Japanese media reports indicate Nintendo will launch a new version of the "Wii Fit" video game sometime this fall, in an attempt to help increase sluggish Wii console unit sales.
According to the Nikkei, Wii Fit Plus will include a new feature so gamers can compete against friends using the Internet. The game will also feature more accurate health measurements, so it can track a gamer's health a bit more accurately.
A new Mario video game will also be available at some point in 2009, though Nintendo hasn't publicly commented and details are very scarce. Both the Wii Fit Plus and new Mario games are expected to be announced during the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) this week from Los Angeles.
I'm usually hesitant when no sources are listed, but Nikkei is usually very reliable when it comes to leaked announcements and products.
Even though it isn't as powerful as the Microsoft Xbox 360 or Sony PlayStation 3 game consoles, the Wii's playability has helped it easily control the console market. However, Nintendo has struggled a couple of months due to a sluggish economy and a video game catalog that has left some gamers unimpressed.
The company will continue to work with game developers to try and develop new video games to keep Wii gamers interested. Currently, Xbox 360 and PS3 owners play games on their consoles for a longer duration than Wii gamers, especially because of a lack of Wii games at the moment.
