EA Takes On 'Wii Fit'

March.

The mention of EA Sports--the division of Electronic Arts responsible for the powerful "Madden" franchise--immediately conjures visions of games too daunting and inaccessible to the casual sports fan. That is an image EA Sports President Peter Moore is actively trying to resculpt.

Since he joined the Redwood City, Calif., game titan in late 2007, Moore has introduced EA's All-Play--a line-up of sports titles built specifically for the Wii that takes advantage of the console's waggle controls and takes into account the various skill levels of Wii players. Now Moore is "taking a departure from the core business" by unveiling EA Sports Active, a new fitness brand debuting in March that will face off against "Wii Fit."

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The difference, says Moore, is that "Active" will actually make you sweat, and it can monitor your actual movements and reflect them accurately on screen.

In an interview with Forbes.com, Moore discusses why fitness games need to do a better job of simulating exercise, and how EA Sports is remaking itself to address the Wii consumer.

Why the sudden focus on games as teaching tools and lifestyle applications?

Peter Moore, president of EA Sports: We are capitalizing on a unique time of convergence where hardware innovations (Wii) have introduced gaming to a wide range of "non-traditional" audiences.

Who are you building "Active" for?

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If there is a targeted sweet spot, it is a woman in her mid-30s with two young children that was active--wishes she was more active--and is pressed for time. That is who we'll market to because we think that's a viable market. I worked at Reebok during the '90s when we were developing in-home fitness--the Reebok Step and the Reebok Slide--and I'm very aware of the challenges that people who are typically housebound or pressed for time but still want to do fitness.