Nintendo president Satoru Iwata recently had a little chit-chat with the
Wall Street Journal, letting it know that his company's plethora of purchasable peripherals polluting shelves could possibly slow down. The
WSJ points out that Nintendo recently unveiled the Wii Motion Plus and Wii Speak to go with its other pieces of plastic, ready to fill a landfill near you, like
Wii Fit, Wii Zapper and the
Wii Wheel. Iwata states that the accessories the company originally had planned for the Wii are all out now, but that doesn't mean it's going to stop ... it just currently doesn't have plans to release many more.
Iwata also covers some other items briefly, saying that the company plans to offer the
Wii Motion Plus "for as little as possible." Considering it'll be necessary for games like
Wii Sports Resort and the
absurd amount of money the company is currently making, that seems like a reasonable thing to do.
[Via
Edge]
{ Aug 4th 2008 at 12:15PM } 
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Huey2k2 @ Aug 4th 2008 12:22PM
This is good news. I personally am getting tired of all these peripherals needed to play new Wii games. I don't own a balance board and probably never will, please stop with the balance board games unless you are planning on giving them away at some point.
T @ Aug 4th 2008 2:33PM
Get your facts straight. There are TWO required peripherals that are required for games.
One is the nunchuk, which isn't required for everything. (And you get one free w/ your Wii)
The other is the Balance Board, which is currently only required for one game (which currently comes packaged WITH the perihperal).
Neither the Wheel or the Zapper are required. For anything.
That makes 2 perihperals that can be attached to the word "required".
You want to complain about required peripherals...join the rest of the angry mobs (of which I'm a part) protesting this Guitar Hero, Rock Band, Rock Revolution madness.
4MyFriends @ Aug 4th 2008 12:24PM
I'm sure Joystiq commenters will find a way to spin this into DOOMSDAY
Park Zero @ Aug 4th 2008 12:28PM
I doubt they will, but who cares anyway. By the way, I’m a big fan (no seriously). I have been reading many of your posts and they are highly entertaining to read. You make my day go by much faster. Thank you and keep up the good work 4MyFriends!
primetime4 @ Aug 4th 2008 12:34PM
There is no spin necessary. The amount of peripherals available for the Wii is simply outrageous. This is definitely not a traditional game console but more of a peripheral selling appliance.
4MyFriends @ Aug 4th 2008 12:34PM
I do my best :)
The Kickass of Takenamesness @ Aug 4th 2008 12:51PM
"This is definitely not a traditional game console but more of a peripheral selling appliance."
I disagree. Yeah, there are a bit too many peripherals on the market for the Wii, but as it stands, they're all optional, and two of 'em actually look as though they'll end up adding to certain experiences in the end (WiiMotionPlus and the Balance Board). In fact, those are the only two that are looking as though they're going to be backed with more than one game. (Yeah, I know there were 'zapper' modes in some games but they certainly weren't the selling points for those games)
tmacairjordan87 @ Aug 4th 2008 12:54PM
Hey 4myfriends looks like your mental stability may be improving since you're at least posting in an actual Nintendo article.
Now to make your posts relevant and meaningful...
Duke @ Aug 4th 2008 12:54PM
Primetime, you should know by now that you can't say anything negative about Nintendo around here.
The Kickass of Takenamesness @ Aug 4th 2008 12:57PM
"Now to make your posts relevant and meaningful..."
I dunno, his posts are actually pretty smart when he's not whining about how everyone doesn't universally love Nintendo anymore.
TwEE @ Aug 4th 2008 1:06PM
I know Duke, because nobody ever dose that on joystiq.
xFenixKnightx (RRoD hath striketh upon me on 08-03-2008) @ Aug 4th 2008 1:21PM
Park Zero
Guess what, I'm a big fan of YOURS! Keep it up buddy. Great, great stuff!
:P
Vidikron (FU) @ Aug 4th 2008 1:24PM
"Yeah, there are a bit too many peripherals on the market for the Wii, but as it stands, they're all optional"
Optional? Maybe. I mean, I'd be hard pressed to say the nunchuk is optional, at least you get one with the system though. But how many people really make due with a single controller? Especially on the Wii which is the supposed "party" system. Same siutation with the balance board and WiiMotion Plus. They may start off optional, but if they continue to develop games for them they become continuously less optional. Then what about VC games? If you buy a few of those the Classic or a GC controller is a must depending on the games you buy. These things all become "optional" only if you want to do without chunks of the Wii's library.
Joeshie @ Aug 4th 2008 1:25PM
I'm sure 4MyFriends will find a way to spin this into NINTENDO REALLY CARES ABOUT GAMERS AND NOT JUST MONEY.
Duke @ Aug 4th 2008 1:30PM
+1 Fenix, it made me laugh.
Duke @ Aug 4th 2008 12:25PM
What!? No peripheral to hold all the other peripherals in a Nintendo approved way? C'mon now!
PSN & GAMERTAG: jorojoserojas - Wii FC: 0749-8609-3752-6926 @ Aug 4th 2008 12:48PM
Ha ha! I have no problem with Nintendo (in fact, I kind of like them), but that's hilarious - and something I'd TOTALLY buy (I'm a bit of a neat-freak).
As it is, I'd love a solution for all the controls for my consoles, Rock Band instruments, Wii accessories, etc.
Mr Khan @ Aug 4th 2008 12:38PM
It is heartening, and it makes sense, as that whole list of peripherals covers virtually everything. Racing, Shooting, balancing, 1:1, and talking
Though, granted, all of those features should have been integrated in the first place, but it's nice to know the train is, for the foreseeable future, ground to a halt
SKI @ Aug 4th 2008 10:26PM
HOW THE HELL could all of those been "integrated" except for the 1:1 control? A gun shaped wheel that you can talk into while standing on it? THINK!
samfish @ Aug 4th 2008 12:42PM
Well, it's about Nintendo, so I'm gonna guess...145 comments, give or take 4.
