Nintendo recalls wrist strap, Amazon starts a lottery
It's been a crazy few weeks for gaming fans. First there was the PS3 launch, with all the insanity that involved. Next, a quieter but still intense Wii launch from Nintendo. Then came the outrageous prices on eBay, reports of flying Wiimotes, and online PS3 and Wii finder services. What's next?
In response to safety concerns, Nintendo has switched to thicker and stronger Wiimote straps (above, left) and is offering to replace any of the original straps with the new version free of charge:
We have received some reports that when consumers swing the Wii Remote with the original version of the wrist-strap using excessive force and accidentally let go, the cord connecting the controller to the wrist strap can break, potentially causing the Wii Remote to strike bystanders or objects. 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.
If you have the old strap, you can send in this form and get a replacement by the end of December or early January.
Next, how about a lottery for the chance to buy a PS3 (20GB and 60GB) or Wii at regular list price? Amazon just announced one that ends Sunday December 17th at 11:59pm PST. According to their site:
Since we don’t have a cold, dark parking lot for customers to camp out in, we had to come up with an easier, more convenient way to give them a chance to buy one of the consoles. We’re going to randomly select a group of eligible customers who sign up for the opportunity to purchase each console, and give only those customers a claim code to purchase the console of their choice.
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