You can keep on believing what you want, man. Keep on believing that the most anti-3rd party console on the market is a move after the 3rd parties, or that smart devices aren't stealing casuals from the Wii. Keep on ignoring the fact that 3rd parties are flat out ignoring Vita (a Sony console, if you forgot), keep on ignoring the struggles PS3 went through. You can believe what you want, seriously, it doesn't change the fact that Wii U is yet another Nintendo console that's totally ignoring the needs and expectations of 3rd parties and a weird package that 3rd parties have never asked for.

It's Nintendo that left 3rd parties behind, not the other way round.

Honestly, I don't get why people keep harping like the Gamepad is the main reason the Wii U isn't successful.

If Nintendo actually put the effort into making games that used the touch interface well (literally only a handful of games that actually use it extensively outside of acting as a separate viewing device for off tv or multiplayer) or allowed (or built the Wii U to be able to handle) more then one Gamepad at a time, the system might be selling better. At this point, Nintendo went cheap on the system and combined with a weak year 1 software schedule we have the current situation. The software selection itself is pretty much playing it safe with variations of games that had success during the Wii and DS eras rather then Nintendo stepping outside the box like they did with early DS and Wii games.

Also Nintendo SHOULD make their system something 3rd parties find attractive, they get more money when 3rd parties find success on their system then they would if that was the case. Although sadly the Wii U seems more aimed at the Japanese 3rd party studios that don't want to spend as much rather then 3rd parties in general but in truth it is all about Nintendo thinking about themselves rather then trying to extend themselves.

Hmm very interesting theory and you may be right. All things considered they actually did well in encouraging a variety of third parties to be there for launch. Even EA had a good selection of games available. 

I think if you're right it corresponds with my point though. That the hardware division isn't engaging with the software devs and the result is a console with a vision that isn't being supported with the software.

The Wii was never a repeatable formula. That was the problem all along.

The whole concept doesn't work unless you have a NEW incredible type of gimmick/hook to sell the system and Nintendo's R&D failed to supply it (and to be fair, to ask them to replicate that every 5-6 years is unfair, even Apple is having a hard time finding something new with the same impact as the iPod > iPhone > iPad run they've had).

For a launch title ZombiU was pretty cool it was and is like no other game.
Sonic allstar racing gave us 5 player coop on a single system.
Nintendoland also has (I know everyone hates the term)  asymetrical gameplay. 
Wii Party U also has cool stuff that wont work on PS4 or X1.   
Call of duty on 2 screens while playing online was great too.

The gamepad also allows me to play my games in my bedroom instead of my living room.

The Gamepad is not really a control scheme  especially not a new one since it just mimics DS controls thats another point.  For the most part It just adds minor upgrades to a single player experience but can totally change multiplayer.

Nintendos efforts so far are just little "tech demos" for the most part.  The real deal is in development

Games like the Division (which wont come to WiiU) or WatchDogs could show what the controller is capable of but I doubt they will.

The reason why most people wont see a WOW effect with Wiiu is because the DS is almost 9 years old and when you think about it the analog stick was also not that WOOOOOW. I mean 3d games worked with 8 directional movement before. The analog stick just improved it. And flight simulators already had a joystick controls before.  It was just new for a home console thats also true for the WiiU gamepad

There's no doubt Nintendo were trying to repeat it though. You don't put in a controller that makes up 33% of the total cost of the console unless you have a very good reason. (And I'm guessing here, but a lot of the Wii U's best tech is streaming related, so R&D for it wouldn't have been cheap).

I wonder if EAD just realised there was nothing revolutionary they could do with it from day one. The fact we haven't seen any gamepad features for upcoming games makes me think it may just be an off-tv play accessory from here on out.

check the quote a few times. see this part "It serves a minimal function in most games, adds a huge cost in development, increases the price of the system for consumers"?

It was enough to know the kind of bullshit that was coming afterwards. and as I said, i didn't read.

All you have to do is play nintendoland to see what kinds of games it's capable of. Once again, it will be up to nintendo to show everyone how to be creative.

bolded: sinapses said hello.

The gamepad was probably the best new gimmick/hook that they could come up with. 

The vitality sensor apparently fizzled out in development. Maybe they pondering virtual reality for a while, but that was probably an easy no as it doesn't fit with Nintendo's idea of a "happy, engaged" family room (one person locked off into their own little world in a helmet) and would be far more expensive than the Game Pad even. 

They probably figured people like the touchscreen on the DS and casuals seem to be able to deal with that just fine, so lets build a system around that as the new hook. Maybe it'll save the Japanese console market too. 

A lot of these decisions were probably made around 2010 as well, back before the iPad/tablet revolution had really impacted the full market.