How Did the Wii Deliver?

[Brett H.]

We all saw the advertisements and went nuts over them, but three years later, what are your thoughts on how the Wii panned out?

First and foremost, personally, I am satisfied with what the Wii has given us all things considered. I don't think it delivered what I expected when I first started seeing videos and mature action oriented things like Red Steel that looked so fucking cool that turned out to be just decent. But, seeing how things played out with the games the consumers bought and whatnot, I still think it delivered for me. I love Nintendo first party games and I think a lot of people's disliking for the Wii comes from the fact that they don't and they're too busy pwning n00bs at Halo 3. That's cool, but to really get the Wii, I think you have to look at it from the perspective of a Nintendo fan. If you're buying your console merely for exclusives and you like Halo or God of War, you're just not going to love the Wii as much as someone else who enjoys Zelda and Mario.

I have about 30 Wii games, which is half of the 360 games I own. Of course, some 360 games I have are available on the Wii while only a few of my Wii games can be had on the 360. The main reason I don't have as many Wii games is they simply don't go down in price as much as the 360 stuff. I get 360 games used for 10 or 15 bucks. I can't get any half decent Wii games for that. The games for the Wii would be different from the standard 360 game I buy, but I don't think that makes them any less appealing.

[Scarecrow]

I love it. It COULD have more action based games, the Resident Evil 4 Wii Edition shows what cna be done and that's amazing. But the shooters are greta fun and Sonic and the Secret Rings is one of tghe best modern Sonic games, and the follow-up is pretty decent as well. Raving Rabbids is insane party fun as a series andthere's still plenty of variety.


- Scarecrow

[The Taff]

Quite frankly, the Wii delivered poorly.

Hardware sales have been through the fucking roof and then some for the console. But a console selling well is not necessarily an instant victory. Software sales need to be compared as well. Software wise, the Wii utterly fucking blows. The big first party titles from Nintendo have been great, as they almost always are. Metroid Prime 3, Super Mario Galaxy, Mario Kart Wii were all great. But the release of big first party titles from Nintendo are few and far inbetween fro the most part. There are plenty Mario Sports type shovelware out there, and Wii Music was abysmal, so it isn't all sunshine and fairy dust coming from Nintendo

Third party titles blow on the Wii. There are a handful of nice original titles (Resident Evil 4 was a rerelease) on the console, and to add insult to injury almost all of them sold horribly. If you compare all three current generation console game scores, the Wii has such an over abundance of shitty games it nausea inducing. What's worse are all the ports for multiplatform games that are almost always universally vile in their execution.

Hardware wise, the thing is quite literally the Gamecube. It lacks graphical and processing punch many developers both would love and some fully need. This, combined with horrible sales, as has resulted in almost every fucking third party developer taking a punch to the scrotum in their fiscals for all the Wii games they are making. Nintendo is the ONLY company making any money off the fucking console.

The controller, while I thought was innovative and opened up a realm of possibilities in games, ultimate turned into a waggle gimmick. Creative and intuitive control schemes all devolved into waving your wrist around like there's a tarantula crawling up your arm. The thought was great, but the execution was fucking stupid.

The company itself has obviously said "fuck it" to appealing to gamers and has found their primary audience with a niche market who is buying the console as a fad. I'm sure they'll make a lot of money off of it, but it will ultimately bite them fucking hard in the ass when that crowd moves on to something else. Gamers are where your staying profit lay, and when you alienate your core audience with all this piss poor third party support and shovelware, you're going to be in a very bad way in the long run. I think that will happen soon, as well. Console sales in North America are down 11% for the Wii, and software sales have been suffering for the past year.

Ultimately, I give the console a D+. The thing had so much potential to be the next big thing in games, and Nintendo went the shitty/lazy route with it. As far as I'm concerned, this is Sony and Microsoft's game now. Nintendo is shaping up to be a has been company in the industry.

[Uncle Hoody]

My mother didn't touch a video game from the point 2 weeks after we bought the original NES in 1988 or 89 up until we bought the Wii.

She loves the wii.

For a system to get someone as technologically awkward as my mother to get involved, it had delivered in my book.

Plus my girlfriend had NEVER played video games before and loves playing the wii. It's made video games fun for a crowd. Wii's are more in common areas or living rooms, and not stuffed in someone's bedroom.

