Nintendo Offers Free Wii 'Jackets'

The website for Nintendo’s Wii console has begun to offer a free “Wii Remote Jacket” for all current users, meant to protect the controller from damage if dropped or mishandled. The jackets will be included free with all future hardware shipments. In the immediate aftermath of the console’s launch in November 2006 there were numerous press reports of Wii remote straps snapping and the device being dropped or thrown into nearby furniture and electrical equipment. The problem even became the focus of a class action lawsuit, although Nintendo quickly introduced a new design with a thicker strap. Subsequently complaints of damage caused by or to the remote have largely ceased, but nevertheless, the company’s websites worldwide have begun to advertise the jackets, which will begin shipping in North America on October 15th. The jackets appear very similar in design to existing third-party covers, with Nintendo UK’s website describing them as “a durable, silicone cover” which “provides a variety of benefits for the player”. The jacket is further described as providing “a cushioning effect if the Wii Remote accidentally strikes a person or object or is accidentally dropped or thrown”.