Revised Wii U controller image leaks to Twitter - actual analog sticks, other minor changes shown

A QA tester at Traveller's Tales Games (makers of the LEGO series) going by the Twitter handle @MATTYBOOSH has posted a picture to Twitter of what appears to a revised version of the Wii U controller. This correlates with rumors we'd heard earlier this year of the Wii U tablet seeing some redesigns before being shown off again at E3 next month. The image has since been deleted, but we've grabbed it and posted it below.

First, for reference here's the old Wii U controller:

And now, here's the new one:

Notice any differences? Because we sure do.

First, note the new analog sticks. It appears that Nintendo has decided to include actual sticks, instead of the nubs found on the original tablet and the 3DS. This change might bump up the price, but it'll make a big difference in the long term. Next, notice the movement of the Start and Select buttons, which have found a new home on the right side of the controller. There's also a little square on the left side and on the bottom and, maybe most importantly, actual Wii U branding. With other rumors floating around speculating a name change, this is pseudo-confirmation that the Wii U moniker might be here to stay - if this is legit, that is.

We've posed a full comparison breakdown in the gallery above, pointing out each and every difference.

It's possible that some of these differences will be specific to the dev unit, though they usually end up mirroring the final version quite closely. We'll keep digging on this and attempt to find more information, but be sure to let us know if there's anything else you notice in the comments below.

Hankering after more of the stories, news and possible truths that might shape this year's E3? Then head over to our E3 rumours compendium page. It's being updated constantly between now and the show.