So, we've all had a good laugh when it comes to the "Wii injuries" meme -- retailers
worried about flailing arms during demos, websites publishing
tongue-in-cheek guides to potential hazards, and a few folks
breaking TVs,
beer mugs, and the like -- but it must be a pretty slow news day if an esteemed publication like the
Wall Street Journal has space to print a completely serious, anecdote-driven piece on the supposed physical dangers inherent to the Wii experience. In a nutshell, author Jamin Warren interviewed a handful of people and, based on their tales of aches and pains following heavy Wii usage, concluded that a dangerous epidemic of sprained wrists and sore muscles is about to strike the world of gaming. Unfortunately for his thesis, almost everyone quoted in the story -- a 12-year-old girl, computer programmer, and a weightlifter -- come across as out-of-shape in the first place (even the lifter eschews cardiovascular exercise), so is it any wonder that this rare physical exertion caused some aches and pains? Or, as Nintendo's Perrin Kaplin so aptly puts it, "[Wii] was not meant to be a Jenny Craig supplement; if people are finding themselves sore, they may need to exercise more." Kaplin also points out that while it may be fun to swing the Wiimote around like a maniac, all of the games can be played perfectly adequately with small movements while sitting on the couch. So should everyone who pulls a muscle or smacks their cat while Wii bowling band together and slap Nintendo with a class action lawsuit? Hardly; this seems like a classic example of the media trying to pull a story out of thin air, and while there may be a few cases of temporary injuries resulting from getting one's Wii on, well, maybe that will cause some people to actually turn off the TV, drop the controller, and pick up a real tennis racket or golf club to condition themselves for next time.
[Image courtesy of
1up]
posted Nov 26th 2006 9:05PM
I wish I could get some more excercise sitting here reading blog articles . . . haha
Jon
Wudang Tai Chi and
Qigong
Pick up a REAL tennis raquet or golf club? Are you mad?!
so if we pick up a racket instead of the wii... what is the wii for anyways?
How about the gamers who aren't fit? Does everyone who plan to play with the wii have to be fit? Nintendo i think you had a very good thing going on but its just not as practical as you thought...
and i quote
"Kaplin also points out that while it may be fun to swing the Wiimote around like a maniac, all of the games can be played perfectly adequately with small movements while sitting on the couch"
I doubt you need to be fit to play the wii anymore then you need to be fit to use a computer mouse
I think I strained my rotator cuff yesterday Wii bowling... and I didn't even break 200.
Totally agree with you. Was researching Wii as a potential re-entry to gaming (been out of the loop since PS1. I know, I know). After thinking about the article, wasn't really that surprised that WSJ would try to take a fear/shock value angle to a story that everyone's writing about. Just trying to sell a story.
After a fair bit of WiiSports over the weekend, there were some people complaining of some soreness, but I found that it wasn't really anything worse than what might result from a trip to the bowling alley or the driving range anyway. I do tend to think that a couple of the games (baseball in particular) could result in some issues due to a lack of weight (for example, I think that swinging the Wiimote like a bat without the weight of a bat behind it could result in injuries in some circumstances.) Even if you don't manage to injure yourself, I found that some of the games (boxing in particular) can end up being quite a workout...
This is one of the reasons I think the Wii is going to be short lived and have a small market presence. Now I do applaud Nintendo's attempt at innovation here and this isn't some fanboyish flame, but I think there are some issues with the approach here.
The people who want to play video games, particularly Nintendo games, don't want to do physically strenuous work. Once the novelty of a mediocre hepatic control wears off and fatigue in the arms sets in people will realize the superiority of conventional game controllers for regular gaming.
A more agile, more accurate, quicker responding control device is going to be superior for most any game type (See: Super Smash Brothers Brawl not using motion sensing) and since Wii is completely and utterly riding on the surviability of its hepatic control system the results will not be pretty for Nintendo.
