For those saying the Gamepad ads $100 to the console, it doesn't. It was suggested that a replacement Pad would cost $100 at retail. It's build cost is surely much lower and dropping. And if you don't have a Pad, you need another controller in it's place. Just using made-up estimates, the Pad probably costs about $75 to make, while a pro-controller costs about $25. A more fancy controller like Dual Shock 4 is probably about $35 or more. So ditching the Pad would only give Nintendo around $50 or less extra to spend on specs. That could have a nice impact with a little more RAM and a slightly better GPU, but it wouldn't be anything many would notice. A better approach would be to keep the Pad (or something similar but maybe smaller) and up the specs a little but hide the costs in an online subscription like Sony did with PS4. Upping the specs a little probably wouldn't bring more 3rd party support because the main reasons games are skipping Wii U is low install base and tough competition from Nintendo 1st party - not specs. Watch_Dogs is there...any current game could be there.
