Awesome rant
I like what you're saying. I think it has a lot to do with the terrible "gamer culture" that's popped up. Until the Wii I never heard gamer describe a specific group of "real gamers". It was rare for someone to be even be referred to as a gamer, like i dont call people moviers.
People in this culture want legitimization more than anything, even games. I don't think a lot of them even care about games but "gamer" remains a part of their identity. It doesn't matter that Nintendo released a new Sin and Punishment, brought back all the old games they pretend to love (even Punch-out) because they didn't focus and market to them. They are "real" gamers and hated that Nintendo said they weren't the most important thing ever. It doesn't matter that Xenoblade came out, it didn't come out when they wanted it. These people loathe mom and dad and girls getting games they actually enjoy too. These people tried their damnedest to get people to call
Super-Freaking-Mario a "casual" game not worthy of their Splosion Mans.
The gaming press cater to this small yet vocal group 100% of the time. Companies sucker them with mass produced "limited" editions because they want to be told they are important and buy this mostly useless ****. On "big" message boards 97% of the discussion that isn't paid FUD and viral marketing is on sales and company statements and on the possibility of sales and the dream of the possibility of sales because of this shitty need to be legitimized. It doesn't matter how enjoyable it is, it matters that they are right and that means you are WRONG. This group wants nothing more than to see Nintendo die so they can be secure that "real gamers" are shown to have the importance.