Given how disastrous the Wii U was, I can't see them at least not being a bit more conservative on the controller.
If anything I think the opposite. I remember the Wii U Gamepad being thought of as 'conservative' in the sense that it was just a combination of old ideas (dual screen, touch screen, etc.)
Wouldn't surprise me at all if they tried to step it up a notch in the weirdness factor. Though getting rid of physical buttons is that last thing I'd expect, and even if this is real I still think physical buttons will make it into the final cut.