As GoNintendo reports (complete with pictures), one of their readers sent in a few pictures of the Wii remote strap sent to him as a replacement from Nintendo. The original strap, which is really a thin wire inside of a thin rope, has most recently been the blame of many remote accidents.

The new strap, seen in the pictures, is definitely a bit thicker than its original counterpart. It's unclear whether or not the strap uses the same wiring mechanics inside of it like the original, but it does appear to be much stronger. The fact that these replacement straps are different from the original may very well hint that Nintendo is already well aware of recent accident issues, and prepared to quietly ship out more secure straps.

Early unconfirmed reports from Wii Play consumers also make mention of the stronger band. If that sentence confuses you, it means you haven't read our Wii Play preview, which explains that the title comes packaged with a free Wii remote.

Update: Nintendo has now put up a page on their website offering to replace all older, less effective straps. Your strap did not have to break for this replacement, this is a recall for all Wii remote straps not already utilizing the stronger, thicker band.

Go ahead and get your replacement here on Nintendo.com

---
Related: Wii LED Mod | Wiimote on Half-Life 2 | Funny VH1 Wii Video