Financial Wherewithal

 
Needless to say, entry into the video game hardware market is an extremely expensive endeavor. In addition to the assumed R&D, marketing, manufacturing, and associated overhead expense of producing a new system (which in and of itself is staggering), any prospective company must be able to withstand significant losses during the initial product launch and those incurred throughout its developmental phase. Such investment necessitates a long term fiscal commitment, coupled with the experience to successfully develop/execute the base economic model.
 

Technological Expertise

 
The ability to take advantage of existing in-house resources is almost a necessity. Companies able to redeploy andor repurpose established assets gain significant financial flexibility due to lowered expenses in those synergistic areas. The core competencies of an organization must not only be complimentary in nature, but be realized directly within the hardware of any prospective new system.
 

Brand Recognition

 
This past decade has been economically challenging to say the least. The general public is discerning as ever regarding discretionary purchases. Price will always play a significant role in these buying decisions, but trust in the brand has become equally, if not more, important. This would be especially true for a new product entry in a market not normally associated with said company. Consumers, along with shareholders, need to have confidence in a corporation prior to supporting any new venture, especially one that might be viewed as risky.
 

Visionary Leadership

Obviously, this is an absolute necessity for any entity to be successful. The ability to not only anticipate, but more importantly to meet, the long-term demand of the consumer is critical in maintaining/obtaining superiority over the competition. The leadership team must have excellent foresight, but also the mettle to follow through and effectively sell their vision to all vested parties.
 

 
This giant is no stranger to the video game market.  In addition to releasing their moderately successful CD-i line of consoles during the 1990s, Philips was the official distributor and manufacturer of the Magnavox Odyssey 2 video game system in Europe (VideoPac).  Philips has long been an innovator within the electronics industry, creating the Laser Disc format and then subsequently developing, in conjunction with Sony and others, the optical disc formats we enjoy today (CD, DVD, Blu-ray).  Their portfolio is extremely diversified, with almost 45% of total annual sales derived from their Healthcare division, which in fact specializes in Imaging Systems and Devices (potential 3D gaming applications).
 

 
Another industry behemoth, Toshiba has long been a leader in the manufacturing and development of electronic devices and systems.  They have been known to invest in emerging technologies, such as the NUON and their patented HD-DVD disc format.  Their purchase of Westinghouse Electric Company, one of the world’s largest producers of nuclear energy, in 2006 is a prime example of their visionary culture.  They are currently at the forefront of 3D-TV evolution, unveiling the first peripheral-free sets this past October, 2010.
 

 
If there is one company that truly excels in building, and maintaining, consumer loyalty, look no further than Apple, Inc.  Since their inception in 1976, Apple has continually introduced new products that challenge the traditional offerings of its competitors.  This sprit of change, coupled with excellent manufacturing, marketing and support, has garnered them an extremely devoted customer base.  Though their last venture into the video game market was disastrous (the Pippin, licensed to Bandai), this company is not afraid to step outside the proverbial box.
 

 
The entertainment world has changed considerably over the past decade.  Video games are no longer the red headed step child of their box office counterpart(s) - they are now partners.  Continued advancements in CGI (computer-generated imagery) and further integration within each medium provides excellent leveraging opportunities.  Time Warner’s diversified portfolio provides them the ability to maximize the productivity of existing, internal resources.  Let's not forget that Warner also has a little history in the video game hardware market - they owned Atari from 1976-1984.
 

 
Yes, this is the dark horse, sentimental entry in this company list.  After a successful run throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Sega bowed out of the console war after their release of the Dreamcast system in 1999 due to significant company debt.  They have since rebounded as a third party, multi-platform software distributor.  Rumors of a new, propriety handheld system have recently surfaced, resulting in a flurry of internet chatter as to the possibility of Sega reentering the hardware arena.