Ubisoft spins Wii wheels

Publisher's packed-in steering wheel accessory for its launch racing titles will also be sold separately.

When Nintendo unveiled the Wii controller at the 2005 Tokyo Game Show, it hinted that the nunchaku-like analog stick attachment was just one of many possible add-ons for the remote. At the Electronic Entertainment Expo this year, Nintendo showed off one such attachment in its booth. Dubbed the Zapper, it appeared to be nothing more than a shell that would hold allow a user to hold the Wii controller and its analog stick attachment comfortably in a one-handed, gunlike configuration.

Nintendo isn't the only company playing the shell game. Ubisoft will include a steering wheel attachment for the Wii controller with two of its eight Wii launch titles: GT Pro Series and Monster 4x4 World Circuit. The wheel will be compatible with a number of Wii racing titles.

However, the publisher confirmed for GameSpot today that it will also sell the wheel separately, so gamers eager to hit the streets with expected launch titles Need for Speed Carbon or ExciteTruck might be able to make use of the add-on without picking up Ubi's racers. Both GT Pro Series and Monster 4x4 World Circuit will retail for $49.99, while the steering wheel attachments will also be sold separately for $19.99.

82 Comments

  • yawannataco

    Posted Oct 23, 2006 11:24 pm PT

    Afreak3,
    Can't any game be beat in a month? I think it's a bit much to expect a company to provide a game at lower than market value (compared to 360/ps3 games) and with a peripheral as well more than a month worth of gameplay. Although I suppose a month of gameplay is very subjective...

  • _Sam_

    Posted Oct 21, 2006 10:58 pm PT

    it seems reasonable

  • Afreak3

    Posted Oct 21, 2006 2:58 pm PT

    Umm, I think it's a bit on the expensive side. I don't like spending 50 bucks on something that I'll beat in a month. Waste of Money. And I don't even have the game yet! No offense intended to anyone. Sorry if I did though.

    -Afreak3

  • sinceps1

    Posted Oct 19, 2006 9:51 pm PT

    "that would hold allow a user to hold" sict. -Oh no who had editing duties tonite! dammit **** tards!!!
    lol and GrimBee and all the cynists, it is a freakin free attachment get over it! Danny!

    Crills wrote:
    "wii is wifi ready out the box some thing that cost 100$ to do on the 360."

    Actually it is only 50 dollars for xbox live and that is for a year. They have a better service because there is a paying model. Nintendo will have a simple online system which is fine, but the xbox live service on Xbox360 will most likely be much better than either the PS3 or Wii online service.
    I rest my cases....

  • GrimBee

    Posted Oct 19, 2006 11:29 am PT

    WOAH! 20 dollars for that?

    No way man. No way. Id rather buy a classic controller, or some wii points. I think they mustof forgotten that people CAN actually spend their smaller budget on the wii with other things, other than crappy click-on perihperals!

    I mean, if there were NO games out for the month, or there were no games out that you wanted (or didnt already have) the average games would probably choose to spruce up an old game with a peripheral...

    But this time, there is so much more to do with the wii and that "rainy day" money. Like purchase virtual console games... or buy a classic controller or two... Or top up the gamecube collection.. or buy an sd card...

    Imagine if the wheel came out for £20 in the uk... you can get 1gb sd cards for £14 in the uk!!

    Crazy.. i think it should come with every game for free, espcially the truck and gt games. And once the trend has gone away, release it as a seperate thing.

    Not make it the first of a looong line of add ons.





    There is ONE add on I am most excited to see, and that is of the lightsaber and DUAL light saber variety! Once Lucasarts release a lightsaber add on... i think the wii will be uber popular, and the peripherals will have ALOT to live up to then...

    hmm..

  • bobbagoose

    Posted Oct 19, 2006 1:59 am PT

    This is obviously a way for Ubisoft to add value to it's products. Average Joe will walk into their local games store, see that the Ubi games come with an add on worth an extra $20 and think, 'wow', 'this sure looks like a great deal!! A game and a $20 peripheral for $50'.....whereas in actual fact, the attachment costs no more than a couple of bucks to produce and get into stores. Good game Ubisoft, but we know what you're up to.

    Perhaps I'm being cynical, but I'm sure the marketing bods at Ubisoft saw this prank a mile off.

  • rarson

    Posted Oct 18, 2006 9:37 pm PT

    Well it's pretty much free if you buy one of the games that it comes with.

  • japanesegoth

    Posted Oct 18, 2006 4:17 pm PT

    ummm..kay...well, i wouldn't pay any more than $10 for just a shell...a piece of plastic! $20 is way too much.. unless it added some kind of functionality or something extra besides just the feel, it's kinda a waste. actually...i'd pay no more than $5....plastic is cheap.

