The idea of replacing the left pad for a dpad is crazy to me. The left pad provides so much more utility than a dpad can offer and outright replacing it would be robbing the controller of what makes it so unique in the first place. As it stands, even if it doesn't always feel great it still works as a dpad for everything if you need it, but more importantly, we're on an open platform where we can use another controller with a better dpad if the game calls for it. Don't get me wrong, I'd like to have my cake and eat it too, so I wouldn't be opposed to swap-able parts or some sort of attachment to make it feel more like a proper dpad, but if it comes down to one or the other, I'll take the touch pad in a heartbeat.