I have some good news for you:

^That thing can and will be used for multiplayer.

Um yeah I watched a few trailers. And thought Id give it a go. But not having 4 player with the gamepad is a major WTF? For me. And only 1 controller working at launch is even more WTF?

Tese last 2 things I did not even think I needed to question in this day and age. 

Many people buy new HDD's for their PS3.   Is it wrong to have the option to increase yoru capacity?  Why jack up the sale price of the console if you don't have to.  Let the consumer decide how much capacity they want.

All Wii peripherals and controllers are 100% B/C.   Many games are actually 5 player...1 GamePad and 4 Wii remote or 4 Pro controllers.

You don't need another GamePad.  They system doesn't support 2 GamePad's yet.   No game is in development to use 2.

Actualy, the Xbox had a HDD in 2001.

the wiiU uses one gamepad (the screen controller) and regular wiimotes. Not a screen for every player.

It was then said that 2 gamepads would be used in the future, but that either no games, or the required update was not yet in place to take advantage of it.

Which, actually, is kind of fair, because most in-store buyers this holiday season, at least those buying a console as a gift, are going to be in the same boat.  All I can say is, I hope department stores train up their staff in regards to the Wii U, otherwise there will be some irate customers who are told they'll need to buy two Wii U tablet controllers for their kids to play together.    

Man Selnor... stop trolling. There will be multiplayer games at launch, but they all only use one tablet controller and then wii remotes or the more traditional looking gamepad. There's no way you've spent the last year under a rock and didn't know a single thing about these details.

Or, if you truly didn't know anything about these details, then clearly you have no interest in the Wii U and made this thread simply to bash it.

The only other option is that you're a blind consumer who walks into large purchases without doing much of any research at all before-hand. I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt and assume with certainty that you're not this kind of person.

So stop your fucking stealth trolling, please.

Are you for real?

Seriously. So whats the point in the Wii U pad for games. If it makes absolutely no difference since you can play it with a Wii Cintroller.

Can you buy the console without any Wii U controllers and save money?

Id rather do that so I can play 4 player, because I obviously dont need a Gamepad.

Asynchronous multiplayer.  Look it up.

You assume alot. Except for the part I may have alot of indisposable income right now. 

Be careful when you judge. You never know what your missing in the grand scheme of things. I didnt research these things also as I never expected the Gamepad to be not needed to play all local multiplayer games. 

Therein lies another problem. Wats the point of the Gamepad. Nintendo as always been about fun with family members. The gamepad does not fit that model.

Where have you been for the past year and a half?

The Wii U pad is necessary for games like ZombiU and NintendoLand, I guess you could play New Super Mario Bros. Wii U without any Wii U pad but I seriously doubt it's an option to buy the console without the pad anyway.