Time Magazine "Even Nintendo Is Stumped By the Wii U GamePad"

[UncleScrooge]

Rab said:

UncleScrooge said:
The thing with the gamepad is that it's mandatory. Give people the choice to buy a gamepad and it becomes an asset. Force it on people and it becomes a liability. The gamepad is nice for off-screen play but it doesn't add much to most games. It's also too complicated and intimidating to most people. I'd like it to be an accessory like the balance board. If people want off-screen play and 5-player games in Mario Kart they can buy one. If they don't they save $100 on the hardware and can use the Wiimote. Well, it's too late for that now.

The Wii U would've sold better at $299 with a Wiimote 2 and a Pro controller inside the box.

If you want a device to succeed you don't make it optional

Sure, but what if you realize very early on that your device is something the market is going to reject? Reactions at e3 2011 were very negative. Not the same type of negativity that the Wiimote got early on: That one was criticised by the "hardcore" gamers but the rest of the world loved it right from the start. Reactions to the gamepad were negative (or worse: indifferent and uncertain what to make of it) from day one and even at e3 2011 (1.5 years before the console's launch!) Nintendo struggled to explain the benefit of the gamepad. That's when they should've realized this was better used as an accessory. 

If you want a device to succeed you look at market demands and problems your product can solve. Then you don't even need to make it mandatory (see the Wii Balance board).