First there were reports of dead pixels. Then there were reports of hairline cracks in the LCD screens. Now, the latest report of DS Lite quality control issues has come from MaxConsole, an industry news site. According to the reports, "The amount of people who have come forward to display and tell the community that the DS Lite hinge is cracked has been growing by the hours. We now have four pictures submitted by different DS Lite owners of the left hinge cracking and at least eight confirming the problem."
The news has reached ears and eyes of Mario and Company. Nintendo issued a formal statement on the matter by stating, "We are not aware of any problems with the hinge of the DS Lite, however if someone experiences a problem with their DS Lite they should contact their local customer services department. The DS Lite carries a one year warranty for manufacturing defects, if the fault is covered under the warranty it will be repaired free of charge, if not then customer services will provide a cost for repairing the product.”
The incident seems to be more widespread then first thought, as several game websites have documented proof and photos of the cracked hinges. While the aberration does not affect the functionality of the DS Lite, the constant opening and closing of the lid could eventually stress the other hinge and break it as well.
According to initial reports. Customer service at Nintendo has responded to complaints about the defect as customer error and misuse, or in other words, “You broke it.” The fee for repair is $50.
