Update: It has been pointed out that Just Dance 2021 also skipped the Wii but nothing from last year counts.
While Just Dance 2022 was announced today, as the dancing game is announced every single year during Ubisoft’s summer show, the absence of an announcement might be the most notable part of it. For the first time in over a decade, Just Dance is not releasing for the Nintendo Wii.
The first game in the series was in fact a straight up Wii exclusive, releasing in 2009 and using the Wii remote to emulate dance moves you see on the screen. Since then, the series has expanded to basically every breathing console under the sun and used mobile apps to match the motion and movement reading of the original game, but they had never actually abandoned the Wii.
The logic was sound — the Wii sold over 100 million consoles and was still a fixture in a lot of homes, social hubs, and elder care facilities since its debut in 2006. This time, however, looks like Ubisoft did not see much of a point in continuing with the Wii releases, as Just Dance 2022 ignores it in favor of PlayStation 4/5, the Xboxes, and Switch. The torch has officially been passed, which means the new game is essentially the Wii’s death certificate.
So long, Wii! You had some good games. I really love Sin & Punishment 2 and the Trauma series.
