Nintendo launches new fitness video game in U.S.

By Scott Hillis

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Nintendo Co Ltd <7974.OS>launched its "Wii Fit" exercise game in the United States on Monday, hoping to get gamers off the couch and appeal to new audiences such as women and older people.

Nintendo is banking on "Wii Fit" to further broaden the appeal of its Wii gaming console, which has already become a smash hit due to its motion-sensing controller and simple, easy-to-learn games.

"There has been fitness software before, but with the positioning of it, the marketing might behind it and the product itself, it's the biggest health product for a video game system I have ever seen," said IDC analyst Billy Pidgeon.

"Wii Fit" is the latest major title Nintendo has launched this year, one that is aimed most clearly at a nontraditional audience of mothers and older customers who are uninterested in established franchises like "Mario" and "Pokemon."

The game, which costs $90 and comes with a shoulder-width "balance board" that senses shifts in posture, should also help Nintendo address concerns over the tendency of Wii owners to buy fewer games than owners of Microsoft Corp's Xbox 360 and Sony Corp's <6758.T> PlayStation 3.

"The secret weapon of the Wii is getting more people within the household to play. Each one of those people is going to buy fewer games than the hard-core gamer would, but it adds up," Pidgeon said.

Pidgeon and other analysts said they expect sales of "Wii Fit" to be limited only by how many units Nintendo can make, with some estimating that up to 30 percent of the nearly 10 million Wii owners in the United States will buy the product in the next few weeks.

In a sign of strong demand, the Web site of retail giant Wal-Mart said it had sold out of its pre-order allocation of "Wii Fit," and Amazon.com said it was out of stock as well.

While Microsoft and Sony have focused on high-definition, ultra-realistic games, Nintendo surprised the industry with the low-cost, low-tech Wii. In April, Nintendo sold more than 700,000 Wii machines in the United States, nearly double that of the Xbox 360 and PS3 combined.

"Wii Fit is easy for anyone to try and is yet another example of how Nintendo continues to expand the world of video games to new audiences," Cammie Dunaway, executive vice president of sales and marketing for Nintendo of America, said in a statement.

"Wii Fit" offers more than 40 activities in four categories including aerobics, strength training, balance and yoga. It tracks users' Body Mass Index and weight, charting their progress and offering fitness tips.

It is the latest creation of Nintendo's legendary game designer Shigeru Miyamoto, who came up with many of the company's smash hits, from "Donkey Kong" to "Nintendogs."

Nintendo has already sold 2 million copies of "Wii Fit" in Japan and it has recently been released in Europe.

Not everyone has been enamored with the product. Video game news and reviews Web site GameSpot said the title was hamstrung by shortcomings.

"Wii Fit's included exercises do have the potential to positively impact your health, but thanks to its lack of exercise options, poor support for multiplayer, and shallow health advice, this title isn't a gaming fitness revolution," GameSpot said.

Nintendo is initially selling "Wii Fit" only at its New York store, with the product available at other retailers by Wednesday.

(Editing by Phil Berlowitz)

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