Topic: Do think there is something behind the recent lack of pro controllers for the Wii U

It's possible they're just not producing a lot of them because on the whole perhaps demand wasn't there for it so it was a waste of cash making a bunch to have them sit in boxes. The fact is, it's a fluff piece as the main controller for the system while shaped and weighted differently still does the same thing and a lot of people that is good enough for.

Or maybe they are flying off the shelves because people are sick of using the gamepad?

You're wondering why the multiplayer controller of choice is hard to come by in the few months after the first big multiplayer game of the system came out? Seriously, pre-Kart what multiplayer games were on the Wii U that benefited from the Pro? How many of those sold more than a couple of 100k? Scrolling down the list I see CoD and that's about it.

Then boom, Kart is out. 4 player game that uses the Pro controller. Gets existing Wii U owners out to buy their first, second, third, fourth pro controller. Gets new owners out doing the same. In a few months it's the third best selling game on that platform and has sold 10x more than the other pro-controller friendly multiplayer games out before it.

So I wonder, why are pro-controllers hard to find?

[Drafting this when skywake stole my thunder, lol!]

I've wondered the same thing. My personal take is that pre-MK8, there weren't a lot of games that required (or were even compatible with) the Wii U Pro Controller. $50 was too steep a tag for me for such a limited item and there were so many on eBay I figured why pay retail.

Then comes MK8 (my dirt cheap OEM used Wii U Pro controller arrived the same day). I quickly fell in love with it; feels so much more precise for MK8 than motion controls (but that is probably only a personal perception). Wii U sales jump. A reason to own the Wii U Pro controller exists. All of a sudden, they are really hard to find in stores and at good prices on eBay.

So yes, I think it is a supply (Big N probably pulled back on production--or retail stores stopped ordering them or both) and post-MK8 demand issue.

BTW, I did see about 5 white ones on the shelf at my local target here in NJ. But my Best Buy is basically out of anything Wii U related except for Skylanders and Disney Infinity.

I would like a third color for it.

This would likely be the answer if it were not for the fact that probably 70-80% of Wii U owners also own a Wii, which they likely own several controllers for, which are all useable with MK8, this making it unlikely that pro controllers are disappearing from store shelves for the reason you hypothesised.

Then again, based on the anecdotal evidence in this thread, there doesn't seem to be much of a shortage of pro controllers anyway. It's more likely some retailers are just not carrying high numbers of these controllers because they aren't in demand, much like the Wii U itself.

I personally think there's just a lack of demand. With my vast collection of Wii controllers, nunchuks, classic controllers and whatever else why should I shell out £35 for one of these. I'm sure I'm not the only one who thinks that. I play MK8 with the steering wheel!

I guess this depends on who's buying the game. Parents are unlikely to shell out $50 a piece so each of their 2-3 kids have a Pro controller to play with, but I would imagine that most adult gamers are more than willing to pick one up. I have two myself, and I don't even prefer the Pro for Mario Kart.

Though I think one thing that everyone would be on the same page with is that Nintendo of America just didn't properly anticipate the demand for the Pro, for whatever reason. They wouldn't intentionally bottleneck their own supply... probably.

/puts on tinfoil hat

Well I own a Wii and a whole range of Wii controllers including Classic controllers. But the Pro is a nicer controller and I personally only saw the need to get a second one after Kart came out. Mostly because the first time I booted up Kart with a group of people everyone wanted the Pro controller.

Also to add credence to my theory, when I got the Pro about a month post-Kart this was the conversation:
me: "Hey, I'd like a White Wii U Pro Controller thanks"
sales dude: "Mario Kart?"
me: "yup"

I just bought that last pro controller at Kmart for $20 around the same time Best Buy was discounting them for $30. My guess is they're slowing down production and/or the stores aren't restocking because they're just taking up room. To be honest the controller shouldn't cost the same or more than some games in the first place.

$50 for a new controller is pretty standard these days.