The consumer reach of Wii Fit has gone well beyond the typical video player with over 8 million units sold since its launch last year.

Wii Fit Plus, released in October 2009, outsold its predecessor in its first month of release.

The interactive nature of these games and use of a motion-controller and balance board has attracted masses of users who don’t normally play video games.

Several publishers are working to catch up this holiday season in hopes of attracting similar consumers. The biggest competitor to Wii Fit is EA Sports Active launched earlier this year starring “The Best Life Diet” author and Oprah Winfrey personal trainer Bob Greene. The workout simulator comes with a resistance band and leg strap, which work in tandem with the motion-controller to track players’ movements.

With Nintendo rivals Micosoft and Sony slated to launch their own motion-controllers for their respective Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 consoles next year, the exergame genre may have only begun to hit its stride.

[Source: MSNBC]

Also See

• EA Sports Active | Cardio Exercise, Resistance Training & Fun Fitness for the Nintendo Wii
• Fitness News: Electronic Arts Looks to Conquer Fitness Market with EA Sports Active for Wii Fit
• Fitness News: Nintendo “Wii Fit Plus” Coming Soon | Original Ships Over 15 Million Since Launch
• Fitness News: More Than a Fitness Fad | Exercise-Themes Games increase in Popularity
• EA Sports Active 2 Review | For Nintendo Wii, Playstation 3 and Xbox 360