The issue with a hepatic control like this is like a two-edged sword (which we so wish to use it for). If it isn't completely flawless (read: astoundingly accurate) it will just be a gimmick that loses its luster. The flip side is, if it IS incredibly accurate and problem-free, people will start to discover that their coordination and motor control skills aren't adequate to control the device accurately and skillfully in a competitive game that would rely on such.
This scenario is comparable to games that tout themselves as 'simulation' games. Take Grand Turismo 4, a very well done and well selling game by all accounts. However, the game has a full-on simulation mode that is VERY unforgiving (just like real life) and can be VERY frustrating and unenjoyable for someone
Due to this issue of the competitiveness and
out as games utilizing the full potential become more and more sparse due to less demand.
Haptic, not hepatic. Unless the Wii has some interface that lets you control it with your liver.
Here's the point, and you reinforce it yourself as well, is the Wii doesn't depend on motion control. Sure, it is the basis for the system, and the biggest selling point. The worst-case scenario is the motion-control gimmick wears off forcing nintendo to release a stand-alone classic controller, and then it becomes just another next-gen console (albeit a somewhat underpowered-next-to-the-competition one).
This is unlikely to happen, though, since i've played it, and find it to be quite fun. I can imagine extended play will strain your wrists/shoulders/arms/body but that is the case with any extended activity, including sitting with a regular game controller.
I think I'm one of the many who has gotten sore playing Wii sports. It didn't surprise me at all, and I'm even in decent shape. I think the physical exhertion is what makes the Wii in some cases, so much more satisfying. High activity is good for something like a sports game, but for everything else it doesn't have much of a place. And it seems to me that so far the activity level has been appropriate for all the games. Like with Zelda, I can sit down and only make slight hand movements but in Wii Sports I'm up and about which only adds to the immersion and fun factor.
Exactly, it's all about the immersion ^^
Crap. I was editing a section and adding in my closing comments when I accidentally hit the 'Add Your Comments' button instead of reselecting my place. Continuing replacing the last paragraph.
The amount of people that enjoyed the game in full-on simulation mode is probably a VERY minuscule number compared to the amount of people who bought it.
So if Nintendo went balls to the wall and made a completely and insanely accurate hepatic controller they would suffer the fallout of people not liking it because it was too much of a simulation. On the other hand, if it is a more forgiving control system (which all accounts seem to point towards) you have all the negatives of having an increased work:entertainment ratio without the payoff of being able to do some crazy stuff when you master the controls.
With this middle of the road approach many game makers who try to harness the most out of the controls might over-do it and make it too difficult (see: Red Steel) or under-do it and make it a halfassed gimmick.
Halfassed gimmicks and too challenging simulation games are probably not going to sell very well. This puts Nintendo in the precarious position I believe they are going to be stuck in with this approach.
Um, bullshit.
That's about the only way I can respond to that. The whole reason why I want the Wii is so that I can get that extra bit of immersion that comes from being able to physically mimic what you want.
Lets get real here folks, this controller does not weigh 16 tons, and as far as coordination goes, if you can learn to coordinate two thumbs and 3 fingers over 10+ buttons and two joysticks you can darn well learn how to move your freaking wrist in the proper direction. As Penny Arcade has pointed out, you don't need to move all over the bloody place to be able to play. http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2006/11/13
So if you're killing yourself playing the game, it's entirely your own fault.
If this console is making you sweat THAT IS A GOOD THING! It's called a cardiovascular workout, the thing that gets your heart beating strong so you don't need a pacemaker at the age of 40. I'm still hoping for the attachment for th Wii-mote that will take my pulse while I'm playing so that the game play responds to my pulse rate.
People already used wrist motion before the Wii came out, it's called a mouse for PC games. You don't hear people complaining about that. The Wii is not going to push away gamers because it is too physically demanding for them. Gamers have met the advancement of complexity in controls over the last 20 years, and I'm sure they will be able to meet this next new leap in control method, as it both simplifies and expands the capabilities of the controller.
