While removing Kinect from the Xbox One helped Microsoft to price the console at $399, it did put several Kinect developers in a tight spot. According to Paul Mottram of Zoë Mode, which created Zumba Fitness for the Kinect, it significantly hurts the chances of original Kinect titles.

“From a developer point of view it’s a shame, as it all but kills the chances of making an original Kinect title unless it is a major licensed Fitness or Dance product – and even those will suffer as it’s unlikely we’ll see Kinect 2 units even come close to the installed base of the original now. Even then it was a challenge.

“I just feel sorry for those developers who had Kinect titles in development who’ve had the rug pulled from beneath them and may now stand little chance of seeing a return on their investment.”

Mottram is however confident of indie studios making “killer use for Kinect that will change the minds of the doubters”. “Smaller developers may try something new with the peripheral that mainstream publishers would were not willing to gamble on.”

Microsoft is still significantly dedicated to Kinect though – it also plans to release it as a standalone peripheral this Autumn. Kinect-less Xbox One units will be available from June 9th onwards.

(Source)

Get a sneak peak at what publisher Majesco Entertainment is all about when it comes to the new Zumba Fitness 2 game. The game is being developed by Zoe Mode and will be exclusively available on the Nintendo Wii on November 15th. The video takes you behind the scenes of the making of the game. Full press release below.  Official Site.

Edison, N.J., September 29, 2011 – Majesco Entertainment takes you behind the scenes and gives you an all-access look at the making of the soon-to-release Zumba® Fitness 2 video game.  Download the exclusive sneak peek video now and see exactly what it takes to transform the exhilarating Zumba® choreography into gameplay while capturing the movements, personality and flare of the celebrity Zumba® instructors who star in the game.

The original Zumba® Fitness game is the best-selling fitness game in North America this year and has sold 3 million copies worldwide. The sequel, Zumba Fitness 2, features 32 new sizzling dance tracks from the Zumba® program, plus hits from Pitbull, Nicole Scherzinger and Yolanda Be Cool & DCup. The latest title gets players moving with Zumba creator Beto and international celebrity instructors Tanya Beardsley and Gina Grant as they guide players through exhilarating choreography that spans 20 different international dance styles. For the first time, players can customize their own class with their favorite routines, follow their improvement through an all new progress tracker and track calories burned. Whether playing in Single Song, Full Class or Zumba Party modes that support up to 4 dancers, players will have a blast with this unique dance fitness experience that shapes, tones and transforms their bodies and makes them forget they’re even exercising.

Zumba Fitness 2 for Wii™ will be available on store shelves November 15^th, but you don’t have to wait to reserve your copy!  Starting today, players who pre-order Zumba Fitness 2 at GameStop will receive a code that unlocks an exclusive routine in the game.  To pre-order your copy of Zumba Fitness 2 visit www.gamestop.com/wii/games/zumba-fitness-2/91081.

For more information about Zumba Fitness 2 please visit www.majescoentertainment.com.

Zumba Fitness which has been topping the Wii charts for so many week, and did so last week too, was the highest selling Wii game in UK for the week ending September 17th.

Just Dance 2 came in second, with Mario Kart Wii and Xenoblade Chronicles rising their 4th and 5th position respectively to one position higher.

Cars 2 followed at 5, then Wii Party, New Super Mario Bros. Wii, Donkey Kong Country Returns, uDraw and Super Mario Galaxy 2 entering the list again at 10 rounding off the top ten.

Here’s the full list:

01. Zumba Fitness (505 Games)
02. Just Dance 2 (Ubisoft)
03. Mario Kart Wii (Nintendo)
04. Xenoblade Chronicles (Nintendo)
05. Cars 2 (Disney Interactive)
06. Wii Party (Nintendo)
07. New Super Matio Bros. (Nintendo)
08. uDraw (incl. uDraw Studio) (THQ)
09. Donkey Kong Country Returns (Nintendo)
10. Super Mario Galaxy 2 (Nintendo)

Zumba Fitness just doesn’t want to get off the charts, does it? It’s not only done well on the all-formats charts, it’s also the top selling Wii game in UK for the week ending September 10.

Just Dance 2 is the second highest selling Wii game, with LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean coming in next.

Oldies like Mario Kart Wii, New Super Mario Bros. and Donkey Kong Country Returns also made an appearance on the list, being the 4th, 8th and 10th highest selling games respectively, the same as last week.

Xenoblade Chronicles is also going strong, holding its last week’s 5th position.

Cars 2 at No.6, Wii Party at 7 and uDraw (incl. uDraw Studio) at 9 round off the rest of the top 10.

Here’re the full charts:

01. Zumba Fitness (505 Games)
02. Just Dance 2 (Ubisoft)
03. LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean (Disney Interactive)
04. Mario Kart Wii (Nintendo)
05. Xenoblade Chronicles (Nintendo)
06. Cars 2 (Disney Interactive)
07. Wii Party (Nintendo)
08. New Super Matio Bros. (Nintendo)
09. uDraw (incl. uDraw Studio) (THQ)
10. Donkey Kong Country Returns (Nintendo)

The UK sales charts for the week are in, and guess what happened- Zumba Fitness, which had been topping the charts for so many weeks now, I’ve lost count, has finally been dethrones. Deus Ex: Human Revolution has swooped in and debuted at the No. 1 spot, pushing Zumba Fitness down to No.2.

In just two days, Human Revolution managed to sell so much, it’s just 26,000 units short of Invisible War’s lifetime sales in the UK.

Human Revolution’s market share was 57% on the Xbox 360, 31% on the PS3 and 13% on the PC. Though digital sales for the PC have not been accounted for yet.

Rugby World Cup has also done pretty well, debuting at the 3rd position.

Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood is still clinging on in the list, managing to hold on to the 10th spot, and FIFA 11 also made an appearance, becoming the 7th highest selling game of the week in UK.

The full top ten for the week ending August 28 is below.

1. Deus Ex: Human Revolution
2. Zumba Fitness
3. Rugby World Cup 2011
4. LEGO: Pirates of the Caribbean
5. Call of Duty: Black Ops
6. Cars 2
7. FIFA 11
8. DiRT 3
9. LEGO: Harry Potter: Years 1-4
10. Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood