Analysts predict over ten million sales for MotionPlus

by JC Fletcher { May 13th 2009 at 9:10AM }

Both Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter and EEDAR analyst Jesse Divnich expect the Wii MotionPlus peripheral to achieve sales of around ten million units in the US and Europe. The two just disagree on how long it will take.

Pachter believes that the sales will happen early on, driven by bundles of early MotionPlus compatible software: "I think around 20 percent of Wii owners in the US and Europe will have bought Wii Sports Resort, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 or EA Sports Grand Slam Tennis," Pachter told Edge, "so that's around eight million." He added, "I think another two million will buy MotionPlus with new consoles."

Divnich thinks three million units will sell through this holiday season, but it will take an additional year to achieve the ten-million-plus level of sales. "For the Wii MotionPlus, we currently expect the install base to reach over 11 million units by the end of Nintendo's next fiscal year in March 2011, a 15 percent penetration."

Both analysts think Red Steel 2 is a risk that could pay off for Ubisoft. "Red Steel 2 may come along at precisely the right time, around when people are ready for another [MotionPlus] game," Pachter said. "The risk is really more a function of competition, compounded by the risk that Ubisoft could make a bad game." Both analysts believe that Red Steel 2 will be bundled with a MotionPlus.

Tags: ea-sports-grand-slam-tennis, jesse-divnich, michael-pachter, motionplus, pachter, red-steel-2, tiger-woods-10

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Chris D.(PSN: Aggie_CEO | XBL:The Aggie CEO | Steam: Aggie_CEO @ May 13th 2009 9:19AM

dear lord Patcher again???

I mean I think it will sale too but does anyone even listen ore remotely believe shit he says???

LaughingTarget @ May 13th 2009 10:02AM

He has a 60% accuracy rate, which is astronomical. Conversely, Joystiq commenteds are somewhere in the negatives.

Cody @ May 13th 2009 10:44AM

Here's the greatest part about Motion Plus (at least I would expect it to be for you fellow Joystiqers). It's taking the casual waggle "gimmicky", if you will, part of the Wiimote (i.e. the motion aspect) and putting it more on par with and giving it more precision akin to the part of the Wiimote that is typically used for more core applications (i.e. the IR sensor).

Next thing you know we'll have a black Wii 2 in HD with built in motion plus remotes and improved IR and all will be well in the world.

Markez @ May 13th 2009 11:43AM

I don't really buy into anything he says for the most part, I hope he sales straight into a volcano.

magicianoffear @ May 13th 2009 9:24AM

Predict away, because I can say that I am 100% sure I wont buy it. Honestly if Nintendo releases one more freaking add on for this console I am going to drown in steril white plastic.

tenor77 @ May 13th 2009 10:28AM

You can store this next to your other accessories that had 2 games that utilized it like the lightgun, powerpad, powerglove, and that memory expansion for the N64.

sam @ May 13th 2009 12:19PM

@Tenor: There are already 4 games scheduled for release very shortly that use it, and one coming out later.

I think it'll probably get reasonable support - nobody is ever going to release a golf or tennis game that doesn't have support, for sure. And since it opens the door for a whole new set of minigame types... I could see it taking off in other cases too...

There are still going to be games which don't have support (and would have benefited from it), though...

skyzbig @ May 13th 2009 9:24AM

SHUT THE FUCK UP YOU ANALYSTS!!!

THE WICKER MAN (BWF) (GT: Dalek Prime) @ May 13th 2009 9:40AM

STFUA!!! You just cracked me up!

Jon2309 @ May 13th 2009 9:34AM

Well I sure as fuck aren't buying one.

Archon (PSN: Archonik, XBL: DarkARHN) @ May 13th 2009 9:38AM

I'm not geting one either. So who's gonna buy it if not the gamers? Wii Fit moms? I don't think so.

Dreganfyre @ May 13th 2009 9:41AM

I aren't?

Archon (PSN: Archonik, XBL: DarkARHN) @ May 13th 2009 9:43AM

I R Baboon, big star of cartoon!

uncle jesse @ May 13th 2009 10:01AM

I'm a gamer and I'm going to buy one.
So what, you wanna fight about it?

Geist @ May 13th 2009 10:11AM

I'm buying it. I'd prefer better control from my games, this is more than just a shitty little shell.

I'll probably get it with another game though, there's no real reason to buy it seperately.

