Some pretty unspectacular numbers for the Wii version of FIFA 09 this week... not unexpected, as pro sports games on the Wii have failed pretty severely, relative to the HD consoles, time and time again, despite the Wiis install base.

Why?  Anyone have any good ideas as to why these titles keep running into the ground?  They don't have "legs", contrary to popular belief (look here on VGCharts for some perspective), they just fall down.

It seems as though the Wii should appeal more, being a largely "blue ocean" demographic, in the sports genre, with which the general populace is, presumably, already well acquainted... much like gambling and party games, which have appealed to the Wii audience in record numbers.

i cant speak for everyone, but personally, i owned fifa 05 and fifa 07 on gamecube. i will not be buying a fifa/pes game on wii until it supports gamecube control.

edit* i just read that fifa 09 does have gcn control so i will be buying it :)

Well, it might be because of the controls and the graphics, which the Wii lacks in at least one of these departments. I believe that in the world of HD that is today, if you're playing a sports game, you have to see sweat on the players, you have to see the grass getting more and more ''dirty,'' etc.

And about the controls, I can't picture a kick by a wrist motion. It just doesn't make sense, and people might be looking for that. Sure, a button press is not better, but at least it feels as if you're watching a real game on TV, not watching one in front of hyperactive kids that can't control their arms once they leave the comfort of a couch or something. That's my opinion though, some people might prefer this control option over the HD versions.

Also, isn't there an instant roster change in the new EA games that monitors every trades going on in various leagues and all? I'm not sure if the Wii has that, but it might be another selling point for the HD versions.

I hope that makes sense...! @_@

Only reason I can see is that the motion sensing on the Wii isn't precise enough to allow for an accurate depiction of the sport (i'd love hockey with wii controls, but I just don't see it being anywhere accurate enough to allow for precise puck control).

Once you take controls out of the equation, you're really just playing a last gen game.

On the HD versions, aside from the updated graphics, you also get more advanced AI, more realistic ball physics and an actual online experience (something the Wii still desperately lacks).

I can understand why a X360 or PS3 owner, who also owned a Wii, would choose the HD version...

What about people whose only current-gen console is the Wii, however? Are that many Wiis co-owned with another console? I know that, statistically, NPD has shown that some 17%, at a minimum, of Wiis shared a household with another console, but that doesn't seem like the overriding element in the equation here.

Well i would think that people who like football tend to watch it on HDTV's and are probably on average more of a graphics whore in comparison to the average person.

Plus I just does not seem right to control a kick and passing of the football with hand motion controls.

If that makes any sense.

I've never liked Fifa games. Pro Evolution is a different story, a lot better and an innovative control. The next version will support classic controller and will probably have 4 offline multiplayer option. I will buy that one, not Fifa.

Why do I have a feeling I've already read this before...? Oh right, it's almost exactly my post!

I could be wrong, but I suspect that a large portion of sports games fans are better classified as fans of watching sports than playing sports ... To a certain extent, the HD consoles are better suited to giving a gameplay experience that matches watching a game whereas the Wii is better suited to a gameplay experience that matches playing some sports.

It's actually kinda interesting considering you would think most of the sports buyers are mainstream gamers but I think with the 2 footballs(American Football and Football) we see that really it's become something more core. Which is surprising but seems to be the way its gone. Possibly due to how long they've been out and successful jsut built out a core base that has stuck with the old brand of Playstation and eventually Xbox. While Ninty was never built up thx to the GC on the sports franchise thus the brand didn't carry over. It was big with N64 but not on GC probably due to the lack of online.

However Wii is making leaps and bounds to get those franchises back onto Ninty consoles in a brand perspective. I mean Madden has sold progressively better on Wii than GC and same with FIFA. But still needs work in the NBA, Hockey, and baseball games. Possibly some intervention from Ninty themselves to help this out would do the trick but that's doubtful.

However, the golf genre has definitely been more towards the Wii this generation. Tiger Woods 08 Wii is the best selling version and more than likely platinum when you add others sales. And Tiger Woods 09 is progressively selling better than the rest. So it is conquering one pro sport haha.

But as I said I think a lot of this simply has to do with the pro sports game becoming less mainstream and more core based over the past 10 yrs and the GC's failure with these sports titles as concerned with brand.