[Scarecrow]

Gamers aren't a main audience, at least by certain definitions of a gamer. Hardcore gamers are NOT common, amnd certainly aren't numbering enough to make millions. The mainstream is wherre money is. The Wii has gone for that. To suggest normal families worldwide are a "niche" market to the "core" market of gamers is a made reversal of logic that, sadly, games culture seems not to realise.

It';s like saying a Friday the 13th film can be a HUGE success based just off the fans. It can't. Nothing can. Most money comes from the normal people, and younger people, the next generation, some of whom will become new gamers. But the Wii has gone for a mass market, brining computer games to the widest audience possible.


- Scarecrow

[Kat]

Wii = Great Party Game

That sums up my feeling on it. I'd rather have my 360 or PS3 for solo or on-line play... but if I want to have a crowd of people and play game, the Wii is pretty fun.

[The Taff]

Gamers aren't a main audience, at least by certain definitions of a gamer. Hardcore gamers are NOT common, amnd certainly aren't numbering enough to make millions. The mainstream is wherre money is. The Wii has gone for that. To suggest normal families worldwide are a "niche" market to the "core" market of gamers is a made reversal of logic that, sadly, games culture seems not to realise.

It';s like saying a Friday the 13th film can be a HUGE success based just off the fans. It can't. Nothing can. Most money comes from the normal people, and younger people, the next generation, some of whom will become new gamers. But the Wii has gone for a mass market, brining computer games to the widest audience possible.


- Scarecrow

At the cost of quality. "Bringing it to the widest audience possible" isn't what the Wii has done, software sales are a testiment to that. As I said, Nintendo is the only people making any money off of the Wii. Third party titles for the thing sell horribly, publishers and developers are losing money left and right. Software sales and reviews like this continue, third parties will wisely drop the Wii as there's no profit in the console for anyone but the big N.

Yes, the normal families of the world are a niche in the video game market. They buy a Wii because it's in and they bring it out to play Wii bowling now and then. i'm not pulling this perspective out of my ass, I watch software and console sales. In North America, Nintendo sells the most consoles, followed by Microsoft then Sony. Software sales, however, are drasticly different. Microsoft's console sells far more games, followed closely by Sony and then Nintendo laggin far behind. Quality of games is low as well. Sony actually has the largest library of well reviewed games, followed by Microsoft and, once again, the Wii's well reviewed games are few and far inbetween.

It's bleedingly fucking obvious that Microsoft and Sony are doing far better from the statistics. Software sales represent staying power far better than console sales, and Microsoft and Sony are kicking Nintendo's ass in this regard. They have better quality games and are selling far more of them. Software sales are far more important than console sales.

Making gaming more accesible to the general public is all well and good, but Nintendo has gone about this model in the worst way.

[SlasherFreak]

I got one not too long ago...so far I like the PS3 better. But then again I played way more games on the PS3 than the Wii. These type of controls aren't my thing.

It's pretty cool though

[Scarecrow]

Whether they have or haven't is a matter for debate. But even the big consoles do not make most of their money on hardcore gamers. Unless everyone wo has a console is a gamer. The "mainstream" is pretty much the majority. Even if the console is owned by a 12 year old kid rather than the whole family, he's still part of the mainstream. The mainstream are the ones that make gamnes that get abd reviews still sell hugely well at times. The idea that the mainstream is "mums and dads" or something it a false starting premise.

the Wii, if anything, just takes more of the mainstream into account. It opens up the market to a wider audience. And the point is, its an entertainment console and it entertains a lot of people.

- Scarecrow

[TheShowstoppa]

I have to agree that it's nothing more than a great party favor. The Wii has no memorable games, and the hardcore gamers that like substance in their gaming will choose a PS3 or 360 over the Wii because the graphics are much better and the gameplay isn't so highly skewy.

That's not to say I don't like the Wii. I do. I wish I had one when I threw keggers or just had people over period.

Other than that, I wouldn't play it as much as I would my 360. Gears of War 2, Modern Warfare 2, Rock Band, Madden 10, etc... They all trump anything by the Wii... Including the new Super Mario Bros.

