Not faster. Not more accurate. Not for most of us. But better.
Most gamers today think that a mouse & keyboard is a superior game control system because it gives them greater accuracy and a greater degree of control than anything else, like analogue sticks or an IR pointer like the Wiimote. But IR is a better control mechanism for FPS' because it is closer to the actual activity involved -- pointing, like a gun, and firing.
The Holy Grail in gaming is probably Virtual Reality -- a fantasy holodeck-like scenario in which we actually personally act out and experience scenarios. For a snowboarding game, we would actually "be snowboarding," meaning standing up, shifting weight to change direction, and experiencing the visual and aural rush of going down the mountain. Wii Balance Board controls bring us closer to that experience, though not all the way. Similarly, the better graphics available on HD consoles also bring us closer to that experience, which is why I can say that HD graphics are better than SD graphics. The Wii's IR brings us closer to holding and shooting the gun in an FPS -- it is a better control mechanism for FPS' than analogue sticks. And also better than mouse and keyboard.
If we had Virtual Reality tomorrow, many "hardcore" gamers of today would be in deep trouble. They've been glued to their couch or computer chair, and couldn't snowboard or shoot to save their lives. Their gaming has been devoted to developing a specific set of skills -- thumb and finger control -- which would no longer allow them to dominate the competition. They would complain how the Virtual Reality controls allow less accuracy than the old analogue sticks, and they'd be right! It's *harder* to aim and fire with IR than with a mouse and keyboard, especially when all of their practice has been on mouse and keyboard. They would complain that they cannot spin around in a split-second and aim flawlessly, like they can on a computer... which is because they cannot spin around in a split-second and aim flawlessly; none of us can. They would have less control because, like is currently true with many of Wii's control set-ups, they would have to suddenly depend on their own personal coordination and ability, which... is not the forte of the hardcore gaming community.
The Wii's more immersive control systems for games like Shaun White and FPS' in general is a first step towards Virtual Reality controls, however well they're currently being implemented. Many self-professed hardcore gamers have reacted poorly to these kinds of controls because, having paid their dues in learning and practicing how to control everything with finger and thumb, they don't want to have to go through games where they're no-longer automatically awesome. They want to keep us snowboarding on our thumbs and "aiming" with a mouse, just so they can keep some silly advantage and pretend that they're "skilled."
But the future is coming, and controls will continue to evolve -- away from mouse, keyboard, analogue sticks, d-pads, etc., and towards actual VR-type physical controls -- whether they like it or not.
