EA Sports' Peter Moore On The Struggle Of Selling Sports Games To Wii Owners

There seems to be a problem when the latest "Madden" sells more than two million copies on PS3, Xbox 360 and PS2 combined in the U.S. in August this year - and just a little over 100,000 on the Wii according to sales-tracker NPD.

A few years ago, that kind of sales misery on a Nintendo console would be okay. For a long time, sports games on Nintendo consoles just didn't sell.

But given that "Wii Sports" sparked Nintendo's GameCube-to-Wii console resurrection, it seems like sports games can sell on the Wii.

So why isn't EA Sports having an easier go of it on the Wii? MTV Multiplayer recently asked EA Sports chief Peter Moore to tell them what EA was doing right and wrong with sports games on Nintendo's console.

[timmyrulz]

I think its fairly simple really, the wii is a casual gamers paradise where simplicity is its selling point where as the likes of x360 and ps3 caters more for the hardcore gamers. It one of the reasons why LBP has seen mediocre sales on the ps3, put it on the wii and i bet you it would sell like sh1t of a shovel

[Captain_Sony]

Sorry but you clearly know little about the situation. Madden had enjoyed good sales on Wii UNTIL "All Play". Every year they claim to have made the game more casual and every year they get less sales, this year being the greatest drop due to the all play brand.. Now if what you claimed had any truth to it that would not be happening.

[steveg2564]

I agree, Captain. I think EA must be under the misconception that the game needed some "dumbing down", for lack of a better term.

I'm amazed at all of the LBP comments now. At first it was going to sell a ton of PS3's. Now it's a different story.

Timmy, you need to work on your metaphors.

[infamous_27]

well people that like football ssee the name ALL PLAY and decide to skip it...

[Gr81]

I didn't buy madden 09 for Wii. They went in a direction that is less simulated and more emulated of Wii Sports. I love Wii sports, especially Tennis. But I buy madden for the simulation expierience. EA thinks if they use big headed mini games and tack on a cheesy tag line that the so-called casuals will flaunt to it? Its almost insulting. I hope with 2010, EA decides to maintain a meat and potatos experience on Wii and take the series seriously on the system. Call your shots is an excellent addition and they should expand on that, and scrap the ps2 engine and make a Wii engine of the game to maximize the visuals. Make quality and the sales will be there. Wii owners aren't sheep, third parties like to blame Wii owners demographics for not selling games..I call scapegoat and BS. Stop giving half assed efforts, Nintendo has no problem selling "core" software to the Wii audience.