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Nintendo to recall 3.2 million Wii wrist straps

Posted on Friday 15th December 2006 at 18:39 by Neal
Wii
"Nintendo said Friday it will replace 3.2 million straps for its popular Wii computer game controllers after receiving a rash of reports that the devices flew out of the hands of overzealous players.

The recall is a bittersweet development for Nintendo — a costly hitch in its three-way battle with Sony Corp.'s (SNE) PlayStation 3 and Microsoft Corp.'s (MSFT) Xbox 360, but also confirmation of the enthusiastic reception worldwide."
Read the rest courtesy of Fox News

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It's an unfortunate happenstance for Nintendo that wrist straps would be wearing out so quickly after the launch of the Wii - one would expect that they would have a better quality assurance team after such a long development period - but Nintendo should at least be happy that people are getting excited enough about their system that they're flailing wildly enough to break a wrist strap. I'm a bit wary about the change simply from 0.024 inches to 0.04 inches, because if 0.024 inches can wear out in a short month, does that mean the new straps will only last two? I'm hoping that they also made some sort of change to the fabric to ensure that it will at least last a good amount of time.

The website Wii Have A Problem is a good resource of Wii-related accidents that have been occurring, and it currently has a side-by-side snapshot displaying how the difference in thickness is. I have never seen the controller in person and was shocked to see just how thin it was and still is - even knowing the measurements, I was still thinking in my head that it would be as thick as the part that you can see in the photo that goes around your entire wrist.

The entire ordeal, as the article mentions, will cost Nintendo "several million dollars" but it ends up being decent PR that Nintendo would actually fix a documented problem and make it right for all Wii customers.
Posted in: Gaming Industry News

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Neal

Comments

HamedoComment 1: 2006-12-15 18:55
Hamedo It's a shame that something that could have been prevented so easily is causing such an uproar.

Nintendo, why couldn't you have sprung for a bit more pricey but more sturdy wrist strap? You could have even tacked on the extra 5 bucks per console that it would have cost to implement it..... I doubt the Wii owners would have minded.
Del SComment 2: 2006-12-15 19:06
Del S You save all that cash you'd normally lose on a product like this by making it from currently existing technology. You save all that cash on marketing because the blogosphere goes insane over your product. And then it's thrown right out of the window. Literally, in at least one case.

Still, less mistakes than sony in the process of actually getting it out. And PS3's only had one software error that's going to be patched, as opposed to people getting injured and property being destroyed. But property destruction and people being maimed is hillarious whilst persons not being able to play FF Tactics is tragic.

Also, WHAT THE HELL ARE PEOPLE DOING WITH THESE DAMN THINGS IN THE FIRST PLACE? Ninty's innovative idea turns out to be a flippin' death trap because people are waving about like a flag in a hurricane.
ElessarComment 3: 2006-12-15 20:14
Elessar As a proud owner of a Nintendo Wii and with four remotes, I can tell you right now that this strap issue is one of those overblown blogosphere hot-air stories. Take a remote and try it for yourself before chiming in, these people are idiots and they're going to hurt themselves regardless of whether the strap is stronger or not.

Do you have any idea how stupid it is to believe that strengthening a strap -- something that breaks because someone's too inept to grip the remote and allows the angular momentum to snap the strap -- will save people? The only difference is that the transfer of force, which is evidently enough to break TV's, will swing around and hit the person's wrist. People are now injuring themselves! This is not a solution, because the problem cannot be solved without player's self-control!!

The underlying issue here is that the consumer expects so much that when they're being stupid and waving the thing with enough force to break objects, they're actually willing to blame the manufacturer for their own mistakes! I pitch baseballs with enough force to destroy windshields too, does that make the baseball manufacturer liable?

Suffice to say, the only thing this 'next-generation' launch has shown are the two extremes: people that aren't willing to blame the manufacturer, and those that will blame it for anything indirectly negative.
FF MasterComment 4: 2006-12-15 20:50
FF Master Dang, who knew this would happen? I never would have thought swinging a controller around out of control using your arm would have been harmful. How stupid of you controller to allow such things to happen! mad.gif

The only one I actually feel bad for and didn't laugh at was the one about the woman playing tennis, and that bone......(make a shudder and vomits...again). wacko.gif blink.gif blush.gif
karasumanComment 5: 2006-12-15 20:50
karasuman
Quote (Elessar @ 15th December 2006 15:14)
As a proud owner of a Nintendo Wii and with four remotes, I can tell you right now that this strap issue is one of those overblown blogosphere hot-air stories. Take a remote and try it for yourself before chiming in, these people are idiots and they're going to hurt themselves regardless of whether the strap is stronger or not.

Amen, brother.

This is ridiculous. People who aren't careful with their property don't deserve to have it replaced for free.
Cloud_Strife510Comment 6: 2006-12-15 23:36
Cloud_Strife510
Quote
This is ridiculous. People who aren't careful with their property don't deserve to have it replaced for free.

Tell that to my brother.

and not only that, but replaced with better quality.

The wii is still awesome though. I can't wait to get one of my own.
BarrylockeComment 7: 2006-12-16 06:40
Barrylocke I just hope I don't get too frantic when I play Warioware: Smooth Moves. I don't see why so many peopleare getting injured, they just seem to be too...excited.
BDZComment 8: 2006-12-16 15:04
BDZ When a local news station covered this, the anchor finished the story with "I guess that's why they call lit a 'wheeeeeeeee!'"
mertinatronComment 9: 2006-12-16 16:07
mertinatron
Quote (BDZ @ 16th December 2006 15:04)
When a local news station covered this, the anchor finished the sotry with "I guess that's why they call lit a 'wheeeeeeeee!'"

seriously? how sad . . . .

it is a shame that something like this has happened but it'll all be fixed before too long i think
No-NameComment 10: 2006-12-18 03:17
No-Name Man that reall sucks. I'm not too surprised though, it's a new way to play ofcourse they're gonna Some have problems. But atleast they fixed it before too long.

Stupid rabbit.
Elena99Comment 11: 2006-12-18 12:42
Elena99 After having a chance to use a Wii, I can see how whether or not it's going to go flying is up to the individual. If you forget to put on the strap, don't put it on right, have sweaty hands, or get really energetic when excited, you're at risk.

When we finally get a Wii, I'm going to reinforce the strap. I even thought of knitting a sort of wiimote cozy that straps to the wrist somehow, but this could just be an excuse for me to knit something.
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