AT E3, IGN managed to interview Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime. When they asked him whether Nintendo would be getting rid of the Wii U’s GamePad, he had this to say:
“For us, that is not part of our vision, we believe that the GamePad is an integral part of Wii U.”
“During this week, we’re going to be showcasing other ways for utilizing the GamePad, and this has been a priority for Mr. Miyamoto,” He added “He, himself, has dedicated a lot of his personal energy to showing what can be done with the GamePad to really bring it to life.
“We’re committed to it. We believe that it is a key innovation that, otherwise, all you’re doing is making prettier pictures and using faster processors, and not bringing a lot of uniqueness in terms of gameplay.”
The new figurine feature Nintendo has announced, called amiibo, will utilize the GamePad and its built in near-field communication sensor to swap information between figures over multiple games.
Source: IGN
