The consumer group Which?, a UK-based organisation, has released a report into the Nintendo Switch’s Joy-Con drift issue, which it says is due to a “design flaw”, while also criticising the company’s handling of the issue.
As reported by Eurogamer, the report found that wear to the controllers’ joystick slider contact points within months of use is likely the cause of the drifting issue, alongside dust within the components themselves.
This has led to Which? asking Nintendo to offer a “no-quibble” repair or replacement service, alongside compensation to any UK consumers who can provide proof of purchase. Nintendo responded to the study, too, and you can see their full statement below.
Nintendo Switch Joy-Con drift statement
Here’s Nintendo’s statement in response to the study: “The percentage of Joy-Con controllers that have been reported as experiencing issues with the analogue stick in the past is small, and we have been making continuous improvements to the Joy-Con analogue stick since its launch in 2017.
“We expect all our hardware to perform as designed, and, if anything falls short of this goal, we always encourage consumers to contact Nintendo customer support, who will be happy to openly and leniently resolve any consumer issues related to the Joy-Con controllers’ analogue sticks, including in cases where the warranty may no longer apply.”
Joy-Con drift is an issue where the joysticks on a controller pick up an input which isn’t being given – so your console scrolls through menus or spins the camera around without you touching anything – and has plagued the console’s controllers since launch.
It is interesting to see Which? call for a no-quibble replace or repair service, as in my own experience issues around Joy-Con drift have been dealt with by Nintendo speedily and without any issue. Of course, every experience is different, but it seems like Nintendo has, at least recently, dealt with the issue reasonably well.
Head to the support page if you have issues with the Nintendo Switch’s Joy-Con drift fault. Or, for more, check out our guide to the best portable gaming consoles to see where the Switch ranks.