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The new Wii Remote Jacket  (Source: Nintendo)
Nintendo foots $17.2 million bill to give free Wii Remote Jackets to all

There are a lot of Wii consoles around – not just sitting in store shelves, mind you, but in peoples’ homes. According to recent market data, the Nintendo now owns the largest installed user base worldwide, with over 10 million sold.

Earlier this week, Nintendo announced that it would supply up to four free Wii Remote Jackets – controller covers made of silicone rubber – to every owner of a Wii console. Furthermore, Wii Remote Jackets will begin shipping with Wii consoles, Remotes and Wii Play starting next week.

The free accessory was made specifically to fit the Wii Remote and “provide cushioning for the Wii Remote for people who might accidentally throw or drop their Wii Remotes while playing games.”

According to Japanese news publication Asahi Shimbun, the free Wii Remote-upgrading accessory program will cost Nintendo 2 billion yen (nearly $17.2 million). With around 10 million Wii consoles in homes, Nintendo could potentially be mailing out 40 million Wii Remote Jackets worldwide.

Given Nintendo’s exceptional financial market performance of late, the cost of giving away free Wii Remote accessories appears to be just a drop in the bucket.

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What really happened in the lab ...
By SunAngel on 10/5/2007 7:40:42 AM , Rating: 3
I guess the original testers never drop there wiimotes. Hmm, kinda interesting. I've witnessed overly excited kids, particularly 6 and 7 year olds swing their wiimotes like they were throwing something. I can't believe this scenario never popped up in the Nintendo's laboratory. Maybe Nintendo should have put a "age floor" on the product like 8 and years up.




RE: What really happened in the lab ...
By tjr508 on 10/5/2007 9:21:35 AM , Rating: 5
Original testers were clearly not drunk college kids.


By Souka on 10/5/2007 10:42:08 AM , Rating: 2
Covers are not only for when the unit is dropped, but when the user hits something while still holding onto the unit.

Example...fishing...when swing overhead toward the TV screen, you hit it....without the bumper yuo might shatter the screen.

Example...tennis... yuo swing a mean backhand at a fast ball...your swing hits your friends face (eye, forehead, etc).... the bumper would probably prevent stiches...

:)


By Scorpion on 10/5/2007 12:09:34 PM , Rating: 3
OH so true so true!

I often wondered who these people are that are being so aggressive with these wiimotes. Then I got to see the opportunity first hand at a friends house, where a very drunk young college kid and his girlfriend threw the remote into my friends older rear-projection large TV. His girlfriend even got so excited she kept moving closer to the screen until she whacked her hand on the TV and bloodied her knuckles. I can laugh about it now, but at the time all I could think to myself is how on earth could someone be this stupid? A combination of alcohol and embedded stupidity I say.


Wow
By Murst on 10/5/2007 9:48:44 AM , Rating: 5
That's a lot of money to spend on condoms.




RE: Wow
By BladeVenom on 10/5/2007 3:10:31 PM , Rating: 2
I think prophylactic would have been a more accurate term.


Nice stuff
By XtAzY on 10/5/2007 5:51:30 AM , Rating: 3
Free stuff rules! I don't know what else to say =p




Pocket Change
By Slaimus on 10/5/07, Rating: 0
RE: Pocket Change
By mydogfarted on 10/5/07, Rating: 0
RE: Pocket Change
By Murst on 10/5/2007 1:09:19 PM , Rating: 2
Although I can't speak for all Wii owners, I consider the Nanchuk to be a required accessory when purchasing the Wiimote. I guess it all depends on what games you play.

I actually spent the most money (by far) on Wii controlers (when compared to PS3). For the PS3, I just bought another controller ($50). For the Wii, I ended up buying the Wiimote ($40), Nanchuk ($20), and 2 classic controllers (2x$20).

I guess it will be all offset when I get a http://jalopnik.com/cars/gadgets/porsche-911-steer... for GT5 though :).


RE: Pocket Change
By MDE on 10/5/2007 1:12:10 PM , Rating: 1
WiiMote $39.99 + Nunchuck $19.99
Xbox 360 $49.99 (Wireless) $39.99 (Wired)
PS3 SixAxis $49.99

Know the facts before posting nonsense troll.


Cue the Condom Jokes...
By Dactyl on 10/5/07, Rating: 0
RE: Cue the Condom Jokes...
By zander55 on 10/5/2007 7:02:31 PM , Rating: 2
oh god, didn't we have enough of those when Nintendo changed the name from revolution?


It wont help
By rudy on 10/5/2007 11:21:06 AM , Rating: 2
Because you know the type of people who drop or throw them are not going to bother putting the wrist strap on if they even put the jacket on the controller.




"If you look at the last five years, if you look at what major innovations have occurred in computing technology, every single one of them came from AMD. Not a single innovation came from Intel." -- AMD CEO Hector Ruiz in 2007

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