At this year s E3, Nintendo showed off the Wii Vitality Sensor, a pulse-detecting Wii peripheral that fits snugly onto your finger. The peripheral was met with some laughter and derision, but remember when the Wii Balance Board (with Wii Fit) was met with the same sort of apathy?
Fast forward by several million $90 Wii Fit units sold, and no one should doubt Nintendo again.
Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata held a brief Q&A at a recent Nintendo investors conference, and he knew he had to start the marketing of the Wii Vitality Sensor early, lest it stay a joke.
From Nintendo:
[Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata:] What we are trying to propose first is a video game with a theme of relaxation, which is completely opposite from traditional ones, to enrich the users’ lives. Especially among those who are constantly busy, I am sure you have experienced not being able to go to bed even when you are so tired after a busy day at work and coming home late at night… What if you were able to visualize how to unwind and relax, or check the condition of your automatic nerve by simply inserting your finger in the device once a day
Iwata also discussed the Wii Vitality Sensor in direct context of the Wii Fit.
Before Wii Fit launched, everyone doubted how well it could sell. As for Wii Vitality Sensor, I think it will face similar doubts as to whether such a product will sell well in the video game market. Of course no one can tell how people respond to it before the launch. We understand everyone wants to enjoy a vibrant lifestyle, so I believe if the product could support that desire, it would make a large impact in society.
Lastly, if you’ve grown tired of nifty (re: fad) Wii peripherals, prepare yourself for more.
We are hoping to make one such proposals a year, or every two years at best, to try and realize what no one has ever done before.
The hurdle will be in how to market these things, but Nintendo has shown strength in marketing outside their normal audience with Wii Fit, Brain Age and the Personal Trainer series of cooking and knowledge games.
