Nintendo Wii Remote wrist strap replacement

Amidst rising reports of broken TVs and injured players, Nintendo is offering to replace 3.2 million original Wii Remote wrist straps with a newer, stronger version.

Nintendo, which is facing at least one lawsuit over damage caused by a reported wrist strap breakage, firmly asserts that this action is a replacement, not a "recall", of the original strap. The company is also taking efforts to "reinforce with consumers the proper use of the Wii Remote" according to Nintendo.

Not wanting to risk any potential Wii-related catastrophes (other than my sinking bowling average) I filled out Nintendo's online replacement form. Within a few weeks, my two replacement straps arrived.

Credit: Bill Detwiler

For more on TechRepublic's Wii experience, check out these galleries:

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• Cracking open the Nintendo Wii
• Nintendo Wii and GameCube hardware side-by-side