Kye - Me_DF @ Aug 4th 2008 1:06PM
Put me down for 123 tops.
why not the LS2LS7? @ Aug 4th 2008 1:14PM
Well, it is Nintendo, so put me down for 6 comments that are predictions of how many comments there will be, plus or minus 2.
Billiam247 @ Aug 4th 2008 1:42PM
I'll go with 1 Bob!
Dovi @ Aug 4th 2008 1:58PM
I bid 146 give or take 5.
rv @ Aug 4th 2008 2:13PM
I vote for overestimation
Blazur @ Aug 4th 2008 12:51PM
Pity, I was eagerly hoping for a WiiBoot to compliment any games that involve running.
Cody @ Aug 4th 2008 12:51PM
The most important part of this article is the portion pertaining to Motion-Plus. That device needs to be given away every way possible (pack-in with games, ordered thru Nintendo like Wiimote jackets) if they want it to have any sort of impact whatsoever.
The Kickass of Takenamesness @ Aug 4th 2008 12:54PM
I don't think Nintendo is going to do that, though, and in the end, I'm betting we'll have maybe two or three great games that take advantage of it by the end of this console generation. Hearing that WM+ was as new to us as it was for developers was kind of saddening, not to mention the fact that, ATM, the only way we know we can get it is if we plop down $50 for Wii Sports Resort. Which I just may end up doing if the 1:1 is any good for those minigames, but meh.
Mr Khan @ Aug 4th 2008 1:02PM
Wii Sports Resort does look fun, except for that dog game
And the fact that the title makes little sense given some of the sports involved...
Mr Khan @ Aug 4th 2008 1:04PM
But i think that Motion plus will get integrated more than you might think, but as an option in a lot of games, so that you would have "gesture mode" and "full-motion mode"
Considering that's how a lot of developers are going anyway: just add another optional scheme to the four or five that exist already
tmacairjordan87 @ Aug 4th 2008 1:06PM
You mean you don't sword duel with your family while on a beach resort? I thought that was common practice.
samfish @ Aug 4th 2008 2:54PM
I killed my sisters with a patio umbrella at Myrtle Beach last summer.
...it was them or me...
Kye - Me_DF @ Aug 4th 2008 1:10PM
"the company plans to offer the Wii Motion Plus "for as little as possible.""
I mistook this as meaning they're offering it to as few games as possible at first. That sounded like the kinda crap I've come to expect from N.
Either way, no game announcements still = fail.
WRE: I own all 3! (4 if you count the DS.) @ Aug 4th 2008 1:21PM
Good. My livingroom is cramped enough as it is. And I'm pretty excited for WM+. We know that the new Zelda will use it and maybe we'll get some gritty, controversial games like a Viking/pirate game called Wii Rape and Pillage or frat-simulation Wii Date-Rape. In Wii Date-Rape you could even use the 1:1 motion to simulate dropping a Forget-Me-Now into some chic's drink. How 'bout it, developers?
playwhutyalike @ Aug 4th 2008 1:42PM
You hold the Wii-mote in your hand like a glass and drop the nunchuk on top of it.
Brilliant!
playwhutyalike @ Aug 4th 2008 1:44PM
Or, how about, Piivit Man? The game where you are plopped down in the middle of a circle jerk/blow-fest. 2 additional Wii-motes sold seperatly.
samfish @ Aug 4th 2008 2:52PM
No no no. You hump the balance board in time with the rhythm in Wii Date Rape.
WRE: I own all 3! (4 if you count the DS.) @ Aug 4th 2008 2:54PM
No, Samfish, you're thinking about Wii Put Out, the sorority game.
Ethan @ Aug 4th 2008 1:30PM
Leaving out the storage peripheral, which is the most important.
Duke @ Aug 4th 2008 1:35PM
Oh, I wish I thought of that!
d1srupt0r @ Aug 4th 2008 1:36PM
Wii Clock coming soon.....it'll show how much he have to wait for cool new games to come out.
tmacairjordan87 @ Aug 4th 2008 1:39PM
Haha that actually made me laugh. Good job +1
xFenixKnightx (RRoD hath striketh upon me on 08-03-2008) @ Aug 4th 2008 1:44PM
ZING!
Blazur @ Aug 4th 2008 1:56PM
Better get a decent supply of batteries to accompany that accessory.
WRE: I own all 3! (4 if you count the DS.) @ Aug 4th 2008 2:22PM
I wouldn't worry too much about those extra batteries; word on the street is that Wii Clock will launch alongside Wii Charge - the official Nintendo-approved battery-operated battery-installer.
Jacksons @ Aug 4th 2008 2:11PM
That's good to hear. They've got quite an arsenal already.
Park Zero @ Aug 4th 2008 2:19PM
@ xFenixKnightx
Its good to see someone who can spot a backhanded compliment =)
Duke @ Aug 4th 2008 2:53PM
"...(no seriously)."
That part made it sound like you were sincere.
JayVe @ Aug 4th 2008 2:22PM
I'm sure Nintendo is doomed for having accessories... just like Microsoft.
http://www.xbox.com/en-US/hardware/accessories/
Yeah. Consoles breed accessories. Look at the NES / SNES / Genesis to see the plethora of accessories for those very successful systems, and tell me that accessories are bad.
samfish @ Aug 4th 2008 2:53PM
The U-Force! NEVER FORGET!