News19,135 Articles

November 13, 2008

EA Sports Active Wii Fit killer

Electronic Arts goes after huge Wii Fit market

Lexton Snol

Hoping to gymnastically leap onto the phenomenal success of Nintendo's Wii Fit game system, Electronic Arts is to launch its own EA Sports Active game next year. Wii Fit is widely expected to be the biggest game of 2008.

EA claims that Sports Active will be a more extreme and rigorous workout than Wii Fit's jovial jogging and ski jumping activities. It is calling it a "customizable and personalized fitness product", with "a new level of motivation" with on-screen, real-time feedback on your workout such as calories burned, while also allowing the player to adjust intensity levels.

EA promises a wide variety of interactive activities "combined into a circuit that target both the upper and lower body as well as cardio". It supports two players to allow family or friends to get fit together.

EA Sports Active game

EA Sports Active includes two specially designed leg straps that hold the Wii's Nunchuk controller to track lower body movements, as well as a resistance band to support a number of upper body strength training exercises.

It also features a "30 Day Challenge" - a fitness road map for players to reach their fitness goals with the guidance of a virtual trainer. The Challenge provides a new, 20-minute workout every time a player exercises, including "clear instruction, feedback on technique and positive encouragement throughout the workout".

Users can also create their own custom workouts that vary in activity, duration and intensity, and the Wii Balance Board will add functionality to many exercises.

Nintendo Wii Fit review

According to the NPD Group, GfK Chart-Track, and Enterbrain, Nintendo's Wii Fit has sold 1.433 million units in the US, 624,000 in the UK, and 1.547 million in Japan, for a total of 3.604 million units as of August 1, 2008. As of September 30, 2008, Nintendo has sold 8.76 million copies of Wii Fit worldwide.

Announced today EA Sports Active is a 'customizable and personalized fitness product' endorsed by fitness experts, including Bob Greene (apparently Oprah's personal trainer). It's a more serious challenge, providing a structured workout that targets different parts of the body, as well as a 30-day fitness roadmap so you can accurately measure your progress.

7 great ways technology can help you keep fit

Huge demand causes Nintendo Wii Fit shortage

<<newer story | back to index | older story>>

What is this?

Subscribe to PC Advisor now and claim your FREE gift

Keep up to date by adding PC Advisor News to your iGoogle home page or Google Reader


Question of the day!

Does your smartphone replace your need for a laptop when on the move?

Question of the day!

Does your smartphone replace your need for a laptop when on the move?

% of PC Advisor readers agree with you

Yes
TBC
No
TBC

Which parts of the desktop PC/laptop experience can't you get on your smartphone?

119 characters remaining

Follow the conversation at @SmartphoneFocus

web browsing, search facilities, voip, email, word processing everything RT @Graham_D_C

Mainly email but getting better at spreadsheets etc, RT @IDGdan
Google


Recent reviews

Reviews index


Latest reader comments

Latest reader comments


Top news

News index


Latest blog entries

Blogs index


 Our RSS feeds

Sponsored Content

  • Take the internet to new places with the Nokia N800
    Communicate how you want to, where you want to with instant messaging, email and internet calling. View movies, browse the internet wirelessly and watch TV on the high-resolution screen and listen through high-quality stereo speakers with headphone jack.
    Buy now