It appears as though the line between fitness and video games is getting even blurrier.  

Nintendo announced on Wednesday that they will soon be bringing the Nintendo Wii in Sports Authority chains nationwide. Marketed by the folks at Sports Authority with the catchy phrase “We know fit.  We know fun”, the console will be displayed in an interactive kiosk that will include fitness and sports related games and accessories in select stores starting on November 19th, 2009.

I have mixed feelings about this.

The move is obviously a great one for Nintendo. The company recently admitted to being “caught off guard” at the sharp decline in Wii related sales and has had to sharply reduce their projected earnings for the current fiscal year. While the article I linked to above speculates that a lot of this has to do with the fact that there haven’t been any decent blockbuster games for the console recently, I am personally of the opinion that they are simply reaching a cap on the number of people who would be interested in owning a Wii. Nintendo has done an amazing job of generating buzz for what is, in many people’s eyes, a console that has a great gimmick but very little in the way of a quality gaming experience. Up until recently if you were in the market for a Wii you had to practically camp out in order to get them or constantly check web sites like Wii Tracker to find an online retailer that had one in stock. These days, however, it is not uncommon to see shelves full of available product on any given day. By making the unconventional decision to market the system in a sporting goods store Nintendo is potentially reaching out to an entirely new audience that likely has the opinion that video games are for “fat nerds.”

Which is, honestly, where my hackles go up a bit in this announcement. It is a completely irrational feeling, but there is a part of me that is kind of annoyed by the fact that I may no longer be part of the desired demographic for video game manufacturers. I am fully aware that there is no indication that Nintendo is taking an either/or approach to their target demographic with this move, but when I think about the fact that people who once ridiculed me for being a gamer may now be lured into becoming one themselves with the Nintendo Wii acting as their “gateway drug” I get all cranky. My juvenile side wants to stomp his foot and say “Video games are for smart people! Not for dumb jocks!”

And of course, the moment I have that thought I realize I’m being just as guilty of the kind of prejudice and ignorance that those “dumb jocks” expressed towards me when I was younger. Perpetuating a cycle of ignorance isn’t going to help anyone. I certainly don’t think the Nintendo Wii is going to single handedly cause an end to the animosity between video game geeks and the varsity football team, but any time you introduce something into society that manages to form a common bond among different social groups you increase the likelihood that they can find ways to co-exist and perhaps even form a common understanding.

From a health perspective this move simply means that even more people will be exposed to fun exergames like Wii Fit and EA SPORTS Active. From where I’m sitting here at ShrinkGeek headquarters, anything that has the chance to help more people get in better shape is a good thing.