Surely to the horror of all third-party Wii accessory
companies, Nintendo announced
today the Wii Remote Jacket that will be given to all system owners completely
free of charge. The Wii Remote Jacket is a silicone cover made specifically to
fit the Wii Remote and “provides cushioning for the Wii Remote for people who
might accidentally throw or drop their Wii Remotes while playing games.”
Third-party accessory companies already have similar
products on the market, which are meant to both enhance grip and to personalize
Wii Remotes in various colors. The official Wii Remote Jacket appears to
cushion the outer rounded edges of the device, which with some imagination,
could produce some trauma should it meet with another living participant.
"We're always looking for ways to improve our products
and make sure everyone has a safe and fun experience," says George
Harrison, Nintendo of America's senior vice president of marketing and
corporate communications. "Many electronics manufacturers provide similar
protective covers for products like cell phones, PDAs and MP3 players."
Nintendo’s free offering is just the latest in the game
company’s effort to address the issue of flying Wii Remotes launched from the
slippery grips of overly enthusiastic Wii users. Early batches of Wii consoles
and Remotes shipped with wrist straps that were less
resistant to flagrant motions. Nintendo quickly issued
safety warnings, beefed-up
the wrist straps and offered free
replacements to all.
Like the wrist strap revision, the Wii Remote Jackets will
be offered free to all Wii owners. Those who wish to claim their free Wii
Remote Jackets can go to Wii.com or nintendo.com, or call 1-866-431-8367 to
place an order. Also, Wii Remote Jackets will begin shipping with Wii consoles,
Remotes and Wii Play the week of October 15.
Along with upgraded straps, Nintendo stressed that the Wii
Remote Jacket is meant to supplement, not replace, the basic game-play
instructions: “Keep a firm grip, don't let go of the controller, use the wrist
strap and make sure your play area is free of people or objects,” reminds
Nintendo.
With Nintendo stating that the new Wii Remote Jackets were
made for safety reasons, it would not be out of the question to assume that the
free accessories are somehow connected to company’s legal position. Last
December, Nintendo was sued
in a class action lawsuit over defective wrist straps. While Nintendo
claimed that the lawsuit was “completely without
merit,” the company would likely prefer to avoid any further litigation.
The updated wrist straps guard against incidents where the
Wii Remote leaves the user’s hands, and the upcoming Wii Remote Jackets appear to
protect the environment while the Wii Remote is in active use. With the Wii
potentially entering into the hottest
selling season yet, Nintendo may simply be trying to cover its bases.