Agility of control will come with experience. Once people get the hang of things, it will become far easy to play FPS(controller = gun), Action games(Just look at Zelda, all sorts of diverse uses for the controller), Racing(steering wheel), RPGs(Some of the best RPGs are PC games which need a mouse in order to work properly, which the Wiimote can be used for), all sorts of different sports games(basketball, football, baseball, hockey, curling, airhockey, golf, bowling, cattleroping, and even Olympic sports), not to mention the other simulation games(such as flight sims, fishing, or like Second Opinion, an emergency operating room game)
In fact, the ONLY type of game I can think of that the Wii-mote can't drastically improve is direct fighting games like Smash Bros.
So I'll admit, it still has a few small tweaks to make, and it has to really carefully monitor the games that are coming out to be sure they take full advantage of the Wii-mote's capabilities, but I see these as easily obtainable goals that are well worth the limited risk and supposed difficulty of play.
Funny how bias Engadget's bloggers are. Notice how they're being understanding and considerate about the Wii and how they bash every single mistake Sony makes. Unfortunately, this site is so influential that people actually take everything to heart!
I'm not a Sony fanboy, in fact I'm getting a Wii not a PS3. I just want to see fairness.
well, i wouldn't consider it to be bias when the editors are disappointed that sony missed their shipment estimates by hundreds of thousands vs. a WSJ puff piece that really holds no merit.
yes i played wii, yes i was tired after playing a few rounds of wii boxing.... yes, it was a hell of a lot of fun.
I agree $100 Jervis... seems like Nintendo can do no wrong with their Last Gen/Next Gen machine, but Sony is the devil...
Well, let's face it. Sony has promised the very best and most powerful system out there and that it would be worth spending $600 for it. It promised that Bluray would be the answer to media storage and that it would provide incredible graphics and processing speed.
AKA "really big talk"
It did deliver a system that is incredibly powerful, and has incredible capabilities, yet its service is poor, it's media format is questionable in necessity or support. Its PR seems to treat its fans like the minions through which they can push their own agenda and media devices, and didn't even meet their originally intended release, instead limiting it in a manner which created superficial demand and all sorts of violent outbreaks.
AKA "some of the big talk met, but a WHOOOOLE lot NOT met"
Nintendo on the other hand promised a system that would be cheap, fun for both gamer and non-gamer, and provide a completely new method of gameplay that would be both intuitive and immersive. They also promised to have roughly 1million consoles out for their release day
AKA "A decent amount of talk, not quite as loud as sony, but still substantial"
Nintendo delivered on intuitive control, delivered on immersive gameplay, delivered on fun for gamer and non-gamer alike, and to the best of my knowledge shipped out the promised 1 million consoles, and has had excellent PR on replacing faulty consoles.
AKA "Nintendo easily met or exceeded its talk."
So... maybe there is a little bias... maybe that bias is there for a reason
So if people get a sore elbow from using the Wii, it's 'cause they're fat? (Jenny Craig!?) Nevermind, I didn't want a Wii anyway. Screw all three console manufacturers if they've got nothing better to do than insult consumers.
We all know that only using small movements for controlling the Wii make you a toolbox.
http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2006/11/13
I think Nintendo was being VERY forward thinking when they designed and came up with the concept of the Wii...
I see all these "sports" related injuries as a good thing... for once people can get off theres Arse's, get a little exercise (albeit a strange kind) and have fun playing (OMGosh!) video games... Props to Nintendo... I'm don't even a play video games and I might get one of theses... It seems like WAY too much fun...
Just look at the picture Engadget provided... I'm sorry but Nintendo elevated has elevated the video game to new level... A one where normal people, not just nerds, can have fun playing video games...
You have GOT to be kidding me, right??
People are actually SORE from swinging around a bit of plastic?? for a few hours?
