MS: Wii Controllers Are Gimmicks
It’s not just Marky Mark who considers the Wii to be a bit of a novelty. Xbox VP (and former CEO of Nintendo Europe) David Gosen has slammed Wii for its gimmicky approach when it comes to controllers – notably Wii Fit’s balance board as being little more than a set of “digital bathroom scales”.
Asked about Microsoft’s concerns when it came to creating new peripherals, he praised Nintendo’s success with Wii, but warned they were treading a fine line.
“I think sometimes there is a thin line between gimmick and great gameplay. We’ve seen some research that says 60 per cent of people who bought a Wii Fit play it once and don’t play it again. So we have to get the balance right, because what we are doing is bringing new consumers into the market for the first time in their lives sometimes – and we have to treat them with respect.”
Oh yes, he just made a balance pun. He goes on to make the usual promises about Microsoft’s own efforts – “it’s going to be a truly game changing experience” darhling! – rounding off by claiming anything less revolutionary will end up unloved and collecting dust under the stairs.
So wait, why is he warning Nintendo they need to make more of their peripherals? After all, the sooner those gamers stow their Wii away the sooner they’ll be hungering for something a bit more hardcore. Like a 360, right?
Source: Develop