[The Taff]

Whether they have or haven't is a matter for debate. But even the big consoles do not make most of their money on hardcore gamers. Unless everyone wo has a console is a gamer. The "mainstream" is pretty much the majority. Even if the console is owned by a 12 year old kid rather than the whole family, he's still part of the mainstream. The mainstream are the ones that make gamnes that get abd reviews still sell hugely well at times. The idea that the mainstream is "mums and dads" or something it a false starting premise.

the Wii, if anything, just takes more of the mainstream into account. It opens up the market to a wider audience. And the point is, its an entertainment console and it entertains a lot of people.

- Scarecrow

You still don't understand what a Gamer is and you're assuming I'm saying that "t3h hardcorz gamerz" is where the market is. There are two groups in games. The core gaming audience and the casual gaming audience. Gamers are only a PART of the core audience, who play game recreationally for fun.

Gamers are the people who spend their time engrossed in the inner workings of the industry and game culture. It's their identity. Someone who plays games regularly or semi-regularly for fun are a part of the core audience, but they are not Gamers. The core audience is where the console providers make their money. The casual audience are "mah and pah" who bought a Wii as a fun thing to do when company is over. The Wii abandoned the core audience completely and made a low budget party favor, and this reflects in software sales. Microsoft and Sony embraced the core audience and are making steps to appeal to the casual audience on top of this.

A console completely defines itself by the software it provides. If it has quality software, it's doing well. if it doesn't sell software, it's doing poorly. The Wii is doing extremely poorly on software. While the console itself practically flies off the shelf, the games collect dust right next to it. Sony and Microsoft are doing a great job keeping the core gaming audience happy. Meanwhile, they both are luring in the casual audience with things like Blu-Ray, Facebook and Twitter Access, movie rentals and Netflix compatability. And now they're coming out with their own motion controllers, with the Natal from Microsoft and the Sony motion controller (Have they named that thing yet? I havn't checked.)

The Wii has no legs to stand on at this point. Once those two peices of hardware drop, the Wii has to stand on it's software, of which is paltry in terms of quality. Sony and Microsoft have done amazing jobs at padding their library, and they have a wide array of games to offer. I've seen it every console generation. Software ultimately makes or breaks a console, and Nintendo are repeating the mistakes they made with the Gamecube all over again.

Sony made the opposite mistake at launch. They tried to appeal almost exclusively to Gamers with a $600 luxury console. It didn't sell well, had a paltry amount of games, and was hard for developers to make games for due to its experimental format. Unlike Nintendo, Sony have turned themselves around and now have a great library, 3rd party support and have lowered the price of their console to a far more reasonable price.

One thing Nintendo does do well, however, is the handheld market. Nintendo has been the sole overlord of the handheld market since the Gameboy. They know the nuances of handhelds better than any other company, and it's going to be a long time before someone legitimately threatens that mantle. It's a shame Nintendo didn't understand the evolution of video game consoles.

I've been playing games since I seven years of age and I've been a full blown gamer since I was thirteen. I've watched intently how this industry works and what makes or breaks a gaming platform in the market. I've seen what sells, what is quality, and I know when a company is trying some slight of hand bullshit.

[The Dream Master]

I've enjoyed the Wii, though I've gotta admit I haven't played it nearly as much as I should. I"m quite behind on this generation, despite the fact that I bought each console on launch day. I played the 360 like mad during the first year of its release, but the PS3 and the Wii just came out at bad times for me personally, and I haven't had much time to play them.

[Monkey]

Wii = Great Party Game

That sums up my feeling on it. I'd rather have my 360 or PS3 for solo or on-line play... but if I want to have a crowd of people and play game, the Wii is pretty fun.

Agreed. I've had crowds of people at my house playing it for the tennis, bowling, etc.

It seems more of a novelty, though. The only game I have that's worth much is Zelda. The rest of the games are forgettable. I enjoyed Wii Fit for awhile, but it's not much of a substitute for a viable workout regiment.

I picked up Metal Slug Anthology and the NEO-GEO compilation. Because of the strange controller setup, I haven't been able to play them much. The only game I'm remotely interested in playing is Super Mario Galaxy. I might try some of the Wii's exclusive RE titles, though.

I do enjoy the motion activated controls to a point. If they could bring out a system utilizing the controls, have next-gen power, AND craft a decent controller for traditional gaming (something), we would have an ultimate console.

