Since its release in 2017, the Nintendo Switch has had a looming shadow over its success: the “Joy-Con drift,” as gamers have come to call it. When affected by this, the console can register the joystick – often of the left Joy-Con specifically – as moving, even when the user is not touching it. While widely reported by the Switch’s vocal fanbase, the Japanese gaming giant has been slow to respond. But finally, after more than three years of complaints, Nintendo has apologized for the Joy-Con drift.
During the company’s Annual General Meeting of Shareholders, investors questioned the company on what it was doing to improve the Joy-Cons after learning of a lawsuit against Nintendo.
“Regarding the Joy-Con, we apologize for any trouble caused to our customers,” said Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa. “We are continuing to aim to improve our products, but as the Joy-Con is the subject of a class-action lawsuit in the United States and this is still a pending issue, we would like to refrain from responding about any specific actions.”
Nintendo faces a class-action lawsuit
The class-action lawsuit accuses Nintendo of unfair and deceptive business practices by not disclosing the defect in the console’s controller. A Washington judge has moved the lawsuit to arbitration in accordance with Nintendo’s End User License Agreement.
In a major thread on the Nintendo Switch subreddit, users voiced their frustrations with Nintendo and the Joy-Con. Users reported sending their Switches in for repairs, only for the drift to return a few months later. While that thread is almost a year old, the issue of drifting Joy-Cons remains.
Currently, Nintendo offers repairs for consoles that experience Joy-Con drift at no additional charge. That is good, but it leaves users without their device for up to a month. In a time with so many gamers stuck at home, Switch owners have instead turned to the internet for help. In guides online, users can find quick repairs with tutorials that are easy to follow and can be done in a short time.
For more on how Nintendo plans to address the dreaded Joy-Con drift, follow Daily Esports. If you’ve had issues with your Joy-Con or have managed to fix it without Nintendo’s help, let us know in the comments below.
