Wiiii...*crash*

[JJ___]

With Christmas rollling around again and folks running amok in shopping centres already, the critics have already named the Nintendo Wii as this year's must-have Christmas present. Launched in Europe on the 11th, it has now entered the homes of most of the western world.

And, as everyone is no doubt aware, things are not all fine and dandy for Nintendo right now. Many customers have been shocked to find the straps on their 'Wiimotes' breaking and it slipping out of their hands, causing damage to TV's, windows, lights and people, amongst others.

Nintendo's response to this has been an announcement that it will replace all broken wrist straps, though they say that if used correctly the straps are not prone to these sorts of breakages. It also says that all future consoles are to be fitted with "enhance" straps.

What do you think? Is the Wii dangerous? Or do some people blow it all out of proportion because of the upset they find when their brand-new console breaks?

[Ancient Dragon]

never used one so I have no idea. So a strap breaks, so what? what happens? do you get electricuted or something?

>>breaking and it slipping out of their hands, causing damage to TV's, windows, lights and people, amongst others

Ok, lets say you are holding one of those little monsters and the strap breaks. How in the world could it possible damage a TV, window etc. etc. ? When it hits the floor does it explode like a stick of dynamite?

As for Nintendo -- they should be ashamed of themseves selling a product that can so easily be broken.
>>they say that if used correctly the straps are not prone to these sorts of breakages
Sorry Nintendo, we a PEOPLE, not robots, and people do not always do things they way they should.

[Bench]

never used one so I have no idea. So a strap breaks, so what? what happens? do you get electricuted or something?

>>breaking and it slipping out of their hands, causing damage to TV's, windows, lights and people, amongst others

Ok, lets say you are holding one of those little monsters and the strap breaks. How in the world could it possible damage a TV, window etc. etc. ? When it hits the floor does it explode like a stick of dynamite?

Have you seen any of the Wii adverts? The idea of the "Wii-mote" (is that how its spelt?) is that you wave it around in the air, as if it were a sword, or a knife, or a fist, or....

I guess a few people must have just gotten a little over excited whilst playing with their new Wii :)

[Ancient Dragon]

The AC adapters are also being replaced because they overhead and could cause burns.

>>Have you seen any of the Wii adverts
No, but I'll make it a point to watch the next one.

[JJ___]

Ok, lets say you are holding one of those little monsters and the strap breaks. How in the world could it possible damage a TV, window etc. etc. ?

I'm fairly sure that this is a simple misunderstanding of the nature of the 'Wiimote'. The selling point of the new console is that unlike normal contollers, the Wiimote is not designed just as an arrangement of buttons to be held still and pressed. It has a built-in motion sensor, and must be moved around in Wii games in order to produce the action on-screen. The Wiimote doesn't tend to "hit the floor" or be dropped per se, more it flies out of gamers' hands when they accidentally let go after excessive movements.

I believe myself that these recent reports will make people more careful when using their new Wii; in time these sorts of stories will fade into the background.

[roryt]

Check out http://www.wiihaveaproblem.com to see some pretty shocking pictures of what happens when people get excited! There is blood!

[Ancient Dragon]

JJ: Oh I think I understand now. Apparently Nintendo never had any kids play with the Wii before they put it on the market. If they had, they would have seen those straps break and the Wii fly across the room into TV sets etc.

[JJ___]

Not neccesarily. Remember that only a handful of incidents like this have happened out of over 600,000 units sold. It's unfair to suggest that Nintendo did no testing; they almost certainly did, but these tests would have happened under controlled conditions in which those testing would not have used such excessive force.

Having said this, it is a small wonder if Nintendo had thought of this sort of thing happening before the release of the console, regardless of controlled test results.