I really like it because I can see what they were thinking when designing it and what they want to accomplish with it. It's a brave move to take the industry on a new path.
I can understand why people are shocked, it's natural i guess. But i think if and when it proves itself as a very capable form of control giving new ways of moving your character and playing a game; i'm sure most people will come around.
This certainly does appeal to current non-gamers without a doubt though, I myself have asked several relatives and friends who are non-gamers, many of them have seen my games and have been interested in playing....yet were unable to get a hang of current controllers and yeah, they did say that it had way too many button. The few that i've shown the Rev controller and explained the method of play to seem really interested in it, they definately wanted to try it out.
There will also be those gamers who don't want to touch it or go anywhere near it....these are people that fear change, they have some issues that they need to get sorted 1st and that's to do with themselves. The fact of the matter is they may never want to play the Rev or anything by Nintendo again....that's their prerogative but they'd just be missing out an an new and unique experiences.
I don't think anyone here can forget the Eye Toy and how immensely popular that has been with many people, gamers and non-gamers alike. I think what NIntendo is doing is taking such a philosophy of control with the Revolution and expanding on what EyeToy started.
I'm definately with them on their philosophy for expanding gaming, and if the games are as amazing as I know Nintendo could make them and use the controller to output an amazing range of control, then I will definately buy the Revolution at launch.
Infact, with the Rev controller being expandable and with the Rev supporting Gamecube controllers, I think Ninty have every angle of the Market covered....plus, with the pledge of support from all the Big Name Publishers; Activision, UbiSoft, EA there is no need to worry about lack of 3rd pary games. What is gonna keep me thinking is of the immense amount of control they can create and how we can get more unique games such Katamari Damacy, Sega Bass fishing and the like on top of what we currently have been getting for the past 2 decades.
I'm also definately gonna get one or both of the other 2 next gen consoles, but what they will be providing me is something that i've been playing for the past 10 years...only with better graphics and physics. What REV will be providing me is something very different and very special that I will not be able to explerience elsewhere.
[Edit] I just saw the Iwata TGS keynote. They plan to also have a standard extension to the freestyle controller which can be plugged into and can allow you to use games as they are played today with the same type of buttons and layout as current controllers......so i guess you don't even need the GC controllers then.