That would be great - nobody is hoping for the 200-600 more than I -- but I expect Nikon would want to focus entirely on the the Z8 tomorrow. Anyway, we'll know soon enough.
The Z8 may pull some of the DSLR owners across the line, but i feel it may even pull more mirror less owners over who are not scared of weight and cost moving from their Z6 Z7 series. I don't know if the Z6 or Z7 series was actually that large in sales to begin with or a even a major success, hence the Z8 being refined and 4th generation mirror less camera may be just whats needed. ie: Z6, Z7, Z6II Z7II, Z9, now Z8, it usually the 4th take that works well like the D850 did.
I feel that DSLR owners who haven't jumped into mirror less by now may be unlikely to, or not just yet, or if at all, why, there happy with what they have and rightly so, investing into all new glass is a big step.
If you can get hopefully a affordable camera that can do almost everything all models previously could do............... Hey is that the Z8, I mean the D850 came close or for so many is the best all round do everything well camera.
Hogan said, "after using a Z9 you will find it hard to go back to or want to use any other Nikon mirror less camera " at least that's what i understood, hopefully correctly.
On that, could the Z8 change that.
Nikon are clever offering a taste of the drilled down Ferrari like car in the hope you upgrade from your Prius. Again I think we will see more mirror less buyers jumping on the Z8 than DSLR owners ?
Remember the margins, money, unit volume is in the glass, the greater the range the more will be sold, they just need to wet your whistle a little and your done.
I feel Price point will be a real factor that will make or break things more than we imagined, i could be completely wrong here.
Weight and size is often not a major issue for wild life sports action shooters.
The Z8 version sounds impressive, indicating to me that performance and specs will only go higher in the near future for the industry, i mean there is so much more to come and we will see the start of it in the R1 A1 II and the Z9 II, its logical to leap frog, that's how it works.
Missing.........something just under the Z8 small light like a new premium Z7II travel landscape camera, not everyone is into sports or wild life, or could that be the Z8........
or a Z7 II Z6II, who knows.
One thing i know is there are a lot of serious enthusiasts still out there not even remotely interested in mirror less, their results speak for them selves, also they seem to have great creative editing skills in PS LR etc.
Here is to tomorrow, what ever it may bring.
Do what you love, love what you do.
Only an opinion