  • crills

    Posted Oct 18, 2006 1:32 pm PT

    PyroKamby dont worry its free online like the ds but better cause you know when there online you can email your freind to there pc' phone'or there wii and the wii is wifi ready out the box some thing that cost 100$ to do on the 360. once 2006 finishes the wi fi games are comeing remember that the ds wi fi service didnt start for a few months afther and now there more then 2 million users and more then 70 million game sesions.that being said i cant wait for smash brother online or some metriod online

  • markshell

    Posted Oct 18, 2006 10:02 am PT

    So many people complaining... This feature is not requiered for any games, it's just a piece of plastic for holding the wii-mote in a different manner. If you think it's too expensive use the wii-mote as it was intended to be in the first place. Geez...

  • rarson

    Posted Oct 18, 2006 9:33 am PT

    50 bucks for a game AND the wheel shell... awesome. Yeah, it's not that big a deal, just being a big piece of plastic, but it would be that much better than holding the Wimote by itself.

    I only wish there was a way to attach it to a base, with some force feedback attachment as well. I've traditionally hated non-force feedback wheels for their detached feeling and this has the potential to be even worse than that.

    However, the nice thing about it is that it doesn't add to the cost of the game, and I'm sure Ubi will allow for controller options to use a more traditional gamepad steering method if desired.

    I'm loving the shell ideas.

  • SephirothSyZtem

    Posted Oct 18, 2006 9:21 am PT

    joy...? I SURE CAN WAIT TO SPEND MORE MONEY!!!!!!!!

  • Dace67

    Posted Oct 18, 2006 8:41 am PT

    Good move on Ubi's part to sell separately. I want to see what it looks like and how it works though before I would get it.

  • SqueekyC1ean

    Posted Oct 18, 2006 8:00 am PT

    I WANA SEE WHAT THE WHEEL WILL LOOK LIKE

  • NECR0CHILD313

    Posted Oct 18, 2006 6:11 am PT

    I might get one of those racing games, since basically it's only 30 bucks if you want a shell.

  • 1SleepyGit

    Posted Oct 18, 2006 5:06 am PT

    @ PyroKamby

    No launch games will be available immediately to play online, but it will be free, and will be like the online games for the DS.

  • jmac777

    Posted Oct 18, 2006 5:02 am PT

    Sweeet..I have to buy 1 attachment atleast..

  • joeamis

    Posted Oct 18, 2006 4:39 am PT

    $20 for a cheap piece of plastic...lol...that's as bad as 360 faceplates!

  • Peeto87

    Posted Oct 18, 2006 1:31 am PT

    Way too big of a price for a shell, especially one without buttons.

    But cool to get it by itself!

  • TryMe01

    Posted Oct 17, 2006 11:39 pm PT

    what a whopping price for a shell! and i dont think it does any than except to make the controller appear like you are holding a steering wheel...

    Look! http://media.wii.ign.com/media/846/846379/img_3900684.html

  • PyroKamby

    Posted Oct 17, 2006 8:50 pm PT

    i wanna hear what games will be on online damnit!! and will it cost money to play online like the 360?

  • WPack911

    Posted Oct 17, 2006 8:29 pm PT

    LorenaLarue here's a link to the cover art for GT, it has a picture of the racing Wheel shell on it take a look: http://media.wii.ign.com/articles/735/735577/img_3996233.html

  • LorenaLarue

    Posted Oct 17, 2006 8:09 pm PT

    Aw no pictures? Does the Wii remote slot in to the steering wheel allowing for wirless racing? So many questions unanswered.

  • slothboyadvance

    Posted Oct 17, 2006 7:42 pm PT

    It's free with the game, is it not?

  • cubelover38

    Posted Oct 17, 2006 7:15 pm PT

    id probably buy it separate im not sure about gt pro or monster 4x4

  • captainalpha1

    Posted Oct 17, 2006 7:06 pm PT

    I'm definately getting that add on, can't wait!!!!!!!!!

  • metdevthegamer

    Posted Oct 17, 2006 5:52 pm PT

    Awesome.

  • Mark2099

    Posted Oct 17, 2006 5:27 pm PT

    excite truck, gt, monster truck, carbon, FZERO!!!!!!!!!!!!! i hope....

    good move nintendo

  • jd7904

    Posted Oct 17, 2006 4:57 pm PT

    To those complaining about the price of this attachment I want you to think for a second. Have you looked at the price for a faceplate for your 360. You're looking at anywhere from $10 to $30 depending on the product. $30.00 FOR A PIECE OF PLASTIC THAT DOES NOTHING BUT SIT ON THE FRONT OF YOUR SYSTEM !!! It does nothing to enhance the game play.... "But it luks PeRtY"! Think about what you pay for "equivalent " products and then decide who is getting screwed.

