Trend Watch: Wii Gaming Clubs

Here's another reason why the Wii is a winner. Not only does it encourage gamers to get physical at home, but it also gives perfect strangers an opportunity to duke it out in public. There's no doubt the Wii is an excellent way to socialize, which may explain the increasing number of Wii clubs springing up everywhere based on the widely popular Wii Sports game.

I heard about the first Wii Fight Club that formed in the San Francisco Bay area a few months ago via gaming blogs. The event was held in an undisclosed location, and captured on this video by Geek Entertainment TV. The trend continued, and a month later another Wii Fight Club took place at Bar Camp Madison. Later that month, Wired wrote about a yet another Wii club. This time, a Norwegian Cruise Line decide to install Wii systems aboard all their cruise ships so guests can play against each other while others viewed the game on a large video screen. It's so popular, they're even hosting tournaments around games like Wii Sports, Wii Play, Wario Ware: Smooth Moves, and Excite Truck.

The latest club to form is called Wiimbledon, the world's first Wii tennis tournament to be held in Brooklyn next month. The site doesn't really give any specific details other than it will be held on June 23rd at a bar where there will be plenty of beer. If you're in the area, you're encouraged to sign up for email updates. Who knows, if you're good at it, there's a good chance you could walk away with your own Wii system. Better start practicing your backhand now.

I think these clubs are a great way to meet other people, and test your skill level against a more experienced gamer. If you know of any other clubs in your area, I encourage you to let us know about them in the comment section below.