Nintendo has announced that it will replace 3.2 million straps for its popular Wii computer game controllers.
The company said that it has taken such a step after receiving a rash of reports that the device flew out of the hands of enthusiastic players. Soon after the Wii went on sale last month, people started reporting cases of the controller's strap breaking as they waved it about vigorously.
Nintendo had earlier said that they were going to look into the problem people were facing with breaking straps and it is clear that earlier units indeed had issues with the straps.
It is learnt that the strap is connected to a motion sensitive controller that is used to control the on-screen action, and is used to mimic the motions of a tennis racket, golf club or sword, depending on the game. Besides, the Wii strap is an important safety feature of the controller, which is waved around vigorously in a typical game. And all the games for the Wii come with regular safety messages that remind players to keep the wrist strap on.
In a statement, Yasuhiro Minagawa, Company Spokesman, said that Nintendo will offer customers to exchange the old straps, which have a 0.6 millimeter (0.024 inch) diameter, for a beefed up strap that has a diameter of 1 millimeter (0.04 inch.)
Minagawa further added thar people tended to get a bit excited, especially while playing Wii sports and in some cases the control would come loose from their hands. Now the new strap will be almost twice as thick. Nintendo is hoping the ease of the controls will draw a new generation of players.
The controls is one of the unique features of the Wii, which Nintendo introduced as its counterchallenge in a fierce three-way battle with Sony's PlayStation 3 (PS3) and Microsoft's Xbox 360.
The company, in addition, is also recalling 200,000 AC adapters for its DS and DS Lite consoles in Japan. However, the adapters made for the overseas market are not being recalled. Nintendo also said that these recalls are expected to have only a small impact on its earnings.
Meanwhile, the worldwide recall is expected to cost the company about $1 million. It would also affect all Nintendo Wiis sold worldwide and almost all units currently on shelves in shops.
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i think all this is jus hype created by microsoft and sony.. thy wer taken back by the success of wii an r tryiin negative addvertisin by highlightin such incidents an also often faking them..
by Punk
from Mumbai
on 16/12/06 12:30 AM
I was playing Nintendo and the straps came undone when I was playing rather aggressively. The remote hit the telly next to the window then kind of bounced on the window sill and managed to roll (kind of a slow motion tip and roll) out the window. I live on the third floor of an apartment building above shops facing the street. It then fell on to the head of a passing Minister. I didn't know it at the time, of course, but I heard a yelp followed by a screech, a crashing sound that strangely kept going, then a string of curses. As I was running downstairs I heard this kind of chorus of voices - not the 'happy-holidays' kind of chorus mind you, but the disharmonious 'family-argument' type of chorus. There was cheering too. As I ran to the front door I could see the shadows and commotion of movement of what was clearly a large group of people gathered but doing something very actively, and all sorts of noise. Not just voices but shrieks and yells and deep gutteral growls. Even a baby crying, but with a little tone of earnest vengeance in its voice! My instant and disturbing impression was it seemed through the shadows of the clouded glass front doors like a group of villagers was attacking a beast with pitchforks, or something like that anyway. I paused for a moment but the disturbance had such a raw pull on my curiosity I overcame my fear and good sense, pushed open the front doors and was amazed at the sight (Site? It became a place of wonder in my mind thereafter) of such a horrendous mess. I stood there, I guess you could say mentally 'undone', for at least several minutes until the clatter and sharp edged sound of sirens shook me to alertness.
I stepped back inside, closed the entry door and prayed and wished and 'desperated' (it seems like a word to me having experienced it) that no one saw me. Still in shock I went back upstairs, furtively but not really since I didn't have even the bodily control to yield to my own instincts. It was that kind of feeling that overtakes all your senses, You know what I mean. Well it took a few days of saying nothing, being nobody, and passing by all the the talk (I didn't dare be seen to take an interest or ask questions) but I eventually pieced together what all had happened. Evidently the Minister was hit on the head by my remote! I guess I said that already yet it still seems very noteworthy given what happened. Yes there was a lot of cursing that followed (remember I heard that from upstairs) but it wasn't by him. He yelped and flinched, jumped actually off the pavement into the path of an approaching truck. A Beer and Spirits delivery truck! (God I wish it had been the Milk truck!) Well the driver tried to stop, braked and swerved into the path of a Bank truck coming the other direction,which knocked it over!
Everything went everywhere. In true holiday-shopping spirit I suppose everyone around immediately saw the best unadvertised sale of their lives and leapt into action. Broken glass was ignored in the heat of people jumping into the fray and nabbing and grabbing and snatching off the ground the truck and each other whatever they could get their hands on. (The Bank truck didn't spill anything but I remember two or three pullng on the back doors - must have been the driver of that truck who called the Police). Well the Minister was in the middle of it all, a trickle of blood on his forehead, shouting to everyone to stop, pulling on people, slipping, falling and frantically doing what he could - he was quite hysterical. When the police arrived everyone scattered of course leaving this madman covered in alcohol. What could they do. The Driver said he jumped in front of him with a mad look and his "hands outstretched to stop him". Poor guy was in jail for several days before they let him go. Every conversation I heard was tinged with a little guilty delight. Aye, I think they should fix those straps.
by Stephen D
from "Glasgow, Scotland"
on 15/12/06 09:59 PM
I heard there was a website where people had pictures of their smashed televisions etc i heard it in radio 1 a few minutes ago at about 12:52.
Thanks i think these people are just being careless as its common sense to hold the controller tight.
by Ash
from Leeds
on 15/12/06 06:18 PM
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