Nintendo's E3 press conference was seriously lacking in the announcement department last summer, but two things the mega-publisher did promise were Wii MotionPlus, an accessory to improve the motion controls of the Wii; and Wii Sports Resort, a sequel of sorts to Wii Sports that would take advantage of the MotionPlus technology. Almost a year later, neither of these things have hit store shelves, but Nintendo did actually get around to announcing some release dates today.

First comes the actual MotionPlus accessory, which will be out in North America on June 8. Wii Sports Resort will be released a month and a half later, on July 26. I'm not sure about the rest of you, but Nintendo needs to do a little more if they want to convince me to buy another accessory to make my Wii remote do what it should have done to begin with. MotionPlus will be $19.99, while Wii Sports Resort will retail in a bundle with MotionPlus for $49.99. That still seems a bit pricey considering the first Wii Sports was free with the system. Anyone excited? If so, read the full press release below.

REDMOND, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Nintendo is setting the stage for a blockbuster summer with the announcement of two hotly anticipated product releases. The new Wii MotionPlus™ accessory will hit U.S. retailers on June 8, taking the motion-sensing controls of the popular Wii™ system to new levels of precision and performance. What’s more, these control enhancements will be on vibrant display when the Wii Sports Resort™ game launches on July 26, offering a beach-themed follow-up to the groundbreaking Wii Sports™ game. Wii Sports comes packed with the Wii console. It grew into a worldwide phenomenon and continues to attract millions of new players to the world of video games. Each Wii Sports Resort game comes packed with a single Wii MotionPlus accessory.

When used with specially designed games, Wii MotionPlus tracks players’ movements in finer detail and with greater accuracy than ever before, building upon the innovative wireless function of the motion-sensing Wii Remote™ controller. Even the slightest twist of the wrist or turn of the body is replicated exactly on the TV screen, allowing users to become even more immersed in Wii game play. Designed for easy attachment to the Wii Remote controller, the Wii MotionPlus accessory will be offered at an MSRP of $19.99.

Wii Sports Resort takes the inclusive, fun and intuitive controls of the original Wii Sports to the next level, introducing a whole new set of entertaining and physically immersive activities. With the deep control enhancements of Wii MotionPlus, veteran Wii users and newcomers alike can enjoy unprecedented gaming precision as they cruise on a water scooter, duel with swords, throw a Frisbee® and much more. Wii Sports Resort and Wii MotionPlus will be offered together at an MSRP of $49.99.

“Wii MotionPlus represents a new evolution in video game control. The variety of fun games in Wii Sports Resort show off its incredible precision,” said Cammie Dunaway, Nintendo of America’s executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. “Developers around the world are busy working on new ways to incorporate Wii MotionPlus controls into inventive experiences for consumers.”

Remember that Wii features parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about this and other Wii features, visit Wii.com. For more information about Nintendo, visit www.Nintendo.com.

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