The sales numbers for Boom Blox via the newest NPD numbers are out. And they are ABYSMAL.

The Wii has an installed base of 10.2 million. Boom Blox sold 60,000 in May. That's pathetic. I know a number of people were praising the game and some of us had it, but how many of you who own Wiis didn't buy Boom Blox? Are you the same people who skipped on Zack and Wiki? On Okami for the PS2? Sure, I know the game was pretty much advertised by word of mouth, but that should mean more than 60K.

Third parties on the Wii look at this and they get scared, even though the Wii is still outpacing 360 and PS3 titles in terms of overall sales. That's probably why it's up to us to stop talking about how great it is and just start showing everyone we can. I can tell you this method works. I brought my Wii to Boston in the summer of 2007 to play it and to show it off to my aunts, uncles and cousins on that side of the family. None of them were Wii owners before I came. When I returned, they all had Wiis of their own. If people actually are introduced to these games, even though they aren't advertised, they will play them. I plan on taking Boom Blox, Okami and Zack and Wiki with me on my next trip (No More Heroes is a bit too bloody for the kids) and showing them how great those games are.

I'm not expecting these games to suddenly sell millions, and maybe they'll never break a million copies sold. But it worries me that developers are getting the wrong impression about the Wii and are more likely to focus on the Wii as a secondary system when the PS3 or 360 can sell only a little more, but make them more money in the end.

And it's not just the Wii this works for. Games on other consoles that are great but don't get the sales recognition can be helped by this, too. Friends are more likely to listen to you than to a billboard or 30-second ad, even in a world where TV is king. Take advantage of that.