Tech Shout!

Following a successful launch in the U.S. and Japan with over 1 million units sold, Nintendo is now facing some problems with its controller, which is known as the Wii-mote. Nintendo announced today that it will be recalling 3.2 million Wii-mote wrist straps.

The Nintendo Wii Remote is probably one of the main features of Wii that sets it apart from other next-generation gaming consoles like the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The Wii-mote can be used as a handheld pointing device that detects motion and rotation in three dimensions. The unusual controller also contains a speaker and a rumble device that provides sensory feedback.

However, since the launch of Nintendo Wii, we have heard nothing but complaints concerning the Wii-mote from its users. In fact, numerous videos were also doing the rounds on the Internet, showing Wii-mote users getting badly injured due to the violent swinging action that is required to be performed when using the Wii-mote.

In the first half of December itself, Nintendo’s president Satoru Iwata confirmed that the company is investigating potential problems with the straps that were supplied with the Wii Remote. Today, Nintendo announced that they will be recalling 3.2 million Nintendo Wii straps, after receiving several reports that the straps are not sturdy enough to cope with the amount of vigorous wrist action needed in many of the Wii games.

For the time being, Nintendo has posted some advice for consumers on its official Web site, which reads as follows, “Even while wearing the Wii wrist strap, make sure you don’t let go of the Wii Remote during game play and do not use excessive motion. For example, in Wii Sports bowling, the proper way to let go of the ball while bowling is to release the “B” button on the Wii Remote—DO NOT LET GO OF THE Wii REMOTE ITSELF. If you are having so much fun that you start perspiring, take a moment to dry your hands. If you use excessive motion and let go of the Wii Remote, the wrist strap may break and you could lose control of the Wii Remote. This could injure people nearby or cause damage to other objects.”

Nintendo plans to replace the current ‘injurious’ Wii wrist strap with a much thicker one.