Nintendo’s Virtual Console – the Wii’s trump card

The neat thing is, the Virtual Console will repair the holes in the distribution system that existed previously...too few copies of key titles such as Ogre Battle for example, or people who wanted a game but couldn't afford it at $50 who will now be able to buy it for $5 to $10! And still have a console capable of playing it.

Best of all, it is the cheapest possible form of distribution for Nintendo (other than piracy.) They and their third parties can reap long term royalties on software that traditionally has a lifecycle of six months to two years on shelves. Old game sales can help fund new game development. Specifically, this puts third parties in a better CASH position, which is what business should run on rather than borrowing or giving most of the profits to investors.