So far, the Wii's only big selling sports titles have either been the entirely interactive or the Mario featuring arcade type. While Madden, Fifa and WWE Smackdown have seen fairly healthy sales, they're still a far cry from what those games sell on other platforms. Most releases to this point would indicate that while the success of the Wii would lead to sports game sales rising a bit, the system would still largely be a disappointment to the demographics that primarily play such games.

  Games like Madden and Fifa looked for ways to tailor their games to the Wii, both with control schemes and a demographic focus; featuring easier control options, Mii integration and mini games. While the move was a welcomed effort to make something special for the Wii, it must be noted that there was a seeming acceptance that the pure sport experience was best left to the other systems.

 Then came Pro Evolution 08 for Wii. At first I didn't think much about this release at all. Konami released the game considerably after all other iterations, a move that suggested the game might have been a last minute idea, a quick port to cash in on the Wii's flying off the shelf, but previews stated that the controls were something new, something special.

Sales were fairly disappointing in NA/Japan, but Other sales have had a pretty solid first couple weeks despite not having a huge first week. So I decided to look at Gamecube sales of Pro Evo to see just how they compare and I was quite surprised to find out that the last Pro Evo on gamecube was only released in Japan. 

I'd never realized the disadvantage that the Gamecube had been at in Europe; barely getting any attention in the Soccer genre in Europe would be like if the system was passed up for Madden games in NA.

This is probably the point where you give up on reading my prediction and say "So what? So the Wii finally gets in on the party... Finally getting a version of a multiplat game the others have had for a while isn't much to shout about"

And I'd agree, except Pro Evo 2008 for Wii seems to change the game a bit. Go to game rankings and check Fifa 08 for Wii has a ranking of around 67% while the 360 and PS3 versions have rankings of around 82 and 81%. The Wii version is clearly the inferior product and no reason to buy a system if you're focus is a game of footie.

 But look at Pro Evo. The game is at about an 84% ranking, a full 10% above it's other next gen iterations. So how does a sports game on the Wii manage to upstage it's high def, dual analog brethren?

By revolutionizing the controls. By most accounts, the Wii's IR control style makes for the most immersive, fast paced and strategic footie game yet, shattering the wisdom that Wii controls can be fun but not precise. And this could mean big things in Europe.

Despite it's late release and lack of an existing fanbase from Gamecube owners, Pro Evo 08 is going to keep selling in Europe. By the time 09 comes around, the game will see a simultaneous release, word of mouth from those playing the 08 version, a tightened up and improved upon control scheme and quite the critical response from reviewers. 

If EA's Fifa devision isn't already overhauling their Wii version to implement a Pro Evo style already, they will after 09. The Wii is set to become the dominant console for the the European Soccer game fan, and that's a pretty good market to get. 

So that's my incredibly long winded prediction. The Wii has a chance to become the most appealing console to the European Football gamer, which might not be as large as some of the other markets the Wii is appealing to, but it's a pretty big one in Europe and one where the console was hardly expected to scrape by in, let alone compete handily. 

The question is, how does MP work with more than 2 players? Because that is a very important part of PES, 4 player local matches, it is not the online multiplayer that counts, but the offline stuff, and if you can only have 1p player team, then that is not great

They should promote it well and then it will have a chance over here.

Only a little group of PES fans know that the game is also released on the Wii.

dunno...but in EU there is a thing that Football is best on Playstation..

I have met many people with that frame of mind..

I have a friend who brought PS3 for PES 08 & fifa 08..

Well the only problem is that soccer fans are still graphics whores ... and that will give a huge advantage for the PS3 version ...

In Europe it certainly helps to have Pro Evo on your console.
It certainly helps a lot to have the best version of Pro Evo on your console.
So I guess your assesment is spot on.
Football fans that care about graphics bought FIFA anyway, but the hardcore control fans bought Pro Evo. A part of that group will switch to Wii to play their favorite game.

Also: In Japan Wii is replacing PS2 as the main console. By the time Pro Evo 09 will arrive I'm sure it will sell a whole lot more than 08.

Another interesting note is that EA must improve FIFA for Wii now, but Madden also, because Tecmo Bowl is coming.
EA cannot afford it to have weak sales on Wii.
Last year Madden sold significantly worse than usual, and with declining interest in PS2 versions of games, EA must attract those Wii owners, cause something tells me that Tecmo will do an outstanding job with Tecmo Bowl.

Unless i can strap a remote to my leg i will prefer the PS3 version. Moving my hand to kick a ball doesn't appeal to me. Maybe cause i like playing football in real life.

won't happen, I'm Dutch, and some friends of mine play Pro Evo for some serious money over here, tournaments and stuff, and I still don't see them switching over to the Wii and it's mechanics. many also hail the PS3 controls as superior over the 360 version. Also, these guys in europe who play these games play or have played football (soccer) themselfs and will find putting so much focus on hand movement instinctively wrong in the context of playing a football game (I hope you get what I mean), plus, we don't want to see all those pointer colors and stuff on the screen while we play..

I think it is doing very well against what is basically seen as a playstation only game in Europe, a lot of people who buy PES will not even think about the X-box or the Wii.

It is likely being bought by the group of gamers who also like football games, and who therefore recognise both it's existance and it's supiriority as a game, but it will take a lot to push into the casuals that basically only buy PES or FIFA (and usually GTA for good measure) for which playstation is synonymous[sp?] with. especially as those people won't like being made to change the way they play.

What the Wii needs in Europe is an excellent racing simulator akin to GT, but of course Sony has a monopoly on that sort of thing with all the car licences, that and graphical realism is important in that genre.

If they made a decent racing sim which you could buy a proper steering wheel for (perhaps it would just be like a cross between the Wii wheel and a normal gaming wheel, so that you could put the Wiimote into a shell that actually pivots on a base, and could also have support for either seperate pedals, or even the Wii Fit board)... Well I would be tempted.

plus, these guys who play this games are besides football also more in to Gran Turismo and GTA than Zelda and Mario, a PS3 or 360 will fit them better anyway.. but I also noticed the nice sales of the Wii version an d I hope it will continue to do so well.. :)