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Joystiq

Let's pretend for a moment that, just like us, you absolutely love physical exercise. With that out of the way, we can dive right into discussion of EA's new fitness game, EA Sports Active. Developed in collaboration with Bob Greene (he's Oprah Winfrey's personal trainer, it says here), the Wii-exclusive sweat-em-up will launch in Spring 2009.

Though deemed "perfect for the whole family," EA Sports Active also claims to be "designed specifically for women seeking a simple, fun and cost-effective way to achieve a healthy lifestyle." Said lifestyle is achieved through a variety of cardiovascular workouts on a "Fitness roadmap," coaxed along by on-screen feedback and enabled by two Nunchuk-holding leg straps, as well as a resistance band for upper body training. The Wii's Balance Board peripheral will add further functionality to several exercises.

And don't think this is just EA warming up. According to EA Sports president Peter Moore, Active "is a true fitness revolution and a space in which we intend to be leaders." Let's see if the publisher has the stamina to keep up with the runaway success of
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We picked up Nintendo's wildly popular digital personal trainer, Wii Fit, shortly after launch with hopes to transform ourselves into Hasslehoffian dreamboats -- sadly, we found the Balance Board's unflinching critique of our porcine physiques far too traumatizing. Fortunately, according to an article in the latest issue of Men's Fitness, Electronic Arts is hard at work on their own fitness title for the Wii -- one that will use a brand new (and hopefully less judgmental) peripheral.

This isn't the first we've heard of EA's answer to Wii Fit -- though details on the new peripheral (and the apparent eschewing of the game's use of the Balance Board) is news to us. According to the magazine's interview with EA executive producer Dave McCarthy, the aforementioned peripheral will allow players to attach the Wiimote to their body, where it will measure their movements during a series of in-game exercises. No details on a release schedule for the game, or its capacity to make us openly weep, were mentioned.