No lack of quality but lack of sales).

thank God someone said it

Years from now, especially if it fails, the Wii U will be known as the last "fork in the road" before the home console became extinct.

It reminds me a lot of the Dreamcast (in positive ways), but the thing I remember the most about the DC library was the brand new genres and IP. Crazy Taxi, Jet Set Radio, Shenmue, Samba Di Amigo, Sega Bass Fishing, Space Channel 5 and Toy Commander to name a few. Wonderful 101 and Splatoon are in this sort of category, but most of the others are great new sequels to games we've played before.

It'll be known as the Dreamcast 2.

Nobody really knows, and I'm tired off all these negative thoughts surrounding such a good game console.
If it entertains me, it fulfills its purpose.

No. The Dreamcast launched with the usual console launch bang before being outplayed by the PS2 convincingly. The Wii U is the reverse of that, it launched with a whimper and over time it has slowly been gaining more momentum. Plus unlike the Wii U the Dreamcast wasn't an underpowered system that got its value from compelling software.

The way things are looking this probably is a repeat of the Dreamcast generation but everyone is playing the same part. Wii U is the Gamecube, XBOne is the Xbox, PS4 is the new PS2.

It will be remembered as the console that inspired MS and Sony to put a screen in the PS5 and Xbox 4's controller
Everyone will claim to have owned one
Everyone will claim to have played every major game that didn't sell
It will be revered for being the last console with free online
It still won't have successors to F-Zero, 1080', Geist, Eternal Darkness or Waverace

As a mediocre console with no identity and no selling point aside from its games (much like the Gamecube), and tons of controversy behind it.

Is gaming not about...the games?

Well, they gave us Star Fox....... they have hinted at F-Zero with both MK8 DLC an then sort of an F-Zero like game with Nintendo Land.

As far as the OP and how the system will be remembered-- I'm sure a lot of people will consider its relatively modest sales a failure (seems like it is on track for Game Cube type numbers). I think those who bothered to play the games will remember it fondly- those with multiple consoles will remember it as the best second console they ever owned.

Granted, I haven't owned many consoles, (missed N64, Gamecube, never owned XBox till now, never owned Playstation or Sega), but I'm loving the Wii U and it will only get better.

Of course not. How else are you going to enjoy your time knowing your system cannot play anything in 1080p at 60 fps?

60fps is vital to enjoying almost any good game. Only way to do 30fps is to make the game loads slower paced and easier to compensate.

The N64 probably got away with not using it the best but it had no delay from the TV or the controller. (And the games were slower paced for the most part. F-Zero wasn't and it used 60fps).

It is, but having a console that just has exclusive games is kind of disappointing nowadays, we have several different console choices with exclusive games, there needs to be more than that to impress. Especially for Nintendo, which prides itself on innovation, what does that say about them if they make a console that fails to live up to that standard?

Like the GameCube but with lesser appeal. We can see why THIS one went wrong.

Ask me that question years down the road.