Wii Fit
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Wii Fit set to outpace Grand Theft Auto IV -- gamer geeks weep, gnash teeth
Unafraid to incite elitist gamer geek unrest, respected video game industry analyst Michael Pachter has supported a prediction by GigaOM that Wii Fit will outsell Grand Theft Auto IV this year. Yeah, you read right: the latest entry into what is arguably the biggest hardcore video game franchise around is gonna get whooped by an exercise tool -- we're not shocked, we're just laughing. GTA4 was dominating at first, but with time interest has waned while Wii Fit and its included Balance Board peripheral have stayed hot despite supply shortages. Nintendo's hardware-focused strategy seems to be working; the Balance Board install base is approaching 12 million, or roughly 30% of all Wii owners. You can bet it'll be put to good use in future games and other, less mainstream applications even after folks have given up on losing weight and resigned themselves once more to lifelong loneliness.
Microsoft Surface made pressure-sensitive with Wii Balance Board
So you've got a spare Microsoft Surface and Wii Balance Board laying around, whaddya do? Well, you could try stacking them on top of each other and hope that big-ass table doesn't crush your little plastic Nintendo toy, and with some code slapped on what you'd end up with is pressure-sensitive surface computing. This clever little concept was cooked up by Josh Santangelo from "Stimulant." In his demo, featured after the break, he rocks Surface from side to side while colored spots roll back and forth, using a physics engine he developed for MS Silverlight. It's a great start and we would love to see this resourceful hack put to good use -- beyond that of a totally awesome yet ridiculously expensive tilt-a-maze game, minus the maze.
Wii systems getting rooms at Marriott hotels
Nintendo has announced a new deal with Marriott, through which hotel guests will be able to opt for rooms with special Wii systems loaded with 20 games. The program is only available in six locations right now during the pilot test of the program. Currently, guests must pay an extra charge for the Wii, access to which lasts for the duration of the trip. The preloaded games include Mario Kart Wii, Super Mario Galaxy, Wii Sports, and even Wii Fit, suggesting that the system comes with a Balance Board or is really boring. We're glad to see the tradition of weird hotel Nintendo systems continuing -- we've wanted to steal one of those LodgeNet controllers for years.
Nintendo trademarks mysterious pedometer
Could this simple, lozenge-shaped device be what we're all talking about come Thursday morning? Currently, all the evidence points to a souped-up DS being unveiled during Nintendo's Media Summit, but NeoGAFfer Shiggy spotted this on the site of European trademark body OAMI.It was registered by Nintendo in late-August, and is apparently a pedometer. This being related to Wii Fit in some way seems like an obvious first guess, but any speculation we indulge in is just that for now. Like most companies, Nintendo is always registering stuff, some of which it never uses, or some of which doesn't get officially announced until months or years later. This post could just be a really, really early preview for ... some gadget Nintendo releases three years from now![Via NeoGAF]
Nintendo getting into the pedometer game? This will all end in tears
Bad / good news, folks: Nintendo is / isn't working on a pedometer peripheral that will / won't integrate with its Wii / DS console. The company has famously stated that it doesn't plan to release "a whole lot more" accessories for the Wii, which means we've got at least one or two to look forward to, and this could be one of 'em. The images surfaced on a European trademark registry site with very little supplemental info, but we do know it's a pedometer of sorts. If we're lucky, this is something that'll integrate into the existing Wii Fit setup, perhaps alongside a software update to manage more info about our unhealthiness than just how far we can jump on a pair of imaginary skis, but it's probably just as likely that we're looking at a Wii Fit sequel, or perhaps a DS version (a handy companion to that new DS?) designed to lure us out of the house. No telling, really, but the peripheral does appear to be wireless... and wholly evil.[Via Joystiq]
Possible new Nintendo hardware spotted
We have absolutely no idea why GAF user Shiggy was searching for Nintendo-made pedometer trademarks. But his discovery of just such a trademark is a reminder of why this mixed-up, big, blue ball takes all kinds of people to keep it going round.We're a little sketchy on exactly what a pedometer is (we know Ubisoft made one), but we're betting this is either a Wii Fit-related way to count steps taken ... or Nintendo's latest child-security feature: A meter that detects the number of pedophiles in the area. We're pretty sure it's the former, but hoping it's the latter, if only to help us find nearby Gary Glitter concerts.[Via NeoGAF]
NPD dishes out the 5 top-selling Wii games of this year
When we think of what games could possibly be the top 5 for the Wii, it doesn't seem like there's much room for mystery. Those that follow the monthly NPD numbers will likely be able to recite the top 5, in order, off the top of their heads. So, let's get to it!The top 5 games of 2008 so far according to the NPD are: Super Smash Bros. Brawl Mario Kart Wii (with wheel) Wii Play Wii Fit (with Balance Board) Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock (with guitar) We're amazed at how well GH3 still continues to do on the Wii. Obviously, Wii Play is no surprise, as it's a constant fixture in the top software titles month after month. And we have a feeling that Wii Fit would be higher on the list if only more people could actually find it.
