Nintendo issues recall on Wii straps

By Iain Thomson on Dec 18, 2006 2:59 PM
Filed under Hardware

Responds to complaints after injuries to players.

Nintendo has announced that it will be offering to replace all broken straps on the controllers for its Wii games console.

The Wii is the first console to contain movement sensors, allowing players to swing the controller to play tennis, hit a baseball or bowl in a virtual bowling alley.

The controller comes with a wrist strap but reports are growing of users losing their grip and the wrist strap breaking, causing damage to players and home furnishings.

Sites such as Wiihaveaproblem contain testimony and photographs from users who have had problems with their Wii straps.

"I am one of those people that had their Wiimote strap broken. My friend was playing Baseball in Wii Sports with me, he was the batter and I was the pitcher, " explained one user.

"My friend was very intense with sweaty hands and when he swung, the Wiimote flew out of his hand and I guess the strap broke because of the force."

Nintendo is planning to replace all broken Wii straps and will shortly be bringing out a stronger version to be shipped with new consoles. The company maintains that as long as the controllers are used correctly there should not be a problem.