Markez @ May 13th 2009 11:46AM

After the infuriating Tiger Woods game I bought years ago, that worked beautifully on some drives, and made you want to throw your wiimote/club through the window on other drives, they've enticed me back with frolf. I'll pick it up at some point. Those vid Fernando posted of the frolf was sickdiddles.

Tim @ May 14th 2009 11:02AM

not buying one? thats nice to know, but im actually lying. If you dont care, dont comment!

THE WICKER MAN (BWF) (GT: Dalek Prime) @ May 13th 2009 9:39AM

Jesse Divnich sets of my EEDAR.

Dreganfyre @ May 13th 2009 9:47AM

I might be getting one or two... My wife wants to try PGA Tour '09, and if we've already got ONE, then we might as well grab a second one with Wii Sports Resort so we can sword fight :)

vidGuy @ May 13th 2009 9:49AM

Absolutely no fricking way. It's an add-on accessory, a cool one, but still an add-on. 6 million tops.

samfish @ May 13th 2009 11:02AM

There's already 18 million Balance Boards out there, though. I don't think 10 million is hard to achieve, especially considering that it's being bundled with 3 games. There'll probably be more MotionPlus bundles by the end of the year, too.
Red Steel 2 seems like a good candidate for a bundle, being it NEEDS WM+ to be played.

Mr Khan @ May 13th 2009 12:29PM

bingo. This thing is getting the software support that the 18-million selling balance board wishes it had, can be bought in multiples, and is cheaper.

Odd move on Red Steel 2's part, i think, but we'll wait and see whether it'll actually hurt them or not

OMGOMG @ May 13th 2009 9:51AM

Ah, so 10 million will actually get the play the Wii the way it was advertised.

butaneko @ May 13th 2009 9:53AM

I predict 10 zillion

Freestyle Farfetchd @ May 13th 2009 10:00AM

I prefered it when the upcoming big addon was the expansion pack.

j.howlett @ May 13th 2009 10:24AM

after the monster that is wii fit, i expect it to move units especially in bundles. also see wiiplay

baby sea tuna @ May 13th 2009 10:25AM

I'm sure I'll end up with one, because I am a sucker. This should, by all rights be the tipping point for me, where I pack up all my Wii junk in a big box and sell it while I can still get a couple of bucks, but I won't because I am dumb...and my mom likes playing Wii tennis like twice a year.

Nook @ May 13th 2009 11:52AM

Kinda like shooting fish in a barrel, eh? I mean when you factor in the casual games that will FORCE the ownership of said tech that should have launched with the system to begin with (kinda like menu update 4, making the SD card useful). Oh, you say that won't happen...well I looked into my crystal ball and saw all kinds of games that require the use of the item.

Just like the 4mb expansion pack for the N64. and that was $100US.

Shooting fish in a barrel.

Dv8thwonder @ May 13th 2009 11:54AM

10 million seems like a good estimate by any means.It could reach thus figure by this time next year if demand stays healthy.Theres no question that this will marketed heavily by Nintendo and the fact that it comes bundled in 3 games ups it chances at higher levels than analysts may predict.

My predictions:

Wii Resort- end of fiscal year sales 12+million plus in U.S alone

Dv8thwonder @ May 13th 2009 11:58AM

Joystiq needs an edit function for posts!
Thus is this.

Mr Khan @ May 13th 2009 12:25PM

10 million is very reasonable, given that the Balance Board is closing in on outselling the PS3 itself, and you can sell more than one Motion Plus attachment per console, and they're much cheaper

So long as they advertise it right, 10 million actually sounds a bit conservative

mwrench @ May 13th 2009 12:29PM

No one should buy this until we get a hands-on demonstration. Everything that it claims seems real fuzzy to me. I don't have problems making my Wii-mote do what it needs to do in a game. I have no idea why I need this and why I need it that bad to purchase it at the expected price. Until I'm proven wrong by the actual product, I'm calling it dumb.

t_m @ May 14th 2009 9:06AM

So, is it worth waiting to buy a Wii until this launches? Will new Wii's come with motion plus included?

Its a shame the wii doesn't really support patch downloading... it'd be nice if they could patch all the top games to support it.... that'd really drive sales.

Tim @ May 14th 2009 11:09AM

Buy one now. I say that because i dont know if wii motion plus will be packed in with the wii when they hit the shelves. Plus itll give you time to get familiar with the system and play some of the games that are already out until it launches.