Wii U Pro Controller announced - X360pad design, no screen, "for multiplatform games"

Added the official Iwata quote from the vid to the OP.

For those who are mainly interested in multiplatform games, with more traditional means of control, we will also offer the Wii U Pro Controller as a separate [play style], which is lighter and maybe more attractive for longer, more intense forms of gaming.
 
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So basically it's Nintendo's way of getting multiplatform titles without third parties having to go out of their way to incorporate the Wii U Game Pad

Probably a wise move

Well, it's not like it has any inputs the GamePad doesn't. Still, these will be great for local multiplayer and Virtual Console stuff.
 
I've always wanted someone to try putting the right stick up top. There's really no reason to have it down there.
 
The stick layout actually seems to make a lot of sense. A lot of games focus more on the second stick and the triggers than they do on the face buttons. Besides that, the buttons are still easily reachable.
 
The 360 controller is a modified Dreamcast controller.

Triggers are sure. But rest of it is mostly Dual Shock.

In my mind the influences go like this.

NES -> Master System -> Genesis/SNES -> Saturn/N64 -> Dual Shock/Dreamcast -> Xbox/Gamecube -> 360
 
So basically it's Nintendo's way of getting multiplatform titles without third parties having to go out of their way to incorporate the Wii U Game Pad

Probably a wise move
What? This is literally just the GamePad without a screen. They can do nothing with the screen of the GamePad and have games play just like on the other consoles without this. And when that's the case, you'll even be able to use the screen to play without the TV.
 
So basically it's Nintendo's way of getting multiplatform titles without third parties having to go out of their way to incorporate the Wii U Game Pad

Probably a wise move

Well, since some of them devs were crying how hard it is, this is not a bad move. Just another message that the screen isn't mandatory for games.
 
So basically it's Nintendo's way of getting multiplatform titles without third parties having to go out of their way to incorporate the Wii U Game Pad

Probably a wise move

And it definitely goes with the idea that they're trying to bring in more third party developers for the console.

I'm actually a little bit excited by this, and it's only a controller.

The power of E3!
 
Way too many controllers. Should have just gone with an upgraded Wiimote + nunchuk w/ more buttons for multiplatforms. Maybe a second analog on the remote.
 
I've always wanted someone to try putting the right stick up top. There's really no reason to have it down there.
I figure with tons of games being fps and those games requiring most of you time on the sticks it looks pretty decent. Will have to see actual impressions though.
 
As nice as this is, isn't it basically giving 3rd party developers the means to phone in thier ports and barely make use of the Wii U controller?

I see in Wii U's future a ton of PS3/X360 ports with a static map on the controller screen.
Many developers(kojima) excuse was that the controller was so different or was another experience, that their games were not going to work for the systems. Now there is no excuse but lazy developers and not enough budget .
here is the link about kojima(I do not know if it is the original source):http://www.shacknews.com/article/72928/kojima-says-wii-u-a-special-case-requires-unique-software
 
This is pretty much confirmed to be my go-to pad in anything, including PC.

Nintendo doesnt screw up d-pads.
 
The stick layout actually seems to make a lot of sense. A lot of games focus more on the second stick and the triggers than they do on the face buttons. Besides that, the buttons are still easily reachable.

I know, right? Games that are centered on stick+face buttons as opposed to dual analog are few and far between these days.

Oh God. I just realized how badly I want to play a new Souls game with this.
 
It's a non-entity if it's not out-of-the-box, though. No guarantee of 3rd party support if it doesn't come with the platform.

If third parties really don't want to use the screen, I'm sure they can still do that, even if their game is being played with the tablet controller.
 
Its the standard Nintendo Button arrangement since the Snes. MS went the other way round for whatever reason.

While it would be nice if there was some agreed upon standard for these things, I can deal with variations on letter placement or even numbers. On the other hand, I would like to beat the shit out of the guy that decided to use fucking shapes on the buttons instead. Just a personal peeve.

Also, those who keep saying "it's gotta be packed in if they want 3rd parties to support it" are not thinking at all. It has the same gameplay sticks/buttons as the default pad. They basically support it by default unless it's using the screen or some other unique feature of the default pad, in which case it wouldn't matter if it was packed in or not.
 
The dual sticks and triggers are for modern day FPS games and the d-pad and buttons for classic games. Very well laid out, controller looks very comfortable.
 
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