Wii Vitality Sensor: Terrible Gimmick

Not long ago at Nintendo's E3 2009 Press Conference, Nintendo executive Satoru Iwata revealed the Wii's next peripheral, the Wii Vitality Sensor. Essentially a hospital heart rate monitor, the sensor clips onto the end of your finger just as you'd imagine, to measure your heart rate for use in-game.

Upon unveiling the first look at the sensor, which at that point already had dumbfounded the developer and press audience, the theater burst into laughter. Sticking to his guns, Iwata continued on to explain that a pulse contains a number of interesting signals, reflecting reaction and physical state. Theoretically, the sensor supposedly could be used to "achieve great relaxation" and to get users to unwind and fall asleep.

As backwards of putting gamers asleep sounds, Nintendo seems steadfast in extending the Wii's functionality and appeal more than ever towards casual gamers, and non-game users alike, while Sony and Microsoft focus on an all around entertainment experience on their respective platforms.

The editors of Gaming Union sat down at the end of first day at E3 to discuss the Nintendo Conference, and especially the Wii Vitality Sensor, as part of the Gaming Union Podcast due out tomorrow based on the conference.

Jamie: "Wii Vitality Sensor is a terrible looking gimmick that will most likely fall flat on its proverbial face when actually released to the public. There's no clear use for this product that actually relates to video games in any way, shape, or form. Another peripheral for Nintendo to just milk the public."

Alex: "I only wish I could understand what would make Nintendo think that this is a sound business investment...how does this apply to ANYTHING? Not that Nintendo seems to care about the hardcore crowd at all nowadays..."

Shawn: "Another useless Wii accessory. And sadly, droves of casual gamers will buy it, and the peripherals that come along with it."

Darryl: "I'm still in shock. Nintendo are actually becoming the laughing stock of the industry; not that they care. This has absolutely no application for "hardcore" games that I can see, it's just another gimmick that needs to die before it embarrasses our industry even more."

Kyle: "The application of the device is hard to imagine on its own. At least Wii remote and Wii Fit involve a lot of interactivity, I can't see how sitting on my couch with this thing stuck on one of my fingers will result in a satisfying experience. All I can see is meditation and breathing exercises."