We've already spotted
a couple of TVs get taken down by flying
Wiimotes due to either overzealous gameplay or a pretty weak-sauce wrist strap, although we're leaning toward the latter. Over the last few days we've seen household collateral damage due to the strap either breaking entirely or slipping off those wearers who haven't opted for some
special gloves. Our latest updates include two busted straps, one of which took out reader Rafael M.'s iPAQ hx4700 (pictured) that had sat docked adjacent to the TV, but is now obviously not more. The second strap, captured on video by residents of Cambrian House in Calgary (and now immortalized on YouTube, check it out on the next page), shows that beyond the woven exterior appears to be an easily-broken, tiny cable (similar to a fishing line) that connects to the Wiimote itself. Further, a third gamer, Elliot G., told us that his Wiimote came tearing off of his wrist while playing and took out a nearby beer glass (fortunately the can of Boddingtons appears to have been spared, as shown after the jump). So guys: until Nintendo gets this problem fixed, or you come up with a way to reinforce that strap, please make sure your gameplay area is clear of anything valuable and breakable, such as your television.
Read - Rafael Montano
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Matt @ Nov 24th 2006 8:30PM
PROOF. I think if i ever get a wii ill get the glove and two straps just like that some one else posted its just like wearing two condons nothing could go wrong and with the glove its like 3 condoms. YAY PROTECTION
thebruce @ Nov 25th 2006 4:22AM
'Just like wearing two condoms'. Wow. Don't ever use more that one condom at once. The friction caused between the two can render them both useless. For added protection against pregnancy, use two DIFFERENT methods of contraception.
Think before you post, dammit!
WickEd @ Nov 24th 2006 8:31PM
I officially don't get these. Do people swing the Wii Remote and then let go, leaving the controller to hang on by the strap? I haven't played all Wii launch titles so I don't know what's required, but if it's not part of a particular game, why do people do this?
Anthony Mazel @ Nov 24th 2006 8:33PM
People who sweat bad enough to let the controller fly out of their hands are disgusting.
Me @ Nov 25th 2006 1:28AM
Thats not the point though, the handstrap is there for a reason, it shouldnt break in any situation, Nintendo cutting costs.
Hel @ Nov 24th 2006 8:35PM
Seems a little crazy. I imagine if you cant keep a good grip you shouldnt be swinging like that...
Alcaron @ Nov 24th 2006 8:44PM
"We've already spotted a couple of TVs get taken down by flying Wiimotes due to either overzealous gameplay or a pretty weak-sauce wrist strap, although we're leaning toward the latter."
I don't know that it is the brightest idea to go around supporting a theory based on "just because".
I mean, aside from having zero proof of anything, there is a little IMPLIED responsibility in what you post on a highly visible blog. I'm not saying its illegal, but it does seem kind of irresponsible doesn't it?
I'm not a N fan, and I don't own a Wii or have plans on getting one, but I played one yesterday for a couple hours and short of being retarded, I'm not really sure I believe these claims.
Gilbert Tang @ Nov 25th 2006 1:17PM
Funny, I thought video was proof. Of course, one thing doesn't lead to another, but doesn't it behoove Engadget, as a media outlet, to inform its readers?
Eh @ Nov 24th 2006 8:44PM
Are there any reports of this happenning in Japan? Or is this like an american thing where people are just trying to show off their strength? Maybe Nintendo needs to make an american remote like how Microsoft made a japanese Xbox controller. I dont understand why people have to swing the controller so hard...
iceatcs @ Nov 24th 2006 8:53PM
Japan will get wii on 2nd dec.
Compulim @ Nov 24th 2006 8:44PM
Instead of buying the glove, why don't consider sticking adhesive rubber grip to the Wiimote? There could be a huge market to sell white adhesive tapes than ever before! Things in pure white (iPod...) could bring more revenue than in other colors, right?
Nyk0n @ Dec 4th 2006 2:34AM
I agree who needs to swing the wii remote that hard. I have had my Wii for about 4 days and never had this happen but then again Im not showing off in front of a camera trying to show how hard i can pitch or swing a racket.
this isn't likel happening in Japan as
1: it came out yesterday
2: the Japanese watch Miyamoto play tennis on stage and saw he wasn't swinging the remote that hard with the same effect.
fools i tell ya and hope they learn their lesson when Insurance doesn't cover their stupidity
Paul @ Nov 24th 2006 8:50PM
I am sure it is a combination of things...
