Topic: Wii U Gamepad Redesign

[Kytim89]

Here is how Nintendo should go about a Gamepad revision: First, reveal the new Gamepad Lie that has similar dimensions to a Vita with hand grips. Secondly, announce a bundle with the best multiplayer game that is coming out for Wii U: Smash Brothers. Third, money hat Capcom (they need the cash) into making a state of the art Monster Hunter for the Wii U and money hat SE to get Dragon Quest XI for both the Wii U and 3DS and then bundle them with the Gamepad Lite.  Sell each bundle for $129.99 or its foriegn equivalent.

[NWR_insanolord]

At launch people were arguing that the GamePad probably only had $40 or $50 worth of components in it. Outside of the streaming tech, it's not exactly cutting edge hardware. They would likely have no trouble hitting that price if they wanted to., though it might anger some people who paid $50 for a Pro Controller, which is considerably less expensive to make.

[Adrock]

I stand by what I said earlier in this thread. There isn't a lot Nintendo could do to the GamePad to make a redesign worthwhile. Outside of battery life and the shoulder buttons, I don't see many major improvements. Nintendo would be shaving weight by the gram (unless they find much lighter internal components) and I definitely do not advocate making the screen smaller.

If Nintendo were to sell the GamePad separately, I agree that it should be bundled with a game, at least initially. There's no point unless they have a game that uses an extra one. Packing an additional GamePad with Super Smash Bros. makes no sense since it won't use the GamePad's additional functions. The series already skipped motion controls and I believe Sakurai said at E3 that the new games won't have touch controls either.

[Wah]

bigger battery would be nice!

[nickmitch]

I don't think we'll see a redesign until there are games that can use two gamepads. Hopefully, Nintendo will do something really special with the concept and then bundle the title with the second gamepad. Otherwise, what the hell would I do with two? Let one collect dust while I regularly use the superior?

[BlackNMild2k1]

I stand by what I said earlier in this thread. There isn't a lot Nintendo could do to the GamePad to make a redesign worthwhile. Outside of battery life and the shoulder buttons, I don't see many major improvements. Nintendo would be shaving weight by the gram (unless they find much lighter internal components) and I definitely do not advocate making the screen smaller.

If Nintendo were to sell the GamePad separately, I agree that it should be bundled with a game, at least initially. There's no point unless they have a game that uses an extra one. Packing an additional GamePad with Super Smash Bros. makes no sense since it won't use the GamePad's additional functions. The series already skipped motion controls and I believe Sakurai said at E3 that the new games won't have touch controls either.

2nd game pad should be bundled with the very same game we all said from the beginning would make the best initial demonstration for it;

EA's Madden Football 201X

and it's the best way to get EA back on board with the Wii U, and as long as it matched the other versions feature for feature along with dual pad support, it would be THE version to own.
so if Nintendo hasn't been pursuing this from the get-go, then I really have no idea what they are doing anymore.

[Adrock]

Unless Nintendo has their own two GamePad game, Madden is definitely the go-to game for a bundle. How much do you think Nintendo/EA could actually sell a bundle like that for? I think it greatly depends on how much Nintendo is willing to lower the perceived value of the GamePad since we can expect EA's MSRP for Madden to be $60. Last I read, Nintendo was offering a replacement GamePad for $140. I doubt anyone is paying $200 for Madden just for two GamePad support. All things considered, I'd estimate the GamePad at $40, $50 at the most (the screen making up the bulk of that number). That would bring the bundle down to $100 to $110 which I still think is a hard sell. Are Nintendo and EA willing to eat some of the cost to make the bundle more attractive? Not sure, but I'd try to get it down to $90.

[BlackNMild2k1]

I imagine Nintendo would take the write off on that bundle as part of the reason for the bundle is to boost 3rd party sales and improve relations with a major 3rd party.

But Nintendo should definitely have a few of their own games, even with an alternate bundle for those not interested in sports games. Maybe a WiiPlay style game.

[nickmitch]

Remind me again what the Wii U Madden sales are for this year? Is it zero?

[BlackNMild2k1]

It may be, but only because there is no compelling reason to buy a Wii U version over the version you can play with all the rest of your friends since they already own those systems.

Dual controller support would atleast make it the definitive version, especially for local multi-player, assuming it had feature parity with all other versions of course.

[nickmitch]

So, you want to convince EA, a company on the record as saying it's not focusing on the Wii U because there "aren't enough boxes", to release game whose compelling feature involves a purchasing a fairly expensive piece of hardware?

Madden would be a great idea, but it won't be what sells the second gamepad unless you can convince EA that any part of it is a good idea.

[BlackNMild2k1]

I said it should happen, not that it will.

Madden with 2 gamepad support was one of the original thoughts to be  a showcase for the feature back when we thought EA was going to be showing "unprecedented support".

I'm not expecting Nintendo to actually have this in the works for next year, but I would assume that are always actively trying to improve 3rd party relations, and not having any EA sports games and any of their other major franchises really doesn't help when the console is already struggling to get a foothold with current gen gamers looking to upgrade.

With Madden leading the way on promoting dual pad support to the masses, it will be easy to understand the benefits of such a feature almost immediately, and that's half the hard part of selling such a feature, getting people to understand why they want it.

[Kytim89]

A joint venture with SEGA to develop Wii U Sports titles titles that use more than two Gamepads would be more likely than EA returning to a Nintendo ever again.

[nickmitch]

You still have the problem of needing to push more units then convert a fanbase over from the systems their friends are using.

I think a Mario football game would make more sense. People wouldn't buy a system for it, but it could be one of those things that gets people looking.

[alegoicoe]

bigger battery would be nice!

that's my only problem with the gamepad, other than that i think its quite comfortable.

[BranDonk Kong]

Best option for Wii U Gamepad - re-release it for XBone and PS4.

[pokepal148]

Best option for Wii U Gamepad - re-release it for XBone and PS4.