Now that the novelty is wearing off, I expect Wii sales to become stagnant.
I suspect the 360 will eventually eclipse the Wii in total sales.

[zach82]

I agree with that one. Wii is good eye candy/party gaming, but there's not a whole lot of titles that interest me. Despite the fact that it's the least expensive console at this point, there's just not enough games on it that I'm interested in to make it worth the buy. I think I can count the number of games I want for Wii on one hand actually.

I'd much rather drop an extra 50-75 bucks and get the 360, which has a much, much better library. Hoping at tax time I'll have enough of a return to be able to finally afford one.

[Scarecrow]

The only game I'm remotely interested in playing is Super Mario Galaxy. I might try some of the Wii's exclusive RE titles, though.


Mario Galaxy is superb fun.

The Resident Evil games are cool if you like rail shooters, and are a fan of the series. Narrative wise they fill in all the gaps, answer a lot of questions and let the player finally takje down Umbrella themselves. There's a lot to unlock also and I think a genuine challenge in trying to hit the highest ranks.


- Scarecrow

[Monkey]

Mario Galaxy is superb fun.

The Resident Evil games are cool if you like rail shooters, and are a fan of the series. Narrative wise they fill in all the gaps, answer a lot of questions and let the player finally takje down Umbrella themselves. There's a lot to unlock also and I think a genuine challenge in trying to hit the highest ranks.


- Scarecrow
For the shooters, can you just use your regular 'wii-mote'... i.e., point and click to fire?
I've seen them make 'gun-attachments' for it. If I can get umbrella chronicles on the cheap, I'll try it out. I do enjoy the series and I'm interested in how the games play out. I'd love to screw around in the old mansions or whatever. Sounds fun.

Other than that, though... I really don't see much out there to attract me to playing the Wii.
It just sits there. All alone. Collecting dust. I'm firing it up to play some Zelda, though.
I'll have loads of time on my hands. Spent playing the games I just never got around to.

[The Taff]

Monkey, here's a list of some of the third party titles that are worth a look. Click on the names ot see the cover art so you know what to look for:


Deadly Creatures (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e3/Deadly_Creatures.jpg): Interesting little game. You play as a scorpion and tarantula while interacting with two humans on a prospecting drama that involves betrayal and murder. The two humans are played by Billy Bob Thorten and Dennis Hopper. Gameplay looks really great and unique.

Dead Space: Extraction (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/50/Dead_Space_Extraction.jpg): If/When you play Dead Space, go check out this game. It's a prequel to the primary Dead Space line and is a light gun shooter containing all the unique elements that make Dead Space, Dead Space. It also maintains its great story telling.

House of the Dead: Overkill (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/f6/The_House_of_the_Dead_Overkill_USA.jpg): Another lightgun game like DS:E and Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles. This one embraces its tongue in cheek camp factor and makes for some serious good times.

MadWorld (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/43/MadWorld.jpg): A very stylized beat-em-up with a unique visual flare. You're part of a vicious blood sport and recieve points based on how stylishly you take out your enemies, with things in the environment being useful for murdering your foes.

No More Heroes (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/50/No_More_Heroes.png): How the hell do I describe this game other than it's pretty batshit crazy. It's an open world action game where you play as an anime fanatic who wins a laser sword in an auction and he goes out assassinating people for money so he can afford more video games.


All of these come with my endorsement. It's such a fucking shame that all of these games underperformed profit wise, as they are all really great games.

[The Dream Master]

I wanna play No More Heroes for sure. Boo told me about that shit a week or two back, it looks fun.

[Scarecrow]

For the shooters, can you just use your regular 'wii-mote'... i.e., point and click to fire?
I've seen them make 'gun-attachments' for it. If I can get umbrella chronicles on the cheap, I'll try it out. I do enjoy the series and I'm interested in how the games play out. I'd love to screw around in the old mansions or whatever. Sounds fun.



Of course. You also have the option of using the nunchuck or not, which ismy preference. The nunchuck allows you the slightest ehad movement to glance at things maybe off the edge of the screen and also has better button position, IMO, for the knife.