Now, I haven't bought one myself, but had the chance to play my buddy's unit the other day, and it was fun. But, after my first "hands on" experience with the device I've come to two conclusions:
The Wii will probably do very well with it's intuitive controls and Nintendo's marketing prowess
And
The average "Gammer" is a closeted, lazy weaking.
This thing is HARDLY a workout, and if you're flailing around like a hamster with turrets and tearing out muscle groups, you REALLY either need to go OUTSIDE and try some REAL physical sport, or get a real job! If actually MOVING for more than 30 minutes winds you, you really aren't very much bennifit to society if you ask me.
But this is the common core with alot of "gammers". They don't LIVE in the real world. Case in point: One of the kids in our youth theatre group is one of those uber-gammers who's even competed "professionally" (won an alienware tower and everything, impressive). He was all going off on this certain game called "Black" and how the weapon physics "Owned!" and continued on how he "tore up" all the "pussies" pitted against him. So, since he just turned 21, myself and some others of the tech crew invited him out to the shooting range to try the real wepons that he got a kick out of the game in a nice safe environment. We thought he'd get a kick out of it.
Instead, after trying to fire the first weapon (a 12 gauge), he went all limp-fish, scared. Now, shooting isn't for everyone, so we told him to take it easy, and if he was still insterested, we'd get him on some other equipment later in the day.
Well, by the end of the day, he tried 3 weapons, and was terrified and in tears. He said the guns "bounced back" WAY too hard, and they were way too "Noisy" and perhaps we did somthing to them to make them more scary just to screw with him!
The point is that most gammers who complain about stuff like being "sore" from swinging around a controler or how a game isn't "realalistic" enough DON'T know what the hell they are talking about. They have a problem with with the controller: Go get a *bleping* workout. Don't talk about "pwning" somebody in Battlefield and it's "superior" weapons physics until you've actually BEEN there.
In other words: The real world doesn't care about how some butterball who plays battlefront II gets sore from waving his arms around for an hour. It's not a flaw with the game or the console. The console works fine
YOU are the one with the flaw.
Ahem. For all of you out there who are thinking you're going to be getting a 'workout' using the Wii, get a clue and go outside. Go for a mile run, a 20 mile bike ride, heck just walk to the store. If playing a video game makes you sore, maybe the problem is less with the video game and more with you.
I want to see the writer do an article on pains and aches suffered from the activities that Wii Sports is based on. Let's see how that sells papers.
Roger Daltrey just hit Pete Townshend in the head swinging a Wii remote around
Are you kidding me?! This is getting ridiculous. Oh god I spilled hot coffee on myself, I think I'll sue the company who sold it to me. Oh no! My Wii's remote flew through the window and I hurt my wrist because the only physical activity I ever do is going to the fridge to eat more cake and driving to McDonalds to get horrible greasy food and then spill hot coffee on myself and sue them again. Oh sweet now I can sue Nintendo too. and all because I'm a fat lazy waste of oxygen. Seriously anyone who complains of being injured by using the Wii shouldn't be allowed to procreate.
Don't you think it's kind of odd how as soon as one TV breaks because of the wii, all of a sudden several other reports come up? sounds fishy to me.
and if people are getting sore, those people need to realize that they're not actually playing, its just a game, or get out and excericse some more. i feel no pity towards them if the nintendo wii makes them do a little excercise for their fat ass once in a while.
Hmm..."hepatic"? I was wondering the same thing.
Although it did sound scientificy and stuff at first.
ROFL!!!
That was great, I'm so glad you caught that, cause I knew something didn't seem right about the way that word was being used, but I wasn't sure why.
Entertainment is for everyone. Entertainment is not designed for an elite. Everyone has the right to be entertained.
Nintendo has proven us that everyone can play video games, not just the hardcore gamers. When we go to the cinema we like to watch a good movie, that entertain us. We don't like to watch movies that the director has made incomprehensible by some attitude of egocentrics.