- Sweaty hands
- High velocity of said hands (look how hard he swings it)
- a slightly loose grip (mayhaps holding it like he would a tennis racket)
- a very thin plastic cable
caleb @ Nov 25th 2006 12:24AM
Paul, you forgot "retarted people"
Radon @ Nov 24th 2006 8:52PM
Well that guy on the video needs to learn the sentence "Tone it down."
I mean good god, he swung that thing what seemed to be as fast as he could. I mean seriously, you don't need to swing that hard in real tennis, unless you want to embed the ball in eather your opponents face or the wall behind them.
Think people, maybe if you did you wouldn't be so freaking retarded.
artifex @ Nov 24th 2006 8:52PM
Hah. How long until someone sues Nintendo over this? "OMG you didn't put a warning on it that it would break stuff if I let go, give me money"
Jamie I @ Nov 24th 2006 8:56PM
wow that was really loud when it hit the wall or whatever; how hard was he swinging that hting anyway?
Nick @ Nov 26th 2006 6:28AM
Sounded like a hollow plaster wall to me.
David @ Nov 24th 2006 9:00PM
Actually the swing didn't look too hard... Maybe there should be a warning label saying only little kids can play the game since the strap was designed for them. Do I see a duct tape mod in the near future???
Darrol @ Nov 24th 2006 9:18PM
A duct tape mod was exactly what I was planning to do when I get the Wii. That and a couple more strings connecting the strap and Wii-mote.
John Doe @ Nov 24th 2006 9:01PM
Meh. There are about 2 dozen ways a person, on his/her own can reinforce that strap or outright replace it with something stronger.
Banu Myneni @ Nov 24th 2006 9:04PM
I dunno, it seems as if people would be faking this, u would think Nintendo would have addressed this issue right?
Christopher Cruz @ Nov 24th 2006 9:07PM
IT'S NOT REAL TENNIS STOP SWINGING LIKE YOU'RE IN THE US OPEN CRACKHEAD
Matt @ Nov 25th 2006 11:57AM
Don't swing hard? Isn't the whole point of the Wii to provide a more immersive experience? Didn't they market this as being like real tennis?
Slowly swinging your arms provides a watered down experience to someone that was expecting something similar to the real thing. The strap shouldn't break under any circumstances.
Mike @ Nov 24th 2006 9:08PM
Why do people use to much force! Flippin idiots!! You don't need to use any force at all they deserve to have their stuff broken.
JK @ Nov 24th 2006 9:13PM
seriously people need to learn how to hold on to the controller and not swing so hard. i don't understand why they even upload their mishaps...its only embarrassing themselves. a mere flick of the wrist would be more then adequate. those people deserve to have their things broken.
RAY16 @ Nov 24th 2006 9:14PM
I blame Nintendo's marketing campaign. In the Wii ad's you see people doing all kinds of crazy movements, when in reality most things just require a flick of the wrist. People see the Wii commercials and try to replicate what they see, because they are retarded. The result, my friends, is what has been reported over the past few days.
Gary @ Nov 24th 2006 9:16PM
hahahaha let the lawsuits begin, seriously if nintendo couldnt see this coming something is wrong with them.
Mythmon @ Nov 24th 2006 9:16PM
I don't see how this could happen. Even a heated boxing match didn't get my hand sweaty enough to throw the wiimote; or me swinging hard to do this much damage for that matter.
Javier @ Jan 2nd 2008 11:42AM
wow
chenry @ Nov 24th 2006 9:18PM
It's partially the strap, but mostly the retards swinging the thing. it's remote control, not a frigging tennis racket. You don't have to swing it like a fool.
crazyfret @ Nov 24th 2006 9:19PM
I'd just put my own super-strengh strap on, so that way if it smashed my tv the only one I could blame is me!
The Downer @ Nov 24th 2006 9:23PM
That was a hard swing. Having not played a Wii, I don't know if that's how it was intended to be played, but it looked excessive to me. Anyway, the strap broke differently than the previous examples which looked more like they were cut.
By the looks of it, that strap needs to be reinforced. I wouldn't exactly blame Nintendo for this because it should be obvious that you should play safely to prevent causing harm to bystanders and televisions. DO NOT THROW WIIMOTE!!! After this though, Nintendo should do the right thing and beef up the strap.
This is why the US is last on the gadget introduction list. If this ends up in court I think I'll sue my wireless carrier when someone calls at 3AM and wakes me from my sleep.
Kevin @ Nov 24th 2006 9:27PM
I still don't get how this happens. Why would you need to swing that hard anyway?
last @ Nov 24th 2006 9:30PM
Well EVERYONE who says that you don't need that much force... think about this.
Nintendo makes a console that imitates sport motions... when your in the heat of the game...will you consentrate on how hard you swing or where the ball will land next on the screen? You don't see PS3 buttons breaking do you when you press insanily hard on the buttons during a car race now do you?
