A big growth market for the Wii, and for Wii Fit in particular, is that nebulous segment known as the female gamer. Wii Fit is a perfect fitness tool for women, who are generally more concerned about their weight all year round. Winter and Spring and they want to lose weight for Christmas and New Years, Summer and Autumn, and they want to lose weight for the beach and for when they return from holidays. A woman will lose weight before any big event, a man will buy a bigger suit. However, who are the bigger (pardon the pun) gamers? That’s right, men. The Wii might be making big inroads into new gaming markets, but you don’t turn around decades of male dominence in the space of a year.

Female gamers are, in the majority, casual gamers; not obsessed with picking up video games and playing them through as much as playing the DS on a bus or having a laugh with friends. As a casual female gamer I generally only play games when encouraged to do so by others. And because most gamers are male, most of the time I end up gaming along side men.

Apply this style of gaming to Wii fit and poof! Nintendo can kiss goodbye the attraction of exercising away from prying eyes. As we’ve already established, women don’t like to exercise in front of people but we especially don’t like to exercise in front of men. Unless a woman can motivate herself to turn on a Wii without being told to push the power button, we aren’t that likely to use it.

If people wanted to get fit, they’d brave the gym. People don’t want to get fit, they want to play a game where they get fit. Wii Fit is a wonderful concept, just like those toning ab-belts, get-slim shakes, money trees and skittle rainbows; but unfortunately, it’s not real. Sure, it’s been demoed but has it been tested? Show me the test sample of 100 normal Jack’s and Jill’s who lose 10kg from doing what Wii Fit tells them and then I’ll be first in line to buy my copy. But until then, I won’t walk it, I probably won’t feed it, I’m not going to buy it.