I don't think the causality (hacking->popularity) runs that way. If anything, I'd think it runs the other way (popularity of the Wii made the Wiimote available

I don't think the causality (hacking->popularity) runs that way. If anything, I'd think it runs the other way (popularity of the Wii made the Wiimote available in every game store and cheap for hacking on.) However, the popularity of the Wii would seem to have been due to it being novel and fun.