NPD reveals Top 5 console games of '08 ... so far
As we head into the last stretch of the year, which is synonymous with a glut of titles flooding the market, it's worth seeing what the top titles in 2008 were up to this point. Gamasutra, using data from NPD, has posted the Top 5 titles for consoles up until August. Don't expect any surprises: Grand Theft Auto IV is in the top spot for PS3 and Xbox 360, while Super Smash Bros. Brawl is champion on the Wii.The Wii certainly is the most interesting of the lists, with four out of the five SKUs belonging to games with included with some sort of peripheral (Mario Kart, Wii Fit, Wii Play and Guitar Hero III). Gamasutra also estimates that the software sales of the top five Wii titles combined is about 12 million units, nearly double that of the top five on the other consoles (separately). Of course, the year isn't over yet.
Wii Fit Family Challenge sort of makes prime time
Nintendo continues to promote Wii Fit, hoping to sell all future copies just as they've sold all previous copies. This time, they're showing off the game and the Balance Board on Nick at Nite, with the conclusion of the Wii Fit Family Challenge.In July and August, Nintendo asked families to submit videos in which they described why they were excellent candidates for a televised Wii Fit competition. Three families will compete on Wednesday in the Wii Fit Family Challenge, an event in Orlando hosted by Olympic skater Kristi Yamaguchi. This event will be shown in part on Nick at Nite on October 9th, "interspersed between its prime time programming." Which means that Nintendo won't cause Fresh Prince reruns to be pre-empted. That's actually a bit sad for Nintendo in a way, but good for us, because we like Fresh Prince reruns.%Gallery-4745%
Wii Fit sales bring profits in Q2 for Toys R Us
Wii Fit is helping all kinds of retailers make money. In fact, the fitness bundle from Nintendo is still hard to find. Now, we hear that the package helped drive profits up for retailer Toys R Us. During Q2 of last year, the retailer had a loss of $42 million. This year, the company turned profits of $13 million.%Gallery-24459%
Nintendo explains Wii Fit shortages using familiar language
Well, it looks like all that experience Nintendo has half-explaining Wii supply issues isn't going to waste -- the company just issued a statement regarding shortages of Wii Fit that sounds awfully familiar. Seriously, follow along with us here: Wii shortages, Nov. 14, 2007: "The demand for Wii hardware globally has been unprecedented and higher than Nintendo could ever have anticipated." Wii Fit shortages, Aug. 28, 2008: "Nintendo had a substantial supply nationwide for launch, though some stores saw spot shortages due to unprecedented demand for this unique product." Here's a thought, guys: if there's "unprecedented" demand for the console, the demand for arguably the biggest accessory for that console since launch probably isn't unprecedented as well -- and your PR people shouldn't be so well-versed in making excuses like this.[Via Slashgear]
Using treadmills to Race across Azeroth
The Wii Fit board was the first object to be linked to character run speed in WoW. Now, the folks at Mana Energy Potions have raised the ante -- they connected a pair of treadmills to their computers, and set about gauging just how possible it is to run like your character. They took a couple steps to simulate the run speed. They measured the land-speed of your average WoW character. Then, they set up a pair of treadmills to tap forward on their accounts -- everytime they moved a certain treadmill distance, their keyboard would pulse "W" to move forward. They dressed up in some silly costumes to make sure their event was as realistic as possible, or maybe just to make the pictures funnier. And then... they ran from Shadowglen to Darnassus. The results? The experience darn near killed 'em, apparantly. They tried a few other things -- drawing a sword while running, eating, and drinking. None of it went particularly well. And while they finished the run, the pair aren't looking forward to doing it again. The author describes it as "sheer brutality." Final result: your character in WoW is in much better shape than you are. I am shocked and amazed. Still, if I had the carpentry skills to build their rig, I think I might take my Warrior out for a jog to help get in shape.
GameStop not concerned about digital distribution
Following another (inter)stellar quarter of sales, GameStop's COO Dan DeMatteo says the company is unconcerned about digital distribution, which caused us to instantly "Journeyman" back to 2007 to relive the Penny Arcade strip above. Gamasutra reports that during a post-results analyst call the executive said the revenue stream for digital distribution is "pretty insignificant."DeMatteo explains that the company doesn't expect digital distribution to be a threat due to current disc-based game sizes and the barrier of long download times. He also believes that the Wii shortage we've seen the last two holiday seasons will shift to Wii Fit this holiday. The planet Earth concurs with that possibility.
So apparently this Wii thing is popular?
