News: Step 1: Design exercise game for Wii.
Step 2: ?????? Step 3: Profit!
Exercise games can officially be called a bestselling genre now as Electronic Arts has announced that EA Sports Active for the Wii has sold 600,000 copies worldwide since its May 19 release.
On the strength of these numbers, EA has wasted no time in announcing an EA Sports Active Expansion will be released on the Wii by the end of the year. The expansion will add upper and lower body exercises along with 30 new activities:
New to the EA Sports Active expansion pack will be an emphasis on core exercises including curl ups, crunch & punches, and a warm up/cool down feature. Sports activities will include step aerobics, an obstacle course, squash and water skiing, while a new emphasis on combinations will populate the upper and lower body exercises. An all-new presentation will bring users to the tropics and will immerse them in warm weather activities in a picturesque setting. The product will also feature the Six-Week Challenge Ц another step in the journey towards better health and fitness with new daily workouts that ramp up in intensity each week. This personalized full body challenge will give users a new customizable weekly schedule and a weekly check-in with the virtual trainer to track calorie, weight and workout goals.
УWe're delighted by the overwhelming response to EA Sports Active,Ф said Peter Moore, President, EA Sports. УThis is, by far, the most successful launch of any Wii title in EA history, and even more encouraging is that our second week sales worldwide were as strong as our first week. Not only are we off to a great start at retail, but the feedback from people who are getting off the couch, breaking a sweat and using EA Sports Active to support living a healthier lifestyle, is that it is changing their lives.Ф
With sales like this, you know EA was paying attention when Microsoft revealed Project Natal today.
We'll have more soon.