“3.2 million of the new Wii consoles are being recalled …” SPOnG hears on BBC 6 Music radio news as we awake earlier this morning.
What the…?
BBC Technology online’s headline informs its readers that, “Nintendo recalls 3.2m Wii straps,” going on to claim that, “Nintendo is recalling more than three million straps for its new Wii console…[following] scores of complaints about the wrist straps breaking during use.”
However, a few calls to Nintendo and its PR company and SPOnG can confirm that the BBC report is misleading and wrong.
Nintendo will offer customers THE OPTION to exchange the old straps, which have an 0.024 inch diameter, for a thicker strap that has a diameter of 0.04 inch, according to Nintendo UK's PR Manager Rob Saunders today.
“It’s not a recall, the BBC is wrong,” Saunders told us earlier.
“In terms of those who have had problems with the actual strap, it’s around 0.001% of users,” he added.
"So, to reiterate, it’s not a recall, it’s just a sensible precaution. If anybody wants to exchange the original wrist strap then they can contact our customer services as of Monday to do so on 0870 6060247."
"All new consoles and Wii Remotes and Wii Plays are now shipping with the thicker straps," he added.
"People tended to get a bit excited, especially while playing Wii sports and in some cases the control would come loose from their hands…The new strap will be almost twice as thick," company spokesman Yasuhiro Minagawa told AP News.
In other news, Nintendo HAS recalled 200,000 AC adapters for its DS and DS Lite consoles in Japan, at a cost of 100 million yen ($1 million).