The image above just about sums up the content presented from EA to the Nintendo portion of the game market. Yes, Grand Slam Tennis was there, but shouldn’t the “Charm Girls Collection” be shown a bit more privately to investors?

I fully expect our Infendo ninjas at E3 to get some hands-on time with these titles. I know you readers are anticipating an article on Pajama Party for Wii!

Incredibly impressive numbers. I just wish they were, you know, “real” gamers so they counted.

Nintendo has a message for its third-party partners—there’s still plenty of room in the Mushroom Kingdom.

Speaking Tuesday with the Wall Street Journal, Nintendo of America president Reggie-Fils Aime said he hopes to increase the percentage of Wii games published by third-party companies by 15 percent.

Fils-Aime’s goal would raise the third-party Wii share from 55 to 70 percent, roughly the same as the split for the Nintendo DS.

In addition to improving publisher relations, increasing the third-party presence on Wii would also strengthen the diversity of games available, a cyclical benefit Fils-Aime says helps sell Wii hardware.

“In order to achieve high levels of sales of hardware, we need all genres in the market,” Fils-Aime told the Wall Steet Journal.

(more…)

Boom Blox Bash Party is available now for $49.99 on Wii.

Nintendo’s first attempt at ushering in a new world of motion-controlled gaming was spearheaded by a sports title, Wii Sports, so I suppose it’s only fitting that round two, MotionPlus, will receive similar treatment. Funny thing is, it’s not going to be Nintendo that’s pushing the new peripheral into people’s homes. At least, not at first.

Instead, the mantle has fallen on EA, as we’ve detailed already with Tiger Woods 10. More recently, as in today, EA was again spreading the word about MotionPlus, this time in regard to Grand Slam Tennis.

“Wii MotionPlus is something that will appeal to the masses because it is innovative technology that takes the Wii experience to new heights. People don’t need to know how to play video games,” said Grand Slam producer Thomas Singleton. “They just need to know how to perform real-life sports motions to enjoy the Grand Slam Tennis experience.”

Let’s be cautious though, as EA (and Nintendo) have a lot invested in this little piece of white plastic. They want (Nintendo) and need (EA) for this tech to succeed. The previews look sharp, however, and we’ll know for sure this June. And with Wii Sports Resort set to drop in July, this could very well be Nintendo (and EA’s) summer to lose.

EA confirmed today that Tiger Woods PGA 10 will be bundled with MotionPlus. Other territories outside North America will get similar treatment, as well as the tennis title.

Fun fact: When you’re right about things as often as we are here at Infendo, it hurts a little right in the middle of your chest. But in a good way.

David: Wii MotionPlus = $20? Yeesh.

Jack: When people actually use it, that’s going to become a sweet spot price point.
My prediction anyway

David: Yeah, but is it just another zapper? An afterthought for devs? Games won’t ever require the damn thing.

Jack: All i can say is it will be different this time. And that Nintendo might counter that trend by having publishers include it with games as a bundle. Voila, problem solved.

Big mystery now is the price point. Make it $60, EA, and profit.

UPDATE: Our friends at Gizmodo have GameStop confirming the $60 price point.

When 1UP asked Tim Schafer if Brutal Legends would be released on the Wii, he was quoted as saying “We are making an Xbox 360 and a PS3 version of Brutal Legend”. Which is interesting because he never once said that the game was not being made for the Wii.

However, according to Variety’s gaming blog The Cut Scene, which is quoted below, they say EA is planning to release Brutal Legends on the Wii but don’t know who is going to developing it.

I don’t know when “Brutal Legend” for Wii will be released, but I’d be surprised if it’s this fall along with PS3 and 360, given that I understand development started fairly recently… (more…)

“You can’t ignore the guy who has half the market,” said Peter Moore, head honcho at EA Sports.

I love playing golf, but for some sad reason I can’t wait to stay inside this summer and play fake golf with the 1:1 motion controls found in Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10. Did I mention that was sad yet? Just a few more months to go…

My prediction that Wii Motion Plus’s “delay” had something to do with third parties was bolstered today by a rumor regarding EA. Apparently, the publisher is planning to bundle its upcoming Grand Slam Tennis title with MotionPlus for a respectable $60. That’s only $10 more than what the title would go for by itself.

To further expand on my prediction, I’ll say today that Nintendo may be working behind the scenes to bundle MotionPlus with other publisher’s upcoming titles. MotionPlus is arguably one of the more important pieces of Nintendo’s current disruption startegy, as it provides true 1:1 motion controls. That Nintendo has a history of not working closely with third parties regarding its first party accessories is irrelevant. Before Wii, it also had a history of not using motion controls and IR pointers, and yet here we are.

Hence, my prediction. However, on the other hand this could also be clever cover for Nintendo. By “allowing” third parties to bundle the device, this could be the perfect smokescreen for a real Wii Sports Resort delay to later in 2009. I hope, at least for that last part, I’m wrong.