The wii's sales are driven by it's price tag, the variety of games and to a lesser extent the wii-mote. That's all there is to it.

While your argument cannot alone explain Wii sales, the Wii-mote and its capabilities have indeed helped drive sales, it is one of the key reasons for the success of this console. Obviously price, design, software and marketing to the mainstream are the other key factors. The innovation of the hardware in conjuction with the software is the key, only through innovation of both has Nintendo achieved such great success so far this generation.

Also Shameless while individuals such as Leo-j exist, those partial to Nintendo products will always be defensive.

People will find all kinds of arguments to discount Wii's success... You may have a case with the Wiimote, as that's a very important part of the console, but the other peripherals certainly aren't.

In what way is this reason discounting Wii's success? All I have seen are people disagreeing and offering no counterpoint. The games are obviously less of a factor than the controls because the controls are the only thing that's changed between the Gamecube and the Wii.

It sounds like discounting Wii's success because you're basically saying that if Nintendo doesn't keep releasing new peripherals there won't be anyone left to buy the Wii. That's almost the same as the "Wii is a fad" argument, just changed to "Wii is a fad kept alive by new peripherals".

I didn't totally disagree with you though... I think you have a point regarding the Wii Remote/Nunchuk, because that's a very important part of the "Wii experience" if you get my drift. Other than that, the Wii's success is driven by games, and then (only then) by the other peripherals which come with some those games. Maybe with a few more factors in between...

Yes I can get your point.

Anyway, most people who bought a PS2 back in the day neither done it because of the games, at least from what I see in my personal experience.

It all depends of the "win" factor the winning console has. Its something only understable from a sociologic point of view

The PS2 not only won because its enormous game library.
It won because it was winning in the first place

Yeah. This is flamebait and a flat-out lie.

The OP is flawed right from the start. The Wii Mote is not a peripheral.

Nintendo fans, like yourself, bought the console for the games and would have bought it even if it didn't have motion controls. This thread is about why the Wii has sold so highly so quickly - new gamers. People see the interactive experience offered by the peripherals and want to buy the console. Nintendo have always released quality games, this time they have the peripherals to support sales.

What about a combination of things?

Software... WiiFit, WiiSports, Mario Galaxy, Smash, Zelda, etc.
Hardware is sleek and sexy
Peripherals/Controllers (some actually serve a purpose) and work
Affordable
And cool (to normal people) with great advertising.

It may not be the best at any one thing (except maybe periphs) but it's a combination...

PS2
Software MGS, GTA, Madden (Remember at first PS2 was the only one with online play, because EA was anti-MS), ZoE (big early gen game), Final Fantasy X.
Hardware: Black was cool in 2001, Smaller than Xbox, Not purple, no handle, DVD out of box (when many still didn't have a dvd player).
Peripherals: DDR (PS1&2 First), Karaoke Rev (Again First on Sony), Great standard controller.
Affordable: $299 (more or equal to the competition but not $500 either)
Cool: PS was the coolest gaming machine around by 2000.

Actually, the Wii is my first Nintendo console ;) I was mostly a PC gamer before this gen, and only played consoles at friends' places.

The Wiimote definitely got a lot of people into console gaming, but the other peripherals are absolutely secondary to that...