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[Jubenhimer]

This is according to an internal Memo within Customer Service from VICE.

Internal Nintendo Memo Instructs Customer Service to Fix ‘Joy-Con Drift’ for Free

The company will repair devices free of charge, even outside of the warranty period.

www.vice.com

So far, so good. Wish they would've responded sooner, when this issue became more widespread. But hey, better late than never I suppose.

 

[bucyou]

2 lefts coming at you tendi

 

[SLoWMoTIoN]

Fixing it is a temporary fix. They need to make it future proof especially for all the new people getting the portable only version.

 

[Jubenhimer]

Fixing it is a temporary fix. They need to make it future proof especially for all the new people getting the portable only version.

Its a step-by-step process. A similar thing happened with the L Joy-Con Wireless problems durring launch. A generic PR respone was put out to buy them some time until they could find a solution. And by the end of the year, the issue was largely resolved.

 

[SLoWMoTIoN]

Its a step-by-step process. A similar thing happened with the L Joy-Con Wireless problems durring launch. A generic PR respone was put out to buy them some time until they could find a solution. And by the end of the year, the issue was largely resolved.

Components wear out quickly due to the way the joycon was designed. These components are just replaced. This is in no way is a permanent fix.

 

[Jubenhimer]

Components wear out quickly due to the way the joycon was designed. These components are just replaced. This is in no way is a permanent fix.

Of course it isn't. But this should hopefully lead to an internal redesign of the Joy-Con analog stick in the near future. But free repairs are the best they can do in the meantime.

 

[Cynn]

Of course it isn't. But this should hopefully lead to an internal redesign of the Joy-Con analog stick in the near future. But free repairs are the best they can do in the meantime.

These repairs aren’t free for them so maybe they’ll redesign it to save some cash. The true motivator.

 

[Jubenhimer]

These repairs aren’t free for them so maybe they’ll redesign it to save some cash. The true motivator.

Yes. Sooner or later they'll need to upgrade the internal design as it'll be too expensive to keep temporarily fixing Joy-Cons for free. But a process like that could take months, so this is the best they can do in the meantime.

 

[Codes 208]

Which would likely just be them replacing the analogs with more to-be faulty analogs. For the time it takes to ship, i think id rather just fix it myself.

 

[Shmunter]

Xbox 360 controllers had drift after awhile. I often wondered why not simply increase the dead zone in software.

 

[Jubenhimer]

Xbox 360 controllers had drift after awhile. I often wondered why not simply increase the dead zone in software.

It's a fundemental design flaw with the Joy-Con hardware. Metal contacts are used as the base of the analog stick, and intense use of them will eventually cause wear and strain on the contact, which is what causes the drifting. The only way to fix it, is to either use a different base for the stick, or find some way around the issue with another design part.

 

[llien]

Well, warranty is 2 years in Germany anyway.

 

[DeliciousDoc]

So wear out your joy cons this year or next year to get them upgraded when they find a solution before they abandon the device in the future. Gotcha.

 

[Acidizer]

Fixing it is a temporary fix. They need to make it future proof especially for all the new people getting the portable only version.

If they are (now) forced to fix them, then of course they'll be forced to go in and make changes at a manufacturing level to improve the design... hopefully.

 

[Lanrutcon]

Happened to my nephew's Switch. Bought new Joycons for him a month or two ago.

Those things are really, really flimsy.

 

[Jack Videogames]

That's so fucking great. Just yesterday I killed my joycon trying to fix it myself (My sausage fingers aren't as nimble as they used to be 20 years ago)

 

[Iggzy]

USA only?

 

[Gifmaker]

That's some great news, I hope this applies worldwide. After over two years, I experienced Joy Con drifting recently for the first time and it's pretty annoying, though I was able to reduce the problem by using the calibration tool. But that's nowhere near a fix.

 

[iconmaster]

I submitted a ticket for two different Joy-Con L halves today. I tried calling the support line, but call volume is so heavy (wonder why) the recording just tells you to call back later! Used the website instead. We'll see what happens.

This is really going to be an issue for longevity of the system. Once Switch nears EOL and Joy-Cons (hopefully) plummet in price, I may pick up a few extra pairs.

 

[Quasicat]

I sent my left one in on the 16th of August because of drift so I called this morning to check on it’s progress. They told me that they getting hit with these so hard that the wait time could be a couple of weeks. Mine was sent to a service center in New York. What have your wait times been on this repair?

 

[iconmaster]

They told me that they getting hit with these so hard that the wait time could be a couple of weeks. Mine was sent to a service center in New York. What have your wait times been on this repair?

Nintendo Support guy just told me... wait for it...

3 to 7 weeks

I hope that's waaay overestimated.

 

[Shouta]

Nintendo Support guy just told me... wait for it...

3 to 7 weeks

I hope that's waaay overestimated.

That probably includes shipping to and from the facility too.

It's not a surprise though. Nintendo probably only has one repair facility on each of the coasts. So considering the number of folks asking for repairs, there has to be a huge back up in packages waiting to be worked on.

 

[Caffeine]

so does the switch lite still have graphite sliders under the analog sticks ?

 

[Kamina]

My blue(left) joycon had the issue, so i looked up solutions and found a video from Nintendo Life where they suggest to use contact cleaner. So i ordered one for a few bucks, applied it though lifting the protective skin under the stick and let it dry.
The problem is completely gone now.