We could call video games the eight art. Every type of art begins with the objective of entertain the audiences with different styles of expressing it. Nintendo is doing its job, and helping developers by using a developer kit not so different that of the gamecube.
I have a question? We know that films started on black and white, as time progressed, they had the tools to record the film in color. Until know, that we still use the color to express ourselves, becuase we know that theres not much beyond after the usage of color. Now I ask you, what about when graphics become photorealistics. Theres not much ahead of that. We need to focus on gameplay, because graphics have an end. Gameplay doesn't, thats where Nintendo is focusing.
That doesn't mean that Playstation 3 or Xbox 360 don't have the power to continue making good games with good gameplay, look at Gears of War. Now we have seen that Nintendo has taken a correct path. A path that soon many companies will take, not because is easier to make games is because is more efficient to the consumer use its body (that is the thing that we are most familiar with) to play games. The same goes with Music, Movies, Theatre, Painting, Writing, Sculpture, Architecture.
We have the right to get entertained, and Nintendo has the power and knowledge to prove that.
I'm a computer programmer. I have a Wii, and I'm also very sore from playing "Rayman" all weekend long (but got the world record of 147m in Cow Tossing).
Perhaps it's because I'm out of shape too. Or perhaps it's because it's just so damn fun!
For now my right arm is very sore but in 4-6 months from now it's gonna be all swoll and buff -- just like a Fiddler crab. Yeah!
Gee, people are blaming Nintendo because when they wave their arms around for hours, their arms get sore? I mean really. This is like people blaming the company that makes an exercise video for them being sore after jumping around. If you wave your arms around, and aren't used to it, your arms are going to be sore in the morning. I donno, it's a bit of a no brainer to me.
dude america has the most obese people in the world, family doctors should start giving their patients' a Wii.
Word! After years of criticism that video games are the cause of childhood obesity (not parents) there is finally something that, off the shelf, has an element of physical exertion AND the entertainment value of a video game. Your arm hurts? Probably 'cause your fat ass hasn't done so much as pulled open a particularly well sealed bag of chips in the last few years.
Now, my bet is that those of you with the broken TVs due to "failed wristloops" are 98 percent guilty of just plain overdoing it. The games and controllers are designed to give you everything you may need to compete and succeed within their very own virtual realm.
Of course, my condolences go out to kitties adopted by idiots.
saq: To some extent, I agree with you, but I also disagree with a lot that you say. I can agree that there are games for which the Wiimote control scheme simply is not suited (SSBB being a good example) and that people who play video games for the sake of the games themselves will probably find that a standard controller works better for much of what they play. On the other hand, keep in mind that with the possible exception of bowling, nothing in WiiSports even remotely approaches the level of a simulation. The games are designed not to be overly realistic (although the Bowling does a pretty good job, my average scores are very similar to what I'd bowl down at the local alley.) Rather, they are designed to be familiar and approachable.
Because of this, I just watched my parents (even though my dad will occasionally play Halo 2 with us, my Mom hasn't touched a video game since the NES era) spend over twelve hours enthusiastically playing WiiSports this weekend. For them, it was just like everyone going out to the bowling alley, only without leaving the living room. In a way, just like with bowling the game became secondary to having everyone hang out and spend quality time together. I think people underestimate the power of the social aspect involved. Sure, if you stick to the types of games where the social aspect is comprised primarily of being sworn at by undersupervised preteens, then there's a good chance the Wii is not going to be your system of choice. On the other hand, I think that if Nintendo emphasizes the social aspect involved with gaming and makes intiutive, approachable games that everyone can associate with, they stand a very good chance of succeeding with the Wii.
isn't the girl holding the nunchuk attachment upside down?
No, it just looks that way cause of how the wire craps along the couch, it goes from the Wiimote, and then the cord sorta rests on the couch where his foot is and loops back around to the proper end of the nunchuck, it actually is being held properly.
