Topic: Should the gamepad be "abandoned"???

No. It wasn't a great idea in the first place but there'd be no point in abandoning it now.

Can we just get rid of this useless thread please?

I agree. This thread is pointless. I don't see how anyone could ever think Nintendo would "abandon" the GamePad in the first place. It's part of why people like the console, and it wouldn't make sense to make the GamePad optional when that's the interface they're trying to create in comparison to another system, where it is optional.

Optional vs. mandatory. If you want GamePad features to be optional, just buy another system. If you like Nintendo IPs, but not the GamePad, you can't expect Nintendo to make sonething optional that theylre trying to make a standard on their system. You're basically guaranteed to have a second screen for EVERY piece of software. I don't see how that's a bad thing.
Same thing with the Kinect. Making sure you have the camera won't make developers question whether they can utilize the feature on a a "complete" scale.

I could say Sony is just as stupid for making the PS Eye and Move optional.