 

[Vawn]

My blue(left) joycon had the issue, so i looked up solutions and found a video from Nintendo Life where they suggest to use contact cleaner. So i ordered one for a few bucks, applied it though lifting the protective skin under the stick and let it dry.
The problem is completely gone now.

It will be back.

 

[tkscz]

Nintendo Support guy just told me... wait for it...

3 to 7 weeks

I hope that's waaay overestimated.

Took about two to three weeks to get mine back.

They let me know that they are receiving a CRAZY amount of joy-cons and have to go through each one to test them, then actually repair them (they send you back paper work telling you what they did to repair it) and then send them back. Takes about a week to get it back after they ship it via UPS ground. Mine work perfectly again but I sent in 3 of the fuckers, so I did NOT help move that line at all.

But yeah, they are getting so many of them that once they receive them, they put your repair on hold until they get to yours. Mine was put on hold for a week after they got the package. I worked remote IT for G.E. and had to do the same thing when I get ten laptops in to repair, takes a while for parts to come in and then I get a line of laptops to fix so once I knew EVERYONE was taking advantage of this, I knew not to expect it back in less than three weeks

 

[Kamina]

It will be back.

How so?
I got more contact cleaner, so i can spray the thing once a week until Switch Pro comes out.

 

[Vawn]

How so?
I got more contact cleaner, so i can spray the thing once a week until Switch Pro comes out.

Everything I've heard about doing that is that it's a temporary fix and eventually won't work.

 

[Kamina]

Everything I've heard about doing that is that it's a temporary fix and eventually won't work.

We’ll see. It was fine for 2.5 years and only started now, despite heavy usage.
In worst case i will buy new Joycons. But as long as it works this way i am happy

 

[Enjay]

And to think all that needed to be done was to file a class action lawsuit against nintendo.

 

[MiyazakiHatesKojima]

Assholes.

 

[iconmaster]

How so?
I got more contact cleaner, so i can spray the thing once a week until Switch Pro comes out.

Outside of Nintendo, no one really knows what's going wrong; but one theory (based on teardowns of the stick component itself) is that contacts are being ground down by use over time. What you're getting rid of using compressed air or contact cleaner are the shavings from these contacts. That works, but at what point does the contact get worn down to nothing?

That's just the theory, though.

 

[Mattyp]

If they are (now) forced to fix them, then of course they'll be forced to go in and make changes at a manufacturing level to improve the design... hopefully.

It’s a RRoD level fix, the hardware has a fault and they can’t simply roll over new hardware over night all they can do is continue to repair the broken units until new models are available to replace them with.

Sadly shit happens sometimes with hardware after long term usage not detected in testing, thankfully they’ve finally decided to fix the issues I guess.

 

[Esppiral]

My left joycon started drifting a couple of weeks ago but since Nintendo seems to not care about Europeans...

 

[iconmaster]

Hey, this HORI D-pad Joy-Con (no wireless, has to be connected to the Switch) is down to $15 -- $10 off. I just picked one up to tide me over while Nintendo fixes both my left Joy-Cons.

I have two controllers for docked mode, but I really prefer handheld.

 

[iconmaster]

Nintendo Support guy just told me... wait for it...

3 to 7 weeks

I hope that's waaay overestimated.

I want Switch owners to rest easy. It took a few days for the Joy-Cons to get to Nintendo, but they turned them around immediately (repaired, I hope/assume). I guess it'll probably come to two weeks all told.

 

[Quasicat]

I want Switch owners to rest easy. It took a few days for the Joy-Cons to get to Nintendo, but they turned them around immediately (repaired, I hope/assume). I guess it'll probably come to two weeks all told.

Mine was sent to the New York repair place. It’s been three weeks and they just sent me an email that it was received. Friday will be one month since UPS says it was received. I really want them back so I can play Zelda, I never realized how much I played the Switch in handheld mode.

 

[MiyazakiHatesKojima]

This is worse than Xbox 360's being replaced back in 2005

 

[iconmaster]

Mine was sent to the New York repair place. It’s been three weeks and they just sent me an email that it was received. Friday will be one month since UPS says it was received. I really want them back so I can play Zelda, I never realized how much I played the Switch in handheld mode.

Oof, sorry to hear that. Mileage may vary, apparently.

 

[Vitacat]

My Switch is from launch day and I have all the usual crap with my Joycon.

But, not sure I want the hassle of sending it in. Meh.

Can I assume that new ones in stores now are problem-free?

 

[iconmaster]

Can I assume that new ones in stores now are problem-free?

I wouldn’t assume that yet. Analog sticks with newer model numbers and very subtle differences have been showing up, but it hasn’t been long enough to be able to say whether those will make any difference (or are even meant to).

 

[iconmaster]

I guess it'll probably come to two weeks all told.

Repair order: September 4th
Joy-cons delivered on: September 13

9 days out and back. They replaced the sticks, but no idea if the components are of any newer make.

 

[Big-ass Ramp]

This is worse than Xbox 360's being replaced back in 2005

That's probably an over exaggeration.

 

[Kamina]

My blue(left) joycon had the issue, so i looked up solutions and found a video from Nintendo Life where they suggest to use contact cleaner. So i ordered one for a few bucks, applied it though lifting the protective skin under the stick and let it dry.
The problem is completely gone now.

Almost two weeks now. Works fine so far.

 

[Quasicat]

Sent it in on August 16th and just got an email to expect it back tomorrow. I’m so excited, just in time for Link’s Awakening!