The Console Race has been Destroyed...

[Grey Acumen]

I say that Nintendo's current controls actually don't need changed, but merely updated. Esentially all they need to do is release an HDWii (when it becomes financially feasible to do in 5 years) and don't actually change the layout of the wiimote or nunchuck. Instead, package the console with a single updated Wiimote nunchuck combo.
basically the updates to the Wiimote would be a FULL camera, which would still be able to sense the IR points, but could also be used like the PS2 eyetoy just by placing it up on top of the TV, and then also a total overhaul of the speaker system so that it could actually be made full use of.
The nunchuck would gain built in rumble of its own, and then also have a mic built into it, so that you could do voip style chat without needing any extra equipment.

If you notice, none of those features will prohibit anyone from using the old Wiimote, which means that they can still recycle their old controllers for use with the new system, instead of having to buy all new controllers for all those wonderful multiplayer games. BUT the features themselves (and the fact that Nintendo would be packaging a single HDWiimote and HDNunchuck with the HDWii so that people would still be able to see the obvious difference in features) would get people interested in getting at least another upgraded controller.

I think that may actually have been why PS2 was so successful. They built on their own back catalog of games from the PS1. Gamecube couldn't do this, neither could the Xbox, so as a result, PS2 got the most early consumer appeal, which meant that PS2 was more heavily supported by developers. It's the same type of snowball effect that the Wii is creating right now.

Nintendo definitely needs to take advantage of that backwards compatibility issue.
Since they're the innovators of motion control right now, they'll have the stage set to provide an HDWii in 5 years that can play all the current Wii games. By that time they could have a HUGE library of motion control supported games. If people would also be able to use their current controllers with the next console, I'm sure they'd have no problems jumping into it.