Nintendo Okie

See that picture there?  That’s what the new cases for the Xbox 360 games look like.  They are the more eco-friendly case by manufacturer Viva Group and they started showing up for the 360 this past month.  Now imagine that case in white, because it’s probably coming to a Wii game near you.

Nintendo of America told Kotaku that it is transitioning to “a new weight-reduced, recyclable case for all Wii software packaging, effective immediately.” Wii games should be shipping with lighter packaging this quarter, with conversion to new game cases expected by early 2010.

“Nintendo is always looking to make our products more ecologically friendly, and had taken action already in other areas such as making our peripheral accessory packaging using corrugated cardboard instead of plastic ‘clamshells,’” Nintendo said. “We are always looking for ways to improve our manufacturing process, and as technology evolves and new techniques and practices become available, then we research the possibilities and make a move if it makes sense. The time is right now for NOA to make the move to lighter software cases.”

Source: Kotaku

I’m all for saving the environment, but I don’t want it to come at the cost of product reliability.  That new case offers many more areas for a disc to rub against and become scratched and it offers no protection against accidental puncturing.  The best solution, in my mind, is to go to the thinner cases that you see many TV shows on DVD ship with where you can fit two cases in the same space as one or ship with a cardboard case that is similar in shape to the current clamshells.  I think the disc needs to be completely protected by something and that case just doesn’t do it for me.