Responding to complaints from consumers who have damaged televisions and other personal property when the motion-sensing remote on their new Wii video game console flew across the room and, well, broke something, Nintendo has announced it will voluntarily exchange some 3.2 million wrist straps shipped with its Wii video game console systems.
According to Nintendo, versions of the Wii consoles shipped beginning in early December already have the newer, stronger version of the remote strap, so Wii owners will need to determine which version of the strap they have before applying for a replacement. Unfortunately, the difference between the straps is the thickness of the cord which loops into the Wii remote itself: unless you have both versions to compare, it might be difficult for some users to figure out which version they have. The exchange program is straightforward: Nintendo will simply ship a new strap to Wii owners, without requiring return of the old one.
Nintendo also announced it is recalling some 200,000 AC power adapters shipped with Nintendo DS and DS Lite handheld gaming systems because they may in rare cases overheat and pose a risk of burns or property damage. So far, the power adapter recall is limited to Japan, and Nintendo says the power adapter recall does not apply to Nintendo DS or DS Lite systems shipped overseas or to the U.S. market.
The Wii strap replacement and power adapter recalls are expected to cost Nintendo several hundred million yen (one hundred million yen is approximately $850,000 USD) but not enough to have a significant impact on the companies earnings.
