Last week MyGamer reported on the investigation by Nintendo of the Wiimote..particularly the straps which have been known to come loose during more active intervals. To see our original article go here:https://www.mygamer.com/index.php?platform=homepage&publisher=&developer=&game=&page=globalnews&mode=viewnews&id=2186 Well, today, we have an update for all of you. According to Associated Press and numerous other news outlets(most recently ourselves) Nintendo has recalled 3.2 million new straps for the Wiimote.
It seems that the reports of Wiimotes flying into the ether after the strap breaks after a particularly violent gesture would have been reduced(or totally eliminated) if the connecting strap was thicker. And so that's just what Nintendo went and did. The are allowing current Wii owners to exchange their current straps(which measure at 0.024 inches in diameter) for one 0.04 inches in diameter,
Yasuhiro Minagawa, the corporate spokeman for Nintendo, offered these words: "People tended to get a bit excited, especially while playing Wii sports and in some cases the control would come loose from their hands." He also added that “The new strap will be almost twice as thick." This is all well and good but where Nintendo will take it on the chin is that the recall will cost several million dollars which comes on top of a notice by Nintendo that it is recalling 200,000 AC Adapters for it's DS and DS Lite solely in Japan and which, while not involving AC Adapters shipped to other countries, but will still necessitate another million dollars for this recall.
For those with a thinner Wiimote strap follow this link http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/strapreplace.jsp and take the steps from there. For this and nothert new stories please keep coming back right here to MyGamer.com
Nick McCavitt at nmccavitt@mygamer.com