The Nintendo Switch’s JoyCons are great. Stylish, handy, and all-round fun to use. However, one issue that has plagued Nintendo is the JoyCon’s drifting issues. This became so bad that a major class-action lawsuit was launched. While that lawsuit is ongoing, Nintendo has reached a new low over the issue. They are now being sued by a 10-year-old child (and presumably their parents). The lawsuit claims that after buying a Switch in 2018, it took only a single month for the issue to begin. After buying replacement Joycons, it took only a few more months for those to also begin drifting. The family is asking for $5 million in damages over the issue (seriously!). Now, my JoyCons drift, and I understand it is irritating. However $5 million in damages is crazy! It would be good to see Nintendo finally start to take the issue seriously though.
JoyCon Drift is Not An Issue (Apparently)
Just to rub salt in the wound, Nintendo claims JoyCon drift is “not a real problem“. That’s according to law firm CSK&D, who represents plaintiffs in the class-action lawsuit against Nintendo. In Nintendo’s defense, the company did start offering free repairs under warranty for US gamers. Nintendo did not extend this outside of America though. Nintendo’s President, Shuntaro Furukawa, also offered a bit of a nothing-apology back in June.
It’s a real shame that there has been so much controversy around JoyCon drift. While it is unlikely to have damaged Nintendo’s bottom-line, it has marred an otherwise beloved console. The Switch has been hugely popular and won Nintendo back much-needed ground after the Wii U flopped hard. With a fantastic selection of games, drift is frequently the only criticism that can be aimed at the Switch. The console really has gone from strength to strength and is set for further success. Here’s to hoping Nintendo relents and fully acknowledges the issue.
