Nintendo to replace 3.2M Wii straps

By Hans Greimel

updated 3:37 p.m. ET Dec. 15, 2006

TOKYO - The reception of Nintendo's Wii video game console has been enthusiastic — too enthusiastic, apparently, for the straps that are supposed to keep the game controllers in the hands of players.

After widespread reports of controllers flying out of the hands of overly energetic players to cause a Wii bit of damage to TV sets, walls and bystanders, Nintendo is recalling 3.2 million straps to replace them with tougher stuff.

The console's motion-sensitive remote controller can be swung like a tennis racket, golf club or sword, depending on the game. But soon after the Wii went on sale last month, the excesses of overzealous players became apparent.

Nintendo will now allow customers to exchange the old straps, which have a 0.024 inch diameter, for a beefed up strap that has a diameter of 0.04 inch, company spokesman Yasuhiro Minagawa said.

"People tended to get a bit excited ... and in some cases the control would come loose from their hands," Minagawa said. "The new strap will be almost twice as thick."

The wand-like controller is one of the unique features of the Wii, which Nintendo introduced as its counterchallenge in a fierce competition with Sony Corp.'s PlayStation 3 and Microsoft Corp.'s Xbox 360.

Nintendo is hoping the easy-to-control wand will appeal to a wider crowd of players — not just young men.

Customers can exchange the straps through their local Nintendo service centers, Minagawa said. The worldwide exchange is expected to cost the company several million dollars.

Billy Pidgeon, an industry analyst at IDC in New York, said the replacement program could have an overall upside for Nintendo — the company is being proactive, and problems with the wrist straps appear relatively minor.

Some older versions of Microsoft's video game console had more serious problems when electrical adapters had to be replaced because of fire dangers, he noted.

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