Nintendo already accepted is a flop and they don't plan to do anything about it, for what I see, they're continuing to support the console just to keep their fanbase happy, for what is worth Nintendo had some good press this year and will likely have the next, at least if they show that they will support a console with poor sales should do good in the eyes of a consumer for the next one.
They somehow released they're biggest flop sans VB just after their biggest success, the whole never underestimate Nintendo thing? It goes both ways, they might wow us with amazing sales or shock us with insale flops. I remember when the system was announced, the then called haters thought the system would barely outsell the NGC and look at it now, its somehow performing worse than what the biggest Nintendo haters thought it would.
It also seems like they're just milking the WiiU owners as much as possible, there won't be many so get as much money from them, I really doubt they will be doing a price cut, and even if it did I doubt it'll do much, it didn't do it for the NGC, why would it be different here? Sure the console has a great library but most people are looking at the games that aren't in the system rather than the ones who are.
Lastly dropping the Gamepad, awful idea, they're smart not do it, what would they do with unbundle gamepads? Let them rot in a warehouse? Sell them stand alone? Who is going to buy them? And its not like the gamepad its just an accesory, its a fundamental piece of the hardware, plenty of games will be unplayable without it, can it be patched? sure, but its not just flipping a switch, time, workforce, money all would have to be spend to do that, and I doubt Nintendo is willing to do it.
Now, if I remember correctly, the gamepad and the console weren't build by the same company and the company who made the gamepad went belly up, or had some sorts of problems, thing is they are quite unlikely making anymore, from what I heard Nintendo ordered 10 million gamepads. I actually expect Nintendo to announce some sort of slim version or whatever of the controller next year, maybe even a revision of the system, that could drop the price but is rather unlikely, finally some where discussing about the performance of the main consoles in the US, well here, NPD numbers:
Really interest on what Nintendo will do once 10m WiiUs are shipped, looking forward for their Q3 & Q4 reports.