*sighs * that's supposed to be DRAPES not CRAPS
stupid typos
Physical fitness has NOTHING TO DO with the problems players are having and will continue to have. It's called repetetive stress injury -- perhaps you've heard of it. It is a problem of the joints and tendons, and it comes from tensed repetitive motions. Games are tense exciting fun, and I'm sure it's fun to swing the controllers around. But given that gamers like to play for hours, it's inevitable that people will be injured. Given the large number of reports in such a small time, there will probably be some serious injuries from prolonged use. I smell a lawsuit, and not too long in coming...
I used to be a safety officer and yes I am familiar with repetitive stress injuries. You get repetitive stress injuries not just from playing with the wii but also typing on your keyboard (carpal tunnel syndrome ). Last I saw...the ergonomic keyboard has yet to be an industry standard requiring ALL pcs and laptops to use one. Mouse injuries are also common for office workers. So are neck, back and shoulder soreness. It would be nice if you can sue your work place for making you sit all day so your butt and lower back is killing you. You can demand an hour where everyone can do Tai Chi movements if you want. I would certainly want that to be passed as an ISO standard. Tennis elbow is also a common issue with tennis players but a baseball player can still have that injury. So can golf players. I haven't heard of anyone suing golf clubs, baseball bats and tennis racket manufactures yet. Oh and yes we should also sue cell phone manufacturers for the sore thumb syndrome. They make those darn keypads so small! Nevermind if you have the option to call instead of sending marathon sms's. Thing is-Wii says...you can spazz out or be a TOOLBOX (just flick wrist or get a regular controller). Your choice. Don't blame Nintendo for the repercussions of your choices.
"The people who want to play video games, particularly Nintendo games, don't want to do physically strenuous work." --> EXCUSE ME?!!!!
Eherm...sorry about the CAPS. But come on, wouldn't this be a better alternative to a boring exercise routine? And whoever said moving your butt is bad? Here I am trying to stick to my exercise routine doing everything including bribing myself to get myself moving and now people complain that a GAME is giving them a work out? And heck, like others said here; video games get rapped on for promoting obesity now all of a sudden people are complaining cause they got hurt flapping their arms playing a video game? Wow...so...pathetic . I think they, of all people, need the wii just to keep them in shape. Nintendo might just help stop the rising obesity rates worldwide.
Also,you can be fat and be fit. You can also be slim but unfit. I'm chubby and I rarely get to move actively but playing non-stop fast pace badminton does not tire me out when I do get to play it once in a while. But I will be sore the next day, I admit. There is no way a wii can be as fast pace and active as a badminton game. The wii doesn't even ask you to run around from one end of your living room to another. Just wave your hands and arms at most. So if you guys are sore after a few rounds of wii...that's normal...you're just realizing there are muscles in that part of your body after all that haven't been use for a while. If you complain it's the wii's fault- you're pathetic. And like Bard said..."It's not a flaw with the game or the console. The console works fine. YOU are the one with the flaw."
"However, the game has a full-on simulation mode that is VERY unforgiving (just like real life) and can be VERY frustrating and unenjoyable for someone" --> I would rather crash in a virtual car than crash IRL while learning it. Or crash a plane, helicopter...insert random mecha here. But really...this isn't going anywhere NEAR real life...yet. Holding a white stick and doing a virtual tennis serve is STILL not the same thing as holding a REAL tennis racket. Or a bowling ball for that matter. Last I heard-the bowling ball weighs in pounds. This wiimote is in ounces. The wiimote maybe very intuitive and it lets you mimic the actual movements of the game but it doesn't, in anyway simulate the actual feel of a real bowling ball...yet. And another thing-the virtual world allows for a safe place to practice "somewhat" real life situations without getting killed or incurring some major injury. If you end up with a major injury while playing the wii...you are stepping into Wiley Coyote's territory.
