The console that was sold more than double compared to its 2 next rivals (Sony’s PSP 3 and XBox 360 from Microsoft) is back. This time not with an upgrade, but with a flurry of PR declarations.
The San Bernardino (California) seniors used this week Wii for their physical activities in simulated box fights. Yes, it is the same old Wii trick which we at doitinvest.com like so much – the famous control-movement sensor which allows you to transmit your physical movements on the screen. And in a nice PR move, Nintendo used this to boost its image. This time, it was showing that the Nintendo Wii console can be used not only for physical activities, but also for fighting against aging diseases.
U.S. retailers have sold 15.4 million Wii players since the console was introduced in 2006. The 8 million purchased between the January and November months of 2008 exceeded the combined total for Microsoft’s Xbox 360 and Sony’s PlayStation 3. And to make it much sweeter, four of the top 10 games in November were for the Wii, Port Washington, New York-based NPD said.
Researcher’s at the California Mayo Clinic strongly endorsed the Wii console, showing that the usage of the movement-oriented video games stimulates the blood circulation and can reduce obesity to children, a big concern now in the US. Although the statement looks a little bit obvious for Wii, it shows that actually it is the first time in the video games’ history when a console is deemed to be good for your health.
Despite this avalanche of PR, Nintendo’s shares failed to increase further. It is not only because of the financial crisis. A recent survey shows that, although Wii is the best family-oriented console, it still ranks far behind the Microsoft XBox 360 or the Sony’s PSP3 in terms of technological performance or number of available titles to play. And despite the appealing of Wii in front of those keen for physical activities, nothing is as fun as doing them in the fresh air (and not behind your big flat TV where you spent most of your evenings anyway). To make things slightly worse, Nintendo has no big new console in the pipeline, which will make the next generation of consoles from its rivals look much better in comparison. But, after all, who needs a better console when this old one does a good job?
Well, the future remains unclear for Nintendo’s shares. We at doitinvest.com are very keen to see what do they have on their sleeves…
Article originally published by doitinvest.com