Y'know, I just bought a second Wii Remote and Wii MotionPlus add-on not two weeks ago and this morning I see over at Kotaku that Nintendo is preparing a new Wii Remote Plus that apparently has the MotionPlus technology built into the basic remote. Time and technology march on. Here's some of the Kotaku story:
The box art for upcoming Wii title FlingSmash seems to be bundled with a new Wii-Remote. The box notes, "Bonus Wii Remote Plus Inside!" The game is compatible with Wii MotionPlus, the motion add-on peripheral for the Wii Remote. The Wii MotionPlus was released in 2009 and offers more precise motion control. If this box art is correct, then Nintendo is releasing a Wii Remote that features an on-board integrated Wii MotionPlus. The game and the remote are bundled together and priced at US$49.99.
I seem to recall reading that Nintendo had not only a Wii MotionPlus add-on developed back when the Wii itself launched in 2006, but also had early prototypes of a Wii remote with that technology already inside it. They chose not to launch it originally since the Wii was such a risky gambit in an uncertain marketplace. Now that we're about to see the Wii Remote Plus, I guess we can finally declare that the Wii has been a success.