Pow! Blam! Thwack! That's the sound of the Wii's biggest software performers in 2008 so far. The likes of Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Wii Fit, and Mario Kart Wii have taken some of the the top places in a new Top Global Markets Report, as calculated by chart specialists Enterbrain (Japan), NPD (the U.S.) and Gfk Chart-Track (the UK).Although top spot goes to Grand Theft Auto IV (6.29 million copies sold in 2008 so far), the next four places feature Wii games, three of which are exclusives. Brawl (5.4 million) was runner-up, while Mario Kart Wii (4.6 million) and Wii Fit (3.6 million) reached third and fourth respectively. Guitar Hero III (just under 3.4 million) was fifth; obviously, the Wii also had a hand in that.What does this prove? Well, little that we didn't already know: that Nintendo's console and games are obscenely popular -- even when said games cost way more than regular titles. With four months of the year still to go, we wouldn't rule out one or more of those Nintendo exclusives overhauling that insolent Russian Niko. Commence yaaaaying.
Wii Fit helps drive record Q2 for GameStop
A lot of those Wii Fit bundles people have been snatching up (and never playing again) came from GameStop, apparently, as the company reports a net earnings increase of 162.1 percent to $57.2 million in the second quarter. For the period of three months ending August 2nd, sales increased by 34.8 percent to $1.80 billion.It wasn't all thanks to Wii Fit, though. There were some other big titles that released during this time period, including Grand Theft Auto IV and Metal Gear Solid 4. GameStop's CEO R. Richard Fontaine is obviously happy about the increase in profits. "By prioritizing our investments and focusing our resources, GameStop continues to significantly outperform the specialty retail segment as a whole, when comparing top-line growth, comparable store sales, and net earnings growth." Yes, but while you're commenting, is there anything you'd like to pre-order today?%Gallery-23454%
July NPD: Hardware sales take a dip, Nintendo still wins
July was a good month for Nintendo. Not only did the Wii do well, but the DS also managed to sell a lot. In fact, the Wii took up 49% of console shares in July, with the DS snagging 73% of handheld sales for that month, despite hardware sales taking a dip for all. If you're looking for more exact sales data, head past the break.
Sega: More Balance Board and Zapper-compatible games on the way
For those of you with a lot of plastic junk laying around, taking up space (remember, if you bought Wii Fit, you only played it once), there's hope! Sega has plans for your Nintendo peripherals, so you might be dusting them off in the near future.During an interview, SEGA of America president Simon Jeffrey commented that Sega is "fans of the Wii Zapper" and that their game Ghost Squad "keeps selling." As for the future, he stated that the company has "more Zapper games going," with the same "for the Wii Balance Board, although we have nothing announced yet." We wonder if this will tie in to that mystery Leipzig game?[Via Balance Board Blog]
Washable Balance Board covers repel your grubby feet
Fact: feet are disgusting. Also a fact: the Wii Balance Board is very, very white. What price will you pay to keep it that way, and prevent mucky feet from tarnishing its perfect surface?Linx Products hopes that you'll pay ¥1,554 (around $14). The company recently started marketing these ivory-colored protective covers for Nintendo's peripheral, and they're available now on Amazon Japan for exactly that price. They can be washed up to fifty times, and apparently feature ... some anti-bacterial agent that we couldn't decipher.These are still Japan-only, so the rest of you will have to settle with sticking other stuff on your Balance Boards. Or you could just wash your damn manky feet.[Via Balance Board Blog] Putting your feet on the Balance Board and measuring your own BMI is so last year -- head here to read up on one blogger's quest to measure his apartment. And a cat.
Miyamoto's hobbies are now trade secrets
According to the Times, mysterious "sources" inside Nintendo report that the company has banned its most famous producer from speaking about his hobbies. This makes sense given that Shigeru Miyamoto often claims to draw direct inspiration for his games from the activities he does on his time off. He decides to start gardening, and Pikmin is born. He gets into exercise, and Wii Fit appears. He takes up pretending to play the saxophone, and the idea for Wii Music is born. The idea is, then, if somebody asks Miyamoto what he does in his spare time, and Miyamoto answers, the secret of Nintendo's next huge hit will be revealed. And thus his life must be shrouded in secrecy until such time as his next game is announced and he can start the PR talk about how it was inspired by his life.[Via Gamasutra]
Microsoft's Gosen warns of 'thin line between gimmick and great gameplay'
Look, it's not that Microsoft's Xbox VP, David Gosen, dislikes the Wii and its parade of people-friendly peripherals. "What Nintendo have done with the Wii is truly fantastic – there is no question about it." No question at all -- but there is a but. "But I think sometimes there is a thin line between gimmick and great gameplay." And there's no question that said but refers to that thing that lets you play games with your butt.Speaking at a Gamefest UK keynote and later to the folks at Develop, Gosen admitted that while different interfaces, whether they be video cameras or plastic guitars, are important in bringing new players into the market, they need to serve a "truly game changing experience." Gosen went on to cite research which found Wii Fit players abandoned their "digital bathroom scales" quite quickly. "They are not good if they are gimmicks. There is a challenge for us to make sure that all new user interfaces are deep and are rewarding to the end user."And how do you do that, exactly? Gosen offers, "So we have to get the balance right, because what we are doing is bringing new consumers into the market for the first time in their lives sometimes – and we have to treat them with respect." Get the balance of game design right, huh? Sounds like the perfect Wii Fit game, no?
