Nintendo Switch flaw affecting millions can now be fixed for free – find out if you’re eligible

NINTENDO Switch fans can now get a free repair for one of the Nintendo Switch console’s biggest flaws. 

Before now, Nintendo Switch owners have sometimes needed to pay to have their Switch controllers repaired. 

The issue is called Joy-Con drift, and makes the control sticks on the included Joy-Con controllers issue fake inputs even when the player doesn’t touch them. 

It’s been an issue with the controllers since the console launched in 2017, with controllers going bad within a matter of months since purchase. 

A consumer rights group in the UK found last year that the faulty Joy-Con was due to a design flaw, and could affect up to 40% of Nintendo Switch owners. 

Many even turned to third-party controllers like one that was based on a GameCube controller to try and avoid the issue. 

Now, Nintendo has pledged to fix every Joy-Con controller affected by the issue for free in the UK and most of Europe. 

A notice on Nintendo UK’s support site reads: “If your problem isn’t resolved, you can set up a repair for affected Joy-Con controllers.

“Until further notice, Nintendo will not charge you in the European Economic Area (EEA), UK and Switzerland for the repair of the responsiveness syndrome irrespective of whether this is caused by a defect or by wear and tear.” 

Nintendo says that you must meet the following criteria to be eligible for a free repair: 

• The issue stems from regular wear and tear 
• The controller has not been used with third-party systems and accessories 
• The controller has not been used for rental or commercial purposes 
• The issue was not caused by accidental damage or modification 
• The controller has not been opened or a repair attempted by anyone other than Nintendo

If your controller is affected, you should first attempt to follow some basic troubleshooting steps, such as updating the console and the controllers. 

If it still presents the issues, you can book a repair through Nintendo’s support page, after which you’ll need to send the controllers in to be fixed or replaced. 

Nintendo says that the repair is available for any set of Joy-Con controllers, even if they’re outside of the 2-year warranty provided by the company. 

Written by Oliver Brandt on behalf of GLHF.