At a loss for words

In stark contrast to Sony and Microsoft, Nintendo generally sells hardware at a profit, but the recent 3DS price drop has clearly caused the company to reconsider that stance. At a recent investor Q&A, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata revealed he's not yet sure if Nintendo will sell Wii U at a profit from day one.

I have no definitive information on whether we will sell the Wii U in the red or on the suggested retail price for the hardware at this stage.

For Nintendo even to consider selling its next home console at a loss shows the heavy impact the 3DS's speedy price drop made on the company, but Iwata was keen to point out that any mistakes won't affect the Wii U:

I hope you understand that we are trying to take appropriate measures to handle the various issues we are aware of concerning the launch of the Wii U.

What do you think Nintendo needs to do to ensure Wii U is a success from the get-go? Would selling the console at a loss show Nintendo's confidence in its software or that it's lost its way in the hardware market?

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