I feel like launch titles (of questionable quality) are kind of the compromise for a new console. The situation (I feel) goes:
1. There are no games whatsoever. Console comes out, nothing to play with it. No one buys it, it's declared a failure, investors walk off, publishers declare with won't make games for it, company loses money and cred. No one wins.
2. There are 1 or 2 good games. Console comes out, only wealthy consumers are willing to buy a $300+ device for 1-2 games. Console is declared failure, investors walk off, publishers declare with won't make games for it, company loses money and cred. Wealthier consumers win if the games were really good (and the device offers other neat features), console maker loses.
3. There are 1 or 2 good games and a bucket (8-9) crap games and/or ancient ports. Console comes out, wealthy consumers get console for 1-2 good games, ignorant consumers get console for all games. Console is declared failure, but makes (some) money off new games. Investors wary, publishers wary, but if they see something good in the market for the system: publishers promise new games, these are advertised, console maker gets cred, investors are happy, games come out for system, everyone wins.
I feel like the shovelware is designed to keep the system chugging through the "Will games come out for this thing?!" phase. They aren't really designed for hardcore gamers, they're designed for early adopters who want to do something (anything!) with their new system. I don't think there are many ways around this (not unless you've got a bunch of studios who can design two separate games for your old system and your new system--you don't want to lose face not making games for your old system because you're making games for the new system), unless you have enough cred that you can ride on the promise of games when the system comes out, without any actual games. I can think of no console maker with that kind of cred.
Unrelated note: If not being an NFL fan makes me a robot, Captcha, then beep-fucking-boop.