- Scarecrow

[Monkey]

Monkey, here's a list of some of the third party titles that are worth a look. Click on the names ot see the cover art so you know what to look for:


Deadly Creatures (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e3/Deadly_Creatures.jpg): Interesting little game. You play as a scorpion and tarantula while interacting with two humans on a prospecting drama that involves betrayal and murder. The two humans are played by Billy Bob Thorten and Dennis Hopper. Gameplay looks really great and unique.

Dead Space: Extraction (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/50/Dead_Space_Extraction.jpg): If/When you play Dead Space, go check out this game. It's a prequel to the primary Dead Space line and is a light gun shooter containing all the unique elements that make Dead Space, Dead Space. It also maintains its great story telling.

House of the Dead: Overkill (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/f6/The_House_of_the_Dead_Overkill_USA.jpg): Another lightgun game like DS:E and Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles. This one embraces its tongue in cheek camp factor and makes for some serious good times.

MadWorld (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/43/MadWorld.jpg): A very stylized beat-em-up with a unique visual flare. You're part of a vicious blood sport and recieve points based on how stylishly you take out your enemies, with things in the environment being useful for murdering your foes.

No More Heroes (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/50/No_More_Heroes.png): How the hell do I describe this game other than it's pretty batshit crazy. It's an open world action game where you play as an anime fanatic who wins a laser sword in an auction and he goes out assassinating people for money so he can afford more video games.


All of these come with my endorsement. It's such a fucking shame that all of these games underperformed profit wise, as they are all really great games.
After seeing all that, I feel like I've been living under a rock? Deadly Creatures sounds cool; I love house of the dead. I've heard raves about Dead Space, but I've never heard of mad world or no more heroes. I can't believe all of this is out there; I had no idea.

I have the nunchuck, too. I've got four of the wii-motes and four nunchucks (that never get used). All this crap lying around the house. I definitely want to try those games out; might have to get a membership at blockbuster... try before I buy.

Thanks for the info, guys.
:)

[SlasherFreak]

No More Heroes (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/50/No_More_Heroes.png): How the hell do I describe this game other than it's pretty batshit crazy. It's an open world action game where you play as an anime fanatic who wins a laser sword in an auction and he goes out assassinating people for money so he can afford more video games.
[/LIST]


:lmao:

I HAVE to check that shit out!

[FinalBeyond]

No More Heroes is reportedly coming to other consoles soon, albeit only announced for Japan so far.

[Jason's Storm]

Nintendo, has done, what it takes to be profitable. Appeal to the masses. Sony, and Mircosoft, tried to appeal to one group and look where they are now. Third and second, respectivly. In the past year and a half, I don't think any system has had a huge games. Sure there are a couple blips, but nothing just stand out. Part of it, I think is because of how the economy has been and people don't want to shell out for games, the way they use to. So then, game makers are playing it safe. The next big game for Wii, will be Super Mario Galaxy 2, and I'm going to try to get that. I have to admit though, that I haven't touched my Wii (dirty huh;)) in some time, but that's because I have a little something occupying my time.

~JS

[Ravenwood]

Nintendo was only #1 on Wii system sales alone. And even that was only because they made the system hard to get in the first few years of it's release. It was difficult to find, therefore customers figured it had to be good. Sales have been dropping dramatically though, since the system has become more accessible. I personally, and everyone who works with me at Gamestop, have noticed that our used Wii numbers have skyrocketed because of people realizing the Wii isn't thqat great and buying a 360 or PS3 instead. Granted, that might just be a personal observation, but still.

If install-base was the only thing neccesary for success, then PC gaming would be #1. (Which, according to the numbers, isn't anymore)

[The Taff]

Spoken like someone who doesn't understand the video game market.

Oh, and as for your claim that there have only been little blips in terms of games, 4.7 million units sold on the first day of Modern Warfare 2 isn't what I would call a "blip." Oh, and let's not forget Uncharted 2, Assassin's Creed 2, Left 4 Dead and it's sequel, Brutal Legend, Halo: ODST, Batman: Arkham Asylum, Resident Evil 5, Ghostbusters: The Video Game, inFAMOUS, [PROTOTYPE], X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Street Fighter IV, Gears of War 2, Fallout 3, Dead Space, Fable 2, Soul Calibre 4, Metal Gear Solid 4, and Mass Effect all sold extremely well in the past year and a half, out performing a ton most games on the Wii.

