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FITNESS GAMES
to get their children moving. What better way than to mix exercise with one their favourite hobbies? FITNESS PLAN
With the benefits for the consumers more than apparent and the charts proving demand is high for such titles, publishers have poured more resources into this new market (see Retail Workout). And Nintendo says there is no reason to move away from this genre any time soon. “Fitness products have become very popular and are of paramount importance to Nintendo,” says product manger Roger Langford. “We aim to offer our customers a range of fitness products designed to meet the needs of everyone and help you maintain a healthy lifestyle.” Likewise, some of the biggest thirdparty publishers are upping the ante to
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While Nintendo, Ubisoft and EA are relying on their own brands to make the most of this market, and essentially creating new household names in doing so, other publishers are using established ones to attract a wider audience. THQ, for example, has bagged the licence to popular fitness TV show The Biggest Loser, while Black Bean has joined forces with nationwide gym chain Fitness First. It’s a tactic that has worked wonders for the fitness DVD industry, which brings in actresses, singers and other celebrities to be the face of each year’s workout, and it’s likely to become a more regular occurrence as the market for fitness games develops. In fact, there are many trends from this industry that will translate to games retail. As with previous casual hits, fitness titles stand to sell well at any point of the year, free from the peaks and
With so many fitness titles set for release, expect the opening months of 2010 to be a lucrative time for retail.
establish themselves with fitness gamers. Electronic Arts has even introduced an entire division to its operations dedicated to this area. “We are very much committed to the virtual fitness segment and see the potential for continued growth,” explains Monique Gomel, director of marketing for EA Sports Active. “We have created a sub-brand to live under the EA Sports umbrella that is devoted to developing a line of virtual fitness products that fit the needs of our consumers.” Adds Ubisoft’s Wallon: “Fitness is an area of growth in the games marke. We have launched two fitness titles and have more coming for this year. Our focus is always on innovation and opportunities to widen the market, and fitness games are a part of this.”
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troughs felt by more hardcore games that tend to rely on the busier seasons, such as Q4. At the same time, My Fitness Coach (released in June) and EA Sports Active (which arrived just before summer’s bikini season) have proven that the best time to launch is when the public’s desire to get in shape is high. So the post-Christmas lull has the potential to become a key trading period for games retailers. January and February are usually devoid of strong sellers, but not only did My Fitness Coach make its successful debut during this time, but Wii Fit also saw a significant boost. With the wealth of self-improvement titles currently due for releases by the end of the year, expect the opening months of 2010 to be just as important to this market. As the season of plenty comes to an end, consumer interest in fitness products increases, be it DVDs, games or gym memberships. If publishers can raise awareness of these games’ effectiveness, value for money and convenience, fitness games could become as synonymous with our industry as first-person shooters.
RETAIL WORKOUT There are plenty of fitness games due for release by the end of the year, so retailers would be well advised to clear plenty of shelf space as the genre really starts to take off. ACTIVE HEALTH WITH CAROL VORDERMAN Format: DS Publisher: Nintendo The sequel to recent hit Walk With Me, this DS title not only helps users monitor their regular walking activity but also advises them on a healthy diet and exercise regime. NEWU FITNESS FIRST PERSONAL TRAINER Format: Wii Publisher: Black Bean Boasting the official licences of leading gym chain Fitness First and Channel 4’s You Are What You Eat, NewU guides Wii owners through a rigorous workout. MY PERSONAL GOLF TRAINER Format: Wii Publisher: Data Design Interactive A unique take on fitness games that uses golfing, the Balance Board and MotionPlus to create a more immersive experience. Further Personal Trainer games are planned. YOUR SHAPE Format: Wii Publisher: Ubisoft Ubisoft’s newest fitness property will use a motion-sensing camera to pick up users’ movements as they workout, offering a fresh alternative to Balance Board games. EA SPORTS ACTIVE EXPANSION PACK Format: Wii Publisher: Electronic Arts The follow-up to EA’s best-selling fitness title, the expansion pack will introduce 30 new exercises, a warm up and cool down feature and a sixweek challenge mode. THE BIGGEST LOSER Format: Wii/DS Publisher: THQ Based on the popular US TV series, The Biggest Loser will mark Jillian Michaels’ second outing in games industry as she and Bob Harper aim to transform players lives. WII FIT PLUS Format: Wii Publisher: Nintendo The follow-up to the phenomenon that started it all, Wii Fit Plus will expand upon its predecessor’s work. This should at least match the early sales records made by Wii Fit.