Lets start with the facts.
Nintendo is a giant, evil corporation that is hellbent on ruining videogames, the world, and everything. The only things standing in their way are a local, "Mom and Pop" software developer called Microsoft, and a plucky, underdog electronics producer named Sony. For a while, Sony had just barely fended Nintendo off with something called the PS2, but lately it's been Microsoft leading the struggle to keep Nintendo at bay. With the record breaking sales of Halo 3, a game universally accepted as the most wonderful thing ever made, Microsoft had proven that no matter how many battles Nintendo may champion, the "good guys" were still winning the war.
That's all over now. Via a combination of highly effective viral marketing, and insults used to humiliate the consumer into submission, Nintendo has convinced the world to buy a game that it doesn't want; a game that forces the player to become more aware of their own bodies by making them move their arms and their legs. Some people call that "exer-gaming". I call it blasphemy.
By selling over 6 million units in the United States, Nintendo has official stolen videogames from "us" (13-24 year old males who are too sexy to even move) and given in to "them" (women, children, and old people, many of whom are not sexy at all). That's right everybody, the latest NPD numbers show that as of February 2009, Wii Fit has outsold Halo 3 in the United States. There are now more people in our country using videogames to fake-hula hoop than people using them to fake-murder their friends.
Game over, man. Game over.
[via Kotaku]
Contest:
2:00 AM on 03.22.2009
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Actually both Wii and Wii Fit have been on Amazon fairly regularly for many weeks now. The shortage is over.
Halo 3 is one of the most complete "core" experiences ever (Solo, Local Multiplayer, Online Multiplayer, Co-Op, DLC, various replay modes AND a level editor)
Wii Fit includes a peripheral and weighs in at $90.
Didn't see this one coming
And uhh, wow, Nintendo is king, who cares? Articles like this just create more fanboy furor, I'm amazed Jim didn't post it quite honestly.
I digs teh haloez, and I admit that I sold my wii, but in all honesty, Nintendo has achieved what they sought out to do- get non-gamers to buy their product. It's a shaky step, but with games like Madworld being released (albeit not at the rate I'd like it to), I'm hoping the whole casual/core thing will strike some balance sooner than later.
Another thing to put into perspective: what are the ratios of game/console? Are there more people who own 360s that also own Halo 3 compared to wii owners that also own wii fit?
There are less guns than idiots in the world though.
"I was brought here by humans."
"You steal mens' souls! Mankind ill needs a savior such as you!"
Yeah... no. As Conrad says, theyll be playin this for a week. But then, Nintendo has not cared about that for a while...
Winner.
Nintendo makes the same whether you play it for 30 secs or 6 months, so how is that relevant?
that slayed me, I love it.
Good job Jon.
And go Nintendo.
I'm at a loss for words. Really, WiiFit?
...
WiiFit??
WiiFit isn't a game.
So there.
You have too give Nintendo credit. After all, they took what is essentially a brilliant idea, executed it as poorly as they possibly could have, and still managed to outsell a game that is held widely by hardcore gamers to be the holy grail of video games. I don't know if H3 is really as good as people say it is. It has never made its way into my 360. However, I have played Wii Fit at my in laws' house and I would probably buy it before I'd buy Halo. It is the mindless, no skill needed, pick up and play strategy that has made the Wii as successful as it is, and for good reason.
There are a lot more people in this country that would have no idea how to move their camera and shoot at the same time. These people would never even try to play Halo or any other FPS for that matter. But (and here is the core brilliance of the Wii) anybody can wiggle a wiimote and act like its a tennis racket. The people who have no interest in playing skill required games eat this shit up because to them, it is fun. The same kind of fun you have when you pull off a ridiculous head shot on your best friend and then ball dip the sorry son of a bitch.
Ultimately you have to ask yourself one question... Do I really give a shit? Do I give a shit if Nintendo does well selling games like Wii Fit or Wii Sports? If you do then you are really wasting your time. They aren't going to stop and it isn't going to make the slightest difference in the production of future Halo games.
So you can either ignore it and let the common man have their fun, or you can bitch and cry about it like a winy fanboy. Either way it won't stop, and, in my opinion, it is blogs like this that diminish the credibility of a professional writer.
but alas that will never happen, and I get to writhe in hatred, crying for the Nintendo fan I used to be.
I'm not a Wii Fit fan, but there's plenty on the Wii to keep me happy. Right now it's MadWorld.
And another thing please remove that Marble saga background because it's raping my browser.
That's a hint, by the way.
@ Everyone else- THIS JUST IN! Early reports state that Halo 4 will use the new Microsoft Eye-Balance-Toy-Board (EyeBaToBo for short), and will require you to do all your virtual teabaging via full body motion controls.
Wii Fit has ruined gaming permanently!
Forever!
Wow, I was hoping for a serious, well thought and intelligent response to fuel debate. Apparently this is the extent of your skill as a journalist. Good day sir and enjoy your teabagging.
And before we get into this "Nintendo doesn't care about us anymore" shtick again... what about Mario Galaxy? Or Metroid Prime 3? Smash Bros. Brawl? Mario Kart? On top of that, Punch-Out's coming out soon, and there's a new Pikmin along the way. You think half of these people who bought Wii Fit can even spell Pikmin? Seriously, guys.
I understand that the Wii owns your life, I really do. But I thought that at the very base that you were a gamer. A gamer before a fanboy. Yet, here you are, gleefully trumpeting the fact that Nintendo's non-game has outsold a real video game (not that I have a ton of love for Halo 3).
I'm actually with you when it comes to Twilight Princess. I'm with you on Mario Galaxy and Tatsunoku Vs. Capcom. I even liked House of the Dead: Overkill more than you. Hell, I even agreed with your review of Animal Crossing and am willing to give Dead Rising a chance. Because I am a gamer. And these are all games.
If you haven't noticed, we are all gamers here. Gamers before fanboys. And a great game on any system is enough to make any of us happy. But this isn't a real game. This is a sad event for gamers even if the sarcasm was turned off. We don't need the publishers of the world continuing to believe that their time is best spent on mini-game collections (even those with balance boards and daily fitness regimens), and not on the epic games that we are so very in love with.
I love ya, Jon, but this sometimes does go a little bit far.
Take my hand. Join us. I want to show you the universe of gaming that exists beyond the Wii. Don't worry. You're not leaving it behind. Look, it's right there behind you. See, some all the people moving between the systems? They can always show you the way back when you get lost. We can all be gamers together without the denominational splits. You could ultimately be a leader that can aid in bringing us gamers together instead of someone that helps to keep us apart. I believe in your power, Jon. Join us.