The Nintendo Switch has a major hardware problem, and now Nintendo is offering free repairs to tens of millions of customers
- Nintendo's Switch console is a wildly popular game system, and over 34 million have been sold since it launched in March 2017.
- One of the key components of the Switch is its removable controllers, the so-called "Joy-Con" gamepads.
- Many Switch owners have reported major issues with the thumbsticks on those Joy-Cons, and Nintendo is now offering to fix them for free, according to a new report from Vice.
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Nintendo's got a huge issue with its wildly popular Switch console: The controller's thumbsticks have a mind of their own.
The phenomenon is known as "Joy-Con drift," named after the Nintendo Switch Joy-Con gamepads that attach to each side of the Switch console.
For millions of people, over time, one or both of the thumbsticks on the Joy-Con begin slowly "drifting" to one direction. Even when you're not touching the thumbsticks, the console will register them as being moved.
Behold:
The issue is a big enough problem that some Nintendo Switch owners banded together for a class-action lawsuit against the company.
But now, according to a new Vice report, Nintendo is offering free repairs to anyone who calls in to Nintendo's hardware support line with complaints about Joy-Con drift. Better yet, Nintendo is also reportedly offering refunds to anyone who's already paid for a Joy-Con fix.
"Customers will no longer be requested to provide proof of purchase for Joy-Con repairs," a newly issued internal Nintendo support document said, according to the report. "Additionally it is not necessary to confirm warranty status. If a customer requests a refund for a previously paid Joy-Con repair ... confirm the prior repair and then issue a refund."
For its part, Nintendo has yet to formally announce such a repair program for affected Nintendo Switch Joy-Con gamepads. A Nintendo rep didn't return a request for comment as of publishing, but various reports have confirmed that Nintendo customer support is indeed offering free repairs.
