I blame the overly ambitious innovation. Unlike the touch screen or motion control, this console hinges on something that most devs don't want to work with and don't even see catching on. Honestly, I wish that they had gone more traditional, 'cause heck, the tablet even scares me away. The only thing that really attracts me to the Wii U is X which, funnily enough, probably won't hinge on the tablet.
But I think this is the kick in the pants that Nintendo needs for 9th gen. They will change their game, they have to. I can't see things doing a 180 any time soon, if at all, and I actually think it to be better for them to do badly with this one because they do have the potential for high sales and popularity, as past generations have shown.