Nintendo To Replace Wiimote Wrist Straps

Kotaku has word that, after much giggling and photo-taking, Nintendo is replacing all of the Wiimote straps shipped with the original release of the console. There is a strap replacement form available, to get new straps sent to you. From the article: "Once your replacement wrist strap has shipped, you will receive a confirmation email from Nintendo. We expect to begin shipping replacement straps around December 21st. It will take 5 to 9 days for delivery depending on your location. Please do not contact Nintendo regarding your replacement wrist strap until after that time period has passed. We apologize for any inconvenience and appreciate your interest in our products." Update: 12/15 17:07 GMT by Z : I used the right term here in the text, but Edge Online notes that recall is not the right term to use here. Title corrected.

Comments

not a recall

[Dance_Dance_Karnov]

This isn't a recall. This is for people too stupid to hold on to something while they swing it. The strap was designed to prevent people from dropping it, not to stop a remote traveling at 60+ MPH.

"As of Monday, anyone who has any problems or concerns about the integrity of their Wii Remote wrist straps can call Nintendo Customer Services for a replacement strap. This is not a product recall. The current wrist strap is fine - it has passed all safely standards and does the job. This is simply a precaution because we are aware of the concerns over their safety. All new Wii Remotes and Wii consoles will ship with the new, thicker wrist strap. Even though the original straps are perfectly adequate for normal play, we can't control the exuberance of players."

Re:Someone show this to Sony

[Megane]

This is how a company should react when they screw up.

This isn't the first time they've done such a thing, nor the biggest. The Famicom recall of 1983 set a precedent, after which Microsoft's failure to promptly recall the Xbox when it had launch problems probably was what really cost themthe Japanese market. After that, recalling a bunch of piddly wrist straps that cost more to ship than they do to manufacture is nothing.

And in fact, this is how Japanese businesses typically behave in the Japanese market. Taking responsibility, sometimes more than they deserve blame for, and making it right, even if it means the president of the company has to go from Okinawa to Hokkaido and personally ring doorbells and apologize to everyone who was wronged.

Re:Someone show this to Sony

[MaWeiTao]

And in fact, this is how Japanese businesses typically behave in the Japanese market. Taking responsibility, sometimes more than they deserve blame for, and making it right, even if it means the president of the company has to go from Okinawa to Hokkaido and personally ring doorbells and apologize to everyone who was wronged.

No, this isn't how every Japanese business behaves. Many companies have covered up and denied problems, it's no different than Western companies. In fact, it's customary for companies there to cover up problems, quietly address them and release those fixes in subsequent models. Mitsubishi a few years ago was discovered to be covering up defects in their automobiles. I think one of their own veteran test drivers, who had been very loyal to the company ultimately helped to disclose these problems. There have been cases where people have gotten sick at restaurants and they offer a palty sum of money, not even enough to cover medical expenses. And, the last time I check Sony was a Japanese company and they've tried covering up countless problems and in fact have often failed to recall defective products.

If anything, it's easier for companies to get away with this in Japan than it is in the US because Japanese are a lot less likely to become vocal and try to fight a big company. They certianly don't engage in lawsuits like Americans do.

I do agree, however, that when someone is has been uncovered of wrongdoing they will openly apologize for it. In the US corporate management will deny everything and make excuses to the bitter end. In Japan they'll hold a press conference and make a direct apology to everyone, stating how they've shamed themselves, their family and their company. You'd never see that in the US. Then again, many Americans think money is the best form of apology and a CEO apologizing would be seen as an admission of guilt and thus paving the way for a lawsuit.

Re:Someone show this to Sony

[DeadMilkman]

What the heck are you talking about?

Nintendo ALWAYS does massive beta test, PUBLIC beta tests, Real world usage beta test.

There were all KINDS of wonderful secretive "get the word out" Wii parties going on. (part of the Wii ambassador program)

Here I'll link a few:
http://gonintendo.com/?p=6254
http://www.kotaku.com/gaming/top/secret-wii-partie s-start-in-september-194866.php
http://forums.nintendo.com/nintendo/board/message? board.id=General&message.id=38275
http://picturethis.clubmom.com/picture_this/2006/0 9/picture_nintend.html

Becareful with casual derogatory labels.

[Semptimilius]

I used to feel people who lost their grip on their remotes were stupid. Or naturally clumsy. Or speading FUD or looking for lawsuit material. Until it happened to me whilst playing tennis. My hand was extremely sweaty during one very long rally. All it took was one backhand too many in this sweaty situation and -VOOP- goes the wiimote. The strap did break, and I don't think that offending swing was particularly vigorous. Nothing was broken, and, fortunately, I can tie knots. I think it's just poor design. What's the average tensile strength of that string? Inserting and removing it from the plastic clip on the nunchuk could easily fray the string. They could have used an aramid fibre like Kevlar. Or a rubber (or ridged) surface for the wiimote itself, for grip.

Re:Someone show this to Sony

[Thansal]

heh, I also rember that one.

Also a quick google for "gameboy iraq" will pull up a number of refferences to the gameboy that the Nintendo World Store in NYC has on display. The thing is fusedtogether after going through a bombing of a barak in desert storm. The awsome part is that it still plays tetris (sure, it needs an AC adapter, and some of the lines are dead, but it is still awsome :P)

Re: You don't "Fiddle with Buttons in Wii Sports"

[trdrstv]

Well, for one thing, these items (baseball bats, Tennis racquets, golf clubs, drumsticks) do go flying on a regular basis. But they are outside, on a green or in a court, not 3 feet from your plasma screen.

Secondly, there are no buttons that you are fiddling with while swinging your tennis racket or golf club, which certainly has an effect.

For Wii Sports you Do not 'Fiddle' with buttons while you are in game. Hell, 3 of them you can play without touching Any buttons.

Tennis - Though you can toss the ball up to serve by pressing the A button, if you gesture up with your racquet your character will throw the ball in the air.

Boxing - Uses no buttons what-so-ever for in game action.

Baseball - Uses no buttons what-so-ever for for batting. For Pitching, you can change your pitches with the digital pad before any pitching motion is ever made. You hand should be secure on the remote at that point. You actually can play a full game of baseball without touching any buttons if you don't mind only throwing fastballs.

Golf - Requires only 1 button be HELD during gameplay so the computer knows the difference between a swing, and a practice swing. Holding the remote so your thumb covers the A button, doensn't constitute 'fiddling'.

Bowling - Hold the remote securely with your thumb and forefingers to bowl. The only one that gets used during motion is the Trigger (your index finger) and that's a simple, press and release. Your thumb and rest of your fingers should easily be able to hold onto the remote.