Email: Motion Plus

Where was the push for Motion Plus this E3? Nintendo’s been trying to get Motion Plus into as many homes as possible, with the colored Wiimote M+ bundles and the Wii Sports Resort system bundles, but they’re not following up with any software. We aren’t even getting Zelda SS this year. Why are they dropping Motion Plus like a rock?

How Nintendo’s development works is that the handheld and home console have a space of two to three years when they are launched. Once a new Nintendo system is launched, it is Nintendo’s priority to make sure they are putting out first party software in order to drive the install base. Then, they let third party companies take over and let the Nintendo second party companies continue on that system while Nintendo’s developer muscle focuses on the next launched system.

All of Nintendo’s developer muscle is going to the 3DS right now. Outside of Zelda, we will not see any more major Nintendo support for the Wii. It is all 3DS right now. When Wii launched, it was all Wii software while Nintendo let DS momentum continue by third parties (and the DS Zeldas).

So you can see why I was upset by ‘Wii Music’ of 2008 and ‘Mario Galaxy 2’ and ‘Other m’ of 2009. That’s it. That is all the major first party Wii software we are going to get aside from Zelda. Nintendo didn’t seem to understand that motion controlled gaming was the reason why people were buying their system and for future motion controlled software. With ‘Wii Music’, Nintendo said, “We are not interested in creating compelling content.” With Mario Galaxy 2 and Other M, not only did they not really use motion controls or were about the values of the Wii, they made a sequel to 3d Mario (which was already on the Wii) and to Metroid (already on the Wii). The Wii did not need more 3d Mario and Metroid. This is why you do not see any momentum increase with Mario Galaxy 2 being released.

Mario 5, of course, was a different story altogether. That type of game hasn’t been represented on a Nintendo console in 18 years and has never been represented on a Microsoft or Sony console. An explosion of momentum resulted when the game came out.

E3 2011 will be 3DS centric. No doubt about it.

However, this is a most unusual generation. It takes around two years for software to hatch. Nintendo only knew consumers wanted Motion Plus back in fall 2009. So if any motion plus software was started then, we would see it ‘hatching’ at E3 2011.

Nintendo’s hardware cycle depends on Sony’s actions. If Sony makes a new home console, Nintendo will be putting out a new console pronto. But Sony appears determined to drag out their PS3 which means Wii will likely have a longer life than the usual console.