Red Steel 2 to Utilize Wii MotionPlus

A sequel to Ubisoft's first-person sword and gunplay title Red Steel will make use of Nintendo's Wii MotionPlus peripheral, a device which drastically increases the motion sensitivity of the Wii Remote.

The peripheral was first demonstrated at Nintendo's E3 2008 press conference along with Wii Sports Resort, the only announced title to make use of the device at that time. The game and Wii MotionPlus will be sold together as a bundle in the spring of 2009.

"Red Steel [is] the typical product that will appreciate the new device," Ubisoft executive director Alain Corre told GamesIndustry.biz. "Red Steel 2 has been in development for many months now, and this new device will help us be even more precise in what we do with the product."

Developed by Ubisoft Paris, Red Steel originally shipped for the Wii alongside the console's debut in late 2006. Despite overwhelming hype for the shooter's gunplay and sword-based combat elements, the title was widely panned for its poor implementation of the Wii Remote's motion controls.

"The Red Steel brand is strong—I think we released it on year one, and that people understood that it was a first try on new technology, technology that wasn't completely finished," Corre added. "And our game tried to grab the best out of it, and was a bit rushed to be sure to offer something in year one to Wii consumers."

"So Red Steel is a brand, and as with every brand we have, we now have to reach the top quality possible. What was missing was the preciseness of the sabre—and with this new device I think it will change the experience," Corre concluded.

Following the peripheral's debut, some developers stated that they were not given prior notice of the peripheral's development before its official unveiling, meaning that many deep-in-development titles due out this fall are not likely to incorporate the Wii MotionPlus compatibility.

No official launch date for Red Steel 2 has yet been announced, though Wii MotionPlus integration suggests that it isn't likely to arrive until next spring, at the earliest.