Nintendo recently held an online press event known as Nintendo Direct, at which the gaming giant revealed more information about its next game console, the Wii U. Among the announcements was the introduction of the WiiU Pro controller, a device catering to more traditional gamers.
The controller features a layout similar to the Xbox 360 controller, but with a key distinction - the thumb sticks are placed near the top, making the controller a perfect fit for popular first person shooters like Call of Duty and Battlefield.
When the world was first introduced to the Wii U last year, the focus was on the new tablet controller, now known as the Wii U Gamepad. Much like the original Wii, the controller showed great promise for new experiences, but alienated traditional gamers who feel more at home with the Xbox or Playstation. With the Wii U Pro controller, Nintendo is hoping to win those gamers back, as well as make it easier for developers to bring traditional games to the Wii U.
At this point, little is known about the Pro controller outside of its familiar button layout, but we expect more details to emerge at Nintendo's annual E3 press conference on Tuesday (June 5th). The Wii U Pro controller is expected to launch alongside the Wii U in Q4 2012.
Source: Nintendo Direct
This is something they should have had for the Wii.
At the very least, it means the Wii U might get included in the next generation's big FPS franchises.