Nintendo Readies Wii Fit Plus To Follow Wii Price Cut

On Oct. 4, Nintendo will launch Wii Fit Plus, a follow-up to the Wii Fit exercise game, for $99.99. It will be bundled with the Wii Balance Board accessory. Owners of the earlier version of the game will be able to upgrade for $19.99.

Video game sales have slumped since March of this year. Nintendo is the latest to reduce the pricing of its gaming system; both Microsoft's Xbox 360 Elite and Sony's PlayStation 3 saw recent price drops of $100. But the makers have not yet moved to lower prices of games to increase sales.

Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime told USA Today that value is more than just price point. "It's the overall benefit you get for what you pay and certainly we believe that the Wii, which includes Wii Sports at $199, is a tremendous value," he said.

More than 21 million Wiis have been sold in the U.S.; the popular game console has mass appeal because it attracts many demographics. Its interactive remote makes it uniquely able to actively engage gamers more than other systems. The company hopes the drop in price will attract more consumers who may not currently be gamers.

"Wii has reached more video-game players than any game system before because it attracts everyone -- both men and women, and people of all ages," said Cammie Dunaway, Nintendo of America's executive vice president of sales and marketing, in a statement. "Our research shows there are 50 million Americans thinking about becoming gamers, and this more affordable price point and our vast array of new software mean many of them can now make the leap and find experiences that appeal to them, whatever their tastes or level of gaming experience."

Reports note that sales of the PlayStation 3 video game console jumped 300 percent in the weeks after last month's $100 price cut, so the Wii -- which is now at the same price as the Xbox Elite -- is likely to see sales soar, particularly with the availability of the New Super Mario Brothers gamecoming Nov. 15.