Just checking my emails this morning and here is the CPSC notice that I get through the list serve.

NEWS from CPSC
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Office of Information and Public Affairs
Washington, DC 20207

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 15, 2006
Release #07-061

Firm's Hotline: (800) 859-4519
CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772
CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908

Nintendo of America Initiates Replacement Program for Wrist Straps Used
with Controllers for the Wii Video Game System

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in
cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary
replacement program for the following consumer product.
Name of Product: Wrist Straps Used with Controllers for the Nintendo Wii
Video Game System

Units: About 2 Million

Distributor: Nintendo of America Inc.

Issue: If consumers swing the hand-held "Wii Remote" game controllers
using excessive force and accidentally let go, the cord connecting the
controller to the wrist strap can break, potentially causing the
controller to strike bystanders or objects.

Incidents/Injuries: Nintendo has received reports of cords on wrist
straps breaking, including three reports of minor injuries not requiring
medical attention. All of these incidents occurred when consumers were
playing the game, "Wii Sports."

Description: The wrist straps are sold with Nintendo's Wii video game
system (pronounced "we"). Its controller, called the Wii Remote, is
shaped like a TV remote. Sensors determine the Wii Remote's position in
3-D space, which means that a tennis swing, for example, is done through
movement of a consumer's hand rather than by just fingers and thumbs.
The cords on the wrist straps included in this program are 0.6mm in
diameter. The replacement cords are 1.0 mm in diameter (see photo
below).

Sold by: The Wii video game systems have been sold since November 19,
2006 for approximately $249. The Wii Remote has separately been sold
from November 19, 2006 for approximately $39. All Wii video game systems
purchased after December 11, 2006 should have the new 1.0 mm cord. All
individually sold Wii Remotes purchased after December 18, 2006, should
have the new 1.0 mm cord.

Manufactured in: Japan and China

Remedy: Consumers should contact the firm for a replacement wrist strap.


Customer Contact: For more information, contact Nintendo toll-free at
(800) 859-4519 between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m. PT, or visit their Web site at
www.support.nintendo.com

To see this Press Release on CPSC's web site, including a picture of the
product involved, please go to:
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml07/07061.html

Issue: If consumers swing the hand-held "Wii Remote" game controllers using excessive force and accidentally let go, the cord connecting the
controller to the wrist strap can break, potentially causing the controller to strike bystanders or objects.
Great advertising. Too bad N couldn't get the CPSC to say the problem arises when consumers are having too much fun.

Great advertising. Too bad N couldn't get the CPSC to say the problem arises when consumers are having too much fun.

I agree that consumers should use some common sense but it doesn't excuse the fact that the connecting line was not sufficiently strong. Seems to me that they should have built in some margin for error.

The replacement straps seem to only be for the standard white remotes. What about for folks who have purchased the color controller shells? Those come with their own color straps, and the ones available at launch have the same very thin line attaching them to the remote. Replacing them with white replacement straps seems to be a downgrade in essence.

Well, those straps were made by third party companies, so it will be up to those companies to issue replacements.

Ahh, good point. I wonder if Nintendo provided the "recommended specifications" on the straps though, i.e., if the third party made the strap connections flimsy because Nintendo provided them with this data. If so, Nintendo actually contributed to the poor design decision.

It depends. Nintendo has essentially said that customers are using the device beyond it's intended specifications. Most companies include an indemity clause of some sort. My personal favorite is the clause that reads something like "This product isn't made to do anything". So it is likely that Nintendo furnished some infomation and then said "But if you use this informatio, you didn't get it from us."

Anyway, I went ahead and requested four of the new ones even though they won't match my cool looking Wii sleeve thingies.

This is really lame..people who throw the remote out of their hands dont know that it doesnt take a lot of force to max a particular move for any game. It doesnt take that much force. This is plain stupid.

This is really lame..people who throw the remote out of their hands dont know that it doesnt take a lot of force to max a particular move for any game. It doesnt take that much force. This is plain stupid.

You are talking about a lot of people that have never played any video games, ever. It's normal to see new people move a lot when they play, and that is with the older systems. You know, the people that lean into their movements, shaking the controller up and down to dodge something on the screen, when in reality all they have to do is push a button. Now take that affect and give them a system that they actually are supposed to move with, and you can see where all the flying remotes come from.

I have had over a dozen people play my Wii, and the results are the same with everyone. When someone gets into Wii Sports, you see people moving, leaning, and contorting their body to get the ball to do what they want. My remotes have hit my coffee table numerous times, although not by being let go. With sweaty hands, I can see it happening.

Also, I still want to feel like it's realistic, so I swing pretty hard on baseball instead of doing more simple movements. I ahvent let go of the remote though. lol

You are talking about a lot of people that have never played any video games, ever. It's normal to see new people move a lot when they play, and that is with the older systems. You know, the people that lean into their movements, shaking the controller up and down to dodge something on the screen, when in reality all they have to do is push a button. Now take that affect and give them a system that they actually are supposed to move with, and you can see where all the flying remotes come from.

I have had over a dozen people play my Wii, and the results are the same with everyone. When someone gets into Wii Sports, you see people moving, leaning, and contorting their body to get the ball to do what they want. My remotes have hit my coffee table numerous times, although not by being let go. With sweaty hands, I can see it happening.

Yes I know but its still stupid. Do they let go of the steering wheel in the car when they get all "excited"? I'm afraid to hear the result.

Yes I know the strap was made for that. Perhaps those that get the remote thrown often should buy the skins.