You say there havn't been any big releases, I say you havn't been paying attention to sales at all.

[zach82]

Yeah, it's pretty bad when your handheld system (DS) is outperforming your console in software sales.

[Brett H.]

Errr, heh... the DS has outsold the Wii, 360 and PS3 combined. I hope someone is buying games for it!

[The Taff]

Handhelds are their own market. Between Nintendo and Sony, the big N is rocking ther handheld market on both install base and software.

On the console market, not so much. They have a broad install base, but software sales are Dante's Ninth Circle low. Microsoft dominates software sales in North America, with Sony catching up.

[Brett H.]

Does anyone know a site that has an accurate database of games sales numbers? I always hear people talking about software sales, but all I've come across is NPD monthly figures.

[The Taff]

It's very hard to find a site with accurate side-by-side statistic between consoles, as there's a factor that always skews the data into Nintendo's favor. Almost every site, chart, etc. includes Wii Sports, a game that comes packaged with Nintendo's hardware and by default is the highest selling game of this console generation.

The other top selling games on the console are:


Wii Play (Which comes with a free controller)
Wii Fit (Once again, comes with a controller those might get for novelty)
Mario Kart (First party)
Wii Sports Resort (Again, new hardware included)
Super Smash Brothers Brawl (First Party)
Super Mario Galaxy (We seeing a pattern yet?)
Mario & Sonic, Olympics (3rd party game that features 1st party characters)
Mario Party 8 (1st Party)
New Super Mario Bros. Wii (A-fucking-gain, 1st Party)


In fact, the first 3rd party games on the list that have nothing to do with anything Nintendo are Guitar Hero/Rock Band games. Nintendo is the only people making solid return on the console, with third party publishers just taking it up the ass on the Wii, compared to the vibrant market they have on botht he 360 and PS3. It starts to devolve into party games, music games and light gun games. Those are all well and good, but the sales figures take a far sharper nose dive the furthar you go down the list compared to the Xbox 360 and PS3's list, with the 360 taking the lead in over all software sales.

[Brett H.]

Considering sales for bundled Kung Fu Panda, Forza 2, COD6, Indiana Jones, Pure, etc... all count, I don't see why the Wii Sports/Play/Fit shouldn't (especially Fit). Hell, they're even bundling Banjo Kazooie Nuts & Bolts and Viva Pinata with 360 controllers now and all those PS3 greatest hits games are available with a PS3 controller for $10 more than regular controller price. Wii Sports Resort proved the sales of the rest because the MotionPlus is $20 or so and the software bundle is $60. People are willing to pay big bucks for these games and they are getting used, whether people want to admit it or not.

The Wii's userbase is strikingly different than that of the 360's an it's no surprise that niche stuff like No More Heroes and MadWorld don't sell incredibly well. The thing is when NMH comes out for the 360, I don't predict it will make much of a wave at all either. It's the same reason Rayman sells like a mother on Wii but doesn't move shit on the 360.

I have no doubt big name third party releases sell much more on the 360 because anyone with more than one console is gonna buy the 360 COD 5 instead of the Wii's because of the better functionality. I don't think these companies throw in a huge amount of money in making Wii games, though. That's why a lot of the best graphics on the Wii have been from first party titles. I want to play Dead Space Extraction as much as the next guy, but they did go and make it a light gun shooter. In a million years, they'd have never done that shit on rails for the 360. Metroid Prime 3 proved first person could be done right on Wii... but nothing ever came of it.

[The Taff]

Considering sales for bundled Kung Fu Panda, Forza 2, COD6, Indiana Jones, Pure, etc... all count, I don't see why the Wii Sports/Play/Fit shouldn't (especially Fit). Hell, they're even bundling Banjo Kazooie Nuts & Bolts and Viva Pinata with 360 controllers now and all those PS3 greatest hits games are available with a PS3 controller for $10 more than regular controller price. Wii Sports Resort proved the sales of the rest because the MotionPlus is $20 or so and the software bundle is $60. People are willing to pay big bucks for these games and they are getting used, whether people want to admit it or not.

Problem with that line of thinking is those bundled games saw release independently from the console. Since launch day, Wii Sports has been permanently a part of the Wii and has never been sold independently from the console outside of a used game context.