The $64,000 question has finally been answered by Nintendo on June 19, 2009 when it was finally released after a long waiting period following the initial announcement. These things will likely be in hot demand, and getting your hands on one may not be easy right now. If you are friends with a manager at a gaming store, maintain those friendly relations and try to place a backorder if they are sold out at the moment.
In April 2009, Nintendo announced a release date for the Wii Motion Plus which ended up being delayed by 11 days. They also announced the upcoming release date for the Wii Sports Resort game, which will make heavy use of the Wii Motion Plus' new features:
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.
Nintendo also provided more details about the controller itself, what it can do, and how much it will cost on its own:
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.
In the same press release, Nintendo provided more details about the Wii Sports Resort game itself:
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.