Well they've worked for ~35 years with minimal changes. Until the way games are presented is fundamentally changed (like VR) there is no reason than just trying to be different to change the way games controls.
This is typical out of touch Nintendo. The NX is their last shot and if they blow it, they become another Sega. They should just stick to the tried and true to bring back lapsed Nintendo fans and third party developers or else I'll be playing Smash on my PS6 soon enough.
its a patent, its possible there is going to come exactly nothing out of this in the end.
But yes nintendo is doomed once again