Literally eveyone I know either owns an Android or Apple device in their household. If you're a gamer there's no reason why you shouldn't have a smartphone/tablet at the very least. So why not just do what Microsoft and Sony are doing for second screen experiences? The Wii U tablet is contributing a LARGE cost to the console, I mean without it the Wii U would be around $200 - $250 and even I would buy one in a heartbeat. 

It's kinda like how Microsoft includes Kinect in every box, to ensure that every game or at least most will utilize it, but a LOT of gamer's don't find the worth in Kinect nor the Gamepad. I would rather play games the conveintenal way if it means I have to spend an additional $50 - $100 to play it more immersively or whatever. I have yet to see anything on the Gamepad or Kinect 2 o PSEYE that makes me want one, UNTIL something blows me away I'll never use them, at all.

But honestly the Gamepad could've been optional because not a lot of people will use it. The Wii U would be in a much better situation if you ask me. The Playstation App and Smartglass APP have all the capabilities the Gamepad has except it doesn't have physical analogs and there might be worse lag and a couple of other gimmick features. 

The Wii U should've been a Wii with HD Graphics, better motion gaming, and some other innovation cause honestly, the gamepad thing was TOO easy for it's competitors to copy. Also, the reason why the Wii took off like it did because Motion gaming was COMPLETELY new when it came out, something that was mindblowing to even casuals and non-gamers. The Gamepad is just a tablet and tons of people have Tablets and smartphones and whatnot, in my opinion the Gamepad hurts the system just as much as the Wii U looking EXACTLY like the Wii. Like really....that was just a terrible idea. 

What like the 3DS?

They needed a new controller anyways, you know they don't do the same thing twice.

I would give you a longer explanation, but you're wrong about the competition having what the Gamepad does. I mean, sure you include that the Gamepad has analogs, but there's quite a bit more the Gamepad has that the competition doesn't. Though even if I explain why the Gamepad isn't a bad idea and IS "needed" I doubt anything will change your mind until the Wii U starts selling.

The controller may very well be the reason why the console is selling as much as it is doing. Very awkward to hold in your hands.

Video games doesn't need powerful hardware neither!

I don´t like it, which is why I´m hoping all the major games support the Pro controller.

They should have made controller cases for phones and tablets. If they focused on iOS, there are already over 400 million devices already out there they could sell accessories for. Might hurt the 3DS though.

Not picking on you OP, but we've had so many threads on this subject. It's been done to death.

The GamePad is inessential, yes, but so are a hundred and one things in the industry that have become commonplace.

Would the Wii U sell better without the GamePad? Maybe, we'll never know for sure. Would it offer the same experiences? Definitely not.

I watched all of Attack of Titan on it, it's the best streaming device I have in the house. Plus I mostly play off TV, it's really useful when others want to use the TV. Youtube is so good on it, so quick and easy to search stuff and play it on the TV. It's a good laugh when you got a lot of people around.

The Wiiu doesnt have a tablet. It doesnt function like one nor is it have any tech in it that denotes tablet. Its a GamePad. Referring to it as a tablet gives the wrong impression