"Due to this issue of the competitiveness and out as games utilizing the full potential become more and more sparse due to less demand." ---->What are you talking about? I don't understand this. What's the purpose of a game except to have winners and losers? Whether you are a single or in a multiplayer there are winners or losers. That makes it fun. Not fun I admit if you are a sore loser.But really...tell me of any game where EVERYONE wins and tell me how FUN it was for you. And if the wii can level up the playing ground where I don't have to have super thumbs or magic fingers to do mad button combos then sign me up. If you can't take the challenge or too intimidated to keep practicing then don't blame the wii. I just don't see how a controller that relies on a person's natural reactions to a game can be harder than memorizing button combos and being fast enough to actually do them. If you can't tell your left from your right-Don't blame the Wii.
Whew... that was long.
"Not fun I admit if you are a sore loser."
-giggle-
You said "sore" loser.
There's a game, Guitar Hero (and its sequel) that involves mimicking guitar playing. No one whines about injuries when their hands start to hurt after playing for awhile; you're mimicking guitar, so you might just mimick common aches and pains associated with playing guitar. Same thing; if you're acting like a tennis player, then you might just experience some of the aches and pains associated with playing tennis.
Common sense: it's a doozy.
Ahmen brother, that's EXACTLY what O was thinking.
Besides, Wii sports TELLS you to take a break every so often, which would presumably stop people from injuring themselves with repetitive stress inuries - so suing Nintendo would be by far a most wasteful AND idiotic thing to do.
All this talk about the Wiimote strap breaking and the guy in the picture isn't even wearing it!
But seriously, 84% of Americans are out of shape and over-weight. Does this come as a suprise?
"Complaints about wii-motes slipping out of peoples hands are the own morons fault."
That's because of all the greasy fried fast foods that Americans eat.
You won't get greasy hands from eating rice & vegatables.....
i dont know about you guys, but the person who mantioned repeditive stress injuries is on to something. A recent study showed that the computer mouse was more likely to give you carpal tunnel syndrome than the keyboard. LIke the other guy said that moving the wii remote is like a mouse, it could give people repeditive stress injuries. My wrist was hurting after playing Zelda for a few hours, and i know people play for longer than that. Wii sports is different, you actually (when standing up, like the real sport) move your ARM. However, i dont think people play Zelda standing up, so you are froced to move your WRIST. You know how theres that health and saftey screen when you startup? They put that there so they cant get sued.
Oh for god's sake. Haven't you been reading to any of the replies here?
Any activity that requires repetitive actions will/might eventually cause repetitive stress injuries. Anybody suing mouse manufacturers yet? What about baseball bats, tennis rackets, badminton rackets? What about musical instruments? Oh no! I broke a nail while playing the guitar/piano/sax/etc for hours and hours non stop! I'm going to sue them!
Hellooooo. Most games require some repetitive actions. So the wii is a video game, it still is a game. The beauty of it is that it also gives you an idea of how it feels playing the real thing. Even professional athletes get repetitive stress injuries. They tend to prefer one side of their body more than the other. Lucky and rare is the athlete that finishes his entire career with 0% injuries. The fact is...they know they might get injured somewhere down the road but they try to MINIMIZE the chances of that.
Common sense folks. No activity comes with 100% risk free guarantee. You saw the ads with people moving around enjoying themselves- do you honestly expect no one might strain or injure themselves somewhere down the road either by accident or stupidity?
If you sue Nintendo for suffering carpal tunnel syndrome by using your wiimote...why don't you sue your office too for giving you a mouse and not a tablet and pen to work on?
Hell even sitting down for hours can cause long term ailments if you don't take breaks.That's why long distance drivers are required to make pit stops to stretch their back and legs. Why office workers are asked to stand up and walk around a bit, etc.
Oh and you said so yourself-Nintendo warns you. So if you didn't take the warning seriously and got injured-whose fault is that?
jeez, i never said i would sue nintendo. the thing was , it hurted after like 3 hours. Anyways, i HAVE to work with a tablet and pen! LUCKY ME!!!
damn school...