Nintendo should have thought of this BEFORE they released the console just like how Microsoft should have thoguht about releaseing the movie download to the masses with gliches but i don't see any of you ppl complaining about defects. I only see people complaining about how PS3 is sooo hackable and that hard drive swaping is lame and useless...see if you can fit more than 3 movies on your xbox 360.
Grey Acumen @ Nov 25th 2006 12:32AM
Actually, the Wiimote still worked after being flung across the room at that speed, the buttons didn't break at all. Now, if you flung a PS3 controller at your wall as hard as you could, do you think it resist all damage and remain in working order like that?
Pressing buttons really hard is entirely different from flinging the controller across the room. I'll give credit that this one actually did seem to break realistically, though I'm beginning to wonder if they didn't... help things along before they started filming.
Ryan Campbell @ Nov 24th 2006 9:30PM
don't really have proof the cord just snapped, I mean it could have, but they didn't show it fully intact which would have proved they didn't cut it prior just to make a cool video. Either way, I play tennis and racquetball, and I don't even swing that hard when playing the real game.
Copperhead @ Nov 24th 2006 9:32PM
If you're going to swing like you are trying to kill Mike Tyson with a wet noodle, don't be surprised when you lose your remote.
He swung so hard he actually left the floor a little. Wiitard.
Sanjin @ Nov 24th 2006 10:32PM
ROFL
keith @ Nov 25th 2006 7:39AM
haha "Wiitards"
Brandon @ Nov 24th 2006 9:36PM
Is it me, or is the douche bag swinging the Wii remote looking at the wall and not the screen as he swings away? I know he might be looking out of the corner of his eye as he's serving, but at the same time, it almost looks like he's making sure to aim away from the TV finding a safe place to throw the remote. I also think he's swinging like a mother. Damn dude, are you going to Wimbledon via the Wii?
Just trying to get a little conspiracy theory goin' on.
Zhoe Garcia @ Nov 24th 2006 9:41PM
lmao.. when keeping it real goes wrong. this guy obviously swung with all his strengh in attempt to show off. you don't get bonus cookie points for clocking the sensor @ tilt.
ease tf up
jon @ Nov 24th 2006 9:47PM
after reading quotes of:
"why did he swing so hard?"
"sweaty hands aren't good"
"reinforce the strap, gosh!"
its obvious that THE GUY GOT REALLY INTO IT. he probably started off with casually swinging here and there. then as he started to get better with the tennis he got happier and begun to swing more as he was really playing tennis, wanting to kick the other opponents ass.
moral of the story. take a break before you lose it, your controller and possibly an electronic appliance of some sorts.
Jay @ Nov 24th 2006 9:58PM
lol, thats like floss wire
Bishop @ Nov 24th 2006 10:03PM
ROFL!!!! Right when I finished reading this a thing on my tv goes: "Nick @ Night is brought to you by the new Nintendo Wii." XD
Brian @ Nov 24th 2006 10:06PM
After reading these reports I've asked several people (9) I know to look into their straps and see how tough they are. The argument that a thin line isn't able to handle significant weight isn't much of an argument to a huge fish being landed by fishing line thinner than the refillable lead in a mechanical pencil. "Thin" doesn't necessarily mean "weak". After several deliberate throwing tests using the wiimotes, we all came to the same conclusion. ZERO snapped cords! Not one. After putting these things through their paces, we can come to two possible conclusions. #1. There are a very small number of defective wiimotes that somehow are using different chords than the ones we have, or are defective in some nature. #2. These incidents were deliberate in nature and are an attempt to gain financially from Nintendo.
Brian @ Nov 24th 2006 10:12PM
What's Nintendo have to do to prevent this, use handcuffs instead of a cord?
oh yea, then there might be hospital bills along with TV damage, where the user swung so hard, he threw himself into the TV...
Seriously, no need to get your adrenaline pumping, go play some outdoor sports if that's the case.
myscrnnm @ Nov 24th 2006 10:12PM
"its just like wearing two condons nothing could go wrong and with the glove its like 3 condoms. YAY PROTECTION"
Actually, wearing more than one condom can actually be more risky, due to the increased friction.
mooo @ Nov 24th 2006 10:16PM
I think it's great that everything is breaking EXCEPT the wiimote itself :D
pvilleSE @ Nov 24th 2006 10:17PM
Now compare what that string looked like compared to the other ones claiming it broke. Due to the design of no sharp edges and the string is doubled they should all look like this string where it actually shredded apart not just cut in one spot.