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Joy-Con

Joy-Con[a] are the primary game controllers for the Nintendo Switch video game console. They consist of two individual units, each containing an analog stick and an array of buttons. They can be used while attached to the main Nintendo Switch console unit, or detached and used wirelessly; when detached, a pair of Joy-Con can be used by a single player, or divided between two as individual controllers. The controllers have been criticized for the tendency of the analog sticks to register inputs when not being touched, which is commonly referred to as Joy-Con drift.

Developer

  • WW: March 3, 2017

2017–present

Internal 3.7 V, 525 mAh, 1.9 Wh lithium-ion polymer battery (non-removable)

  • Joy-Con L: 48 g (1.7 oz)
  • Joy-Con R: 51 g (1.8 oz)

Reception[edit]

Technical issues[edit]

Prior to the public release of Nintendo Switch, various video gaming websites reported that the controllers—most commonly the Joy-Con L—were susceptible to connection losses when used wirelessly. It was initially unknown whether these problems were the result of an interference issue, or caused by the pre-launch software on review units.[48] A Nintendo spokesperson stated to Polygon that the company would "continue to monitor the performance of Nintendo Switch hardware and software, and make improvements when necessary". The company posted guidance on its support website for minimizing Bluetooth signal interference, including recommendations that the Switch console be placed away from other wireless-enabled devices.[49] On March 22, 2017, Nintendo confirmed that the interference issues were caused by a "manufacturing variant" in a small number of Joy-Con from early production runs, and that the company would allow owners to send in their affected Joy-Con for repairs free-of-charge.[50]


On launch, it was reported that the wrist strap attachments for the Joy-Con were hard to detach from the controllers. It was also reported that a wrist strap could easily be attached to the Joy-Con incorrectly and become difficult to remove.[51][9]


One of the more common issues to be found with the Joy-Con is joystick drift. This issue occurs when dust or other small particles come in contact with the internal sensors of the analog stick. A common remedy for this issue is to apply compressed air or contact cleaner under the rubber skirt of the joystick.[52] Nintendo repairs this issue for free if under warranty, but the cost of repair for an out of warranty Joy-Con could be over 40 United States dollars according to many reports on the topic. The high price of repair leads many to buy an entirely new Joy-Con as they only cost slightly more than a repair, a single being $49.99 and a set of two $79.99.[53] In response to increased complaints and potential legal action for the drift issue, Nintendo stated that they were aware of the frequent reports, but did not offer immediate advice outside of contacting their technical support lines.[54] On July 23, 2019, three days after the filing of a class action lawsuit, an internal Nintendo memo was leaked; the memo instructed the firm's customer service employees in North America to start offering repairs for drifting Joy-Con controllers for free, regardless of warranty status.[55]


Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa issued a public apology from the company for the drift problem as part of an investors' meeting in June 2020, stating "We apologize for any inconvenience caused to our customers regarding Joy-Con controllers. We are continuing to improve our products", but could not comment further due to ongoing legal cases related to the controllers.[56]


With the release of the OLED revision of the Switch in October 2021, Nintendo said that the new Joy-Con design should reduce the drift problem but they did not expect that they could ever eliminate the drift as it is an issue related to wear from long-term usage. The new design of the joysticks in the OLED Joy-Con were made to reduce how much wear occurs to make them more durable but the company still anticipates drifting could still occur.[57]

Legal issues[edit]

Patent challenge[edