British Snap Up Nintendo's Wii Fit Video Game

Frederick Lane, newsfactor.com Tue Apr 29, 5:32 PM ET

For a nation perhaps better known for a fitness regimen of darts and a pint, the news from Elspa Ltd.'s Chart-Track was particularly startling. The data-compilation service, which among other things tallies the sale of software titles, announced that last week Nintendo's Wii Fit was the top-selling title in the United Kingdom. The company's Mario Kart Wii dropped to the number-two position.

Chart-Track said Wii Fit had the sixth-fastest-selling launch of any software title, recording more than $32 million in sales in its first seven days. Approximately one in 10 Wii owners in the United Kingdom purchased Wii Fit, the company said. Only games from the industry's major franchises -- Gran Turismo, Grand Theft Auto and Halo -- did better than Wii Fit in their opening weeks.

Cost Does Not Dampen Sales

The strong debut by Wii Fit was considered all the more remarkable because of the higher cost for the title. The software is bundled with a proprietary balance board used in game activities, including step aerobics, jogging and even yoga. The board can measure a player's weight, center of gravity, and body-mass index, and a suggestion has been made that it could enable medical professionals to remotely assist patients with rehabilitation activities.

Together, the Wii Fit software and balance board retail for �70 (US$138) in England. A similar package is scheduled to debut in the U.S. on May 19 for $89.99. That is much more expensive than the general version of Grand Theft Auto IV, which retails for $59.99, but Take-Two also offers a "special edition" that costs $89.99.

Anita Frazier, an analyst for NPD, said of the Wii Fit, "I think it will be successful in the U.S. The buzz is certainly building for the game and since our consumer demographic information does show that there are nontraditional gaming consumers purchasing the Wii, Wii Fit is a good title to address that consumer base along with the more traditional gaming consumer."

A Good Year for Nintendo

The success of Wii Fit in the UK and its upcoming release in the U.S., where sales of the Wii console have been particularly strong, will only add to what has been a terrific year for Nintendo.

Just a week ago, for instance, Nintendo's Mario Kart Wii racked up the eighth-fastest launch in UK history. That same week, Nintendo announced that net sales for the year ending March 31 were up 73 percent over the previous year, and the company's net income of $2.5 billion was a 47 percent increase over its 2007 revenues.

The news marks a strong turnaround from just a few months ago, when Nintendo was struggling to produce enough Wii consoles to meet demand over the holiday season. But those problems appear to be resolved. Nintendo says it has sold more than 18 million Wiis so far, and expects to move another 25 million by next March.

Already, 26 software titles for the Wii have sold more than a million copies, a total that Nintendo clearly expects to increase.