Nintendo miss Christmas with new straps

December 18, 2006 on 7:33 am | In Broken Straps |
Strap Collage

With the announcement of Nintendo’s Wii strap replacement programme last week, these broken strap images that have surfaced across the internet (and in my inbox) will be a thing of the past, right? I’m not so sure.

Looking at the small print on their website they state the following: “We expect to begin shipping replacement straps around December 21st. It will take 5 to 9 days for delivery depending on your location”. By my calculations, that means the new beefier straps can be expected on December 26th at the earliest. Yoiks! And that means no new straps for Christmas.

Expect this conversation to play out under the Christmas tree in homes across the planet:
Son: Oh Dad, a Wii, that’s the best present in the world! Thank you. Quick, let’s set it up.
Dad: Not so fast son. We’ve got to register for the strap replacement programme. Now, where’s that serial number?
Son: Are you serious?
Dad: After what’s happened to some of those spoilt kids who got their Wiis before Christmas, I don’t want to see that remote getting anywhere near our new flat screen TV.
Son: No way! Are you saying it’s going back in the box until our new strap comes through? But that could be 2007! Oh, Daddy I want to play my Wii NOW.
Dad: Sorry Son, but we can’t be taking any chances. Now, go and thank your mother for those new socks.

If this happens to you, read on for some great advice on how to get your Wii out of its box on Christmas Day.


So, are people really going to leave their Wiis in the box until the new straps arrive? After all, at this traditional time of family togetherness, what better represents that spirit than a few frames of Wii Sports Bowling with the kids (it’s all summed up in those three small letters). Somehow I doubt it. And with 3.2 million ‘Wiik’ straps out there, expect more damage!

If you are unfortunate enough to find yourself with a very protective parent this festive season, we’ve collected some top arguments you could use to get the Wii out of the box:

“Don’t worry Dad, let’s use it with the old CRT TV upstairs - according to wiidamage.com those thick glass screens have never broken” (Just don’t mention the surrounds).
“I’m going to hunt out that Wiimote strap mod I heard about on the internet. Nothing’s going to break fishing line.”
“We’ll only play Wii Sports Golf, honest. No one has caused any damage with golf, ever”
“OK, but can I take it round to Tyler’s house to play with?”

If you’ve got more seasonal suggestions for avoiding strap damage, drop them in the comments below. And remember, if despite your efforts, things get carried away and damage ensues, you know just where to report it!

56 Comments »

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  1. Because Wii consoles shipped starting in early December already utilized the newer version of the strap, you will need to determine which version of the strap you have before ordering a replacement.

    You forgot to add this part to your note - all Wiimotes shipped in December (aka, for example, all Wiimotes in Europe) already use the new version of the strap, so its only those who bought their Wii BEFORE December that might face problems.

    Comment by Thyr — December 18, 2006 #

  2. Thanks for the update Thyr - that’s great news for us European gamers. I do have one question though - if all European Wiimotes are thick strapped, why does e.g. the UK have their own recall details (as reported on the BBC)?:

    “UK residents should contact the Nintendo Service Centre:
    Phone: 0870 6060247 (National Rate)
    Email: wiiwriststrap@codestorm.co.uk
    Address: Wii Wrist Strap, Nintendo Service Centre, CoDEStorm House, Walton Road, Farlington, PO6 1TR”

    Is this really just for eBayers who got theirs early from the US? Detailed sources would be helpful. Thanks!

    Comment by Damage — December 18, 2006 #

  3. I’m from the UK, I can report that I have two controllers with thin straps. Not going to get them replaced though, I shall instruct anyone wishing to join me in a game how to use the thing properly.

    Comment by Phil — December 18, 2006 #

  4. I guess it depends on production date then…all wriststraps in Germany/Switzerland/Austria are thick (according to a newspaper article and my personal knowledge), maybe some of those for the UK were (likely) produced already earlier and partially still use the thinner straps? I thought everyone in Europe has thicker ones though…

    Just rechecked, they said “shipped in earlier December”, so I guess some of the release-Wiimotes for the UK were perhaps shipped just before they started replacing or something :?

    Link is the one in the article, second line of
    http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/strapreplace.jsp

    Comment by Thyr — December 19, 2006 #

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    Comment by spug — December 27, 2006 #

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