  • gnbfd

    Posted Oct 17, 2006 4:52 pm PT

    $50???????

    And thats with a wheel!!!!!!!!!

    PS2 price + Nintendo quality = I'm getting a Wii for Christmas.

  • the_real_VIP

    Posted Oct 17, 2006 4:33 pm PT

    $19.99 is nothing compared to the current steering wheel for PS2 & XBOX which are damn expensive.

  • easy33

    Posted Oct 17, 2006 4:33 pm PT

    I wantthe Wii to do well , but aren't they overdoing it with the attachments? How many people are going to buy that many attachments to play one or two games better. I thought they usually didn't sell to well, but along as the Wii does well, that good enough for me.

  • caesarbites

    Posted Oct 17, 2006 4:25 pm PT

    HATERS BEWARE!!!
    The Wii is going to prove itself to be a HUGE hit, and it will forceably open your mouth until your jaw almost breaks, then grab your foot and shove it down your throat. I can't wait to see how the people who yell "Kidtendo" at every turn take the news that the Wii is making them eat crow.

  • ShadoweaverCode

    Posted Oct 17, 2006 4:17 pm PT

    i agree with nitrog 100%. the developers are going to pounce on the wii after they see the amazing sales numbers this holiday season. especially with reggie talking to rockstar now and heavy ubi love. its unstoppable. twilight princess will be the best launch title ever. i'm just wondering if square-enix will develop for wii... i know they are supporting the ds pretty nicely with ff3 coming out soon.

  • EMAN2g

    Posted Oct 17, 2006 4:01 pm PT

    a lil over priced for the shell...might as well get a game along with it

  • gamer_10001

    Posted Oct 17, 2006 3:51 pm PT

    I've never been a fan of wheel controllers, so it's a good thing that I've never been a fan of racing games.

  • OfficialBed

    Posted Oct 17, 2006 2:57 pm PT

    sweet!....this sounds awesome....the wii is coming along very nicely

  • slife_basic

    Posted Oct 17, 2006 2:55 pm PT

    This is the genius of the Wii controller's expansion port:
    Inexpensive, wireless peripherals.

  • pedro_magalhaes

    Posted Oct 17, 2006 2:53 pm PT

    Kinda expensive for a piece of plastic...

  • qah661

    Posted Oct 17, 2006 2:44 pm PT

    I am getting 4x4 world circuit anyways. So, I will automatically, but I think that buying this shell is waitsting your money

  • Lord_Regnier

    Posted Oct 17, 2006 2:42 pm PT

    Brilliant

  • irmeleeman5995

    Posted Oct 17, 2006 2:37 pm PT

    Not a bad deal.

  • GMAN32X

    Posted Oct 17, 2006 2:36 pm PT

    $20 for a racing wheel? Not bad, not bad at all.

  • GoldenS1104

    Posted Oct 17, 2006 2:23 pm PT

    i think i'll wait till a better version of this comes out. this is what i think the better version should be like:

    a) make the wheel just like the one they have now
    b) allow it to come with a stationary base that it attaches to so it can pivot without your hands floating in the air (the reason it should be detachable is because certain racing games require that you tilt the wiimote more than just left and right)
    c) better value (this cheap plastic cover is $20! its obviously cause they want to entice people to buy the game instead. the above wheel that i described would cost $20, there is no reason ubisoft's should)

  • Scammeleon

    Posted Oct 17, 2006 2:23 pm PT

    That is a great idea, i mean the wheel is an obvious but fantastic add on, that's nice and cheap and does exactly what you'd imagine. Plus it opens the whole racing genre up a whole lot more, so much for Allard's "how're racing games going to play on the Wii *smug face*" principle. Hopefully it'll leave the buttons in an accessable position though, as you'll need at least 2. (the D-pad and buttons 1 + 2, should be available i'd imagine)

  • ragin_massaih

    Posted Oct 17, 2006 2:20 pm PT

    amazon have the wheel for sale and pics. its £12.99!!! lol i think i'll pick one up free with the game

  • CleitonSL

    Posted Oct 17, 2006 2:20 pm PT

    There's a picture of it on ign, i'll put up the link:

    http://media.wii.ign.com/articles/735/735577/img_3996233.html

  • caliland

    Posted Oct 17, 2006 2:17 pm PT

    where are there any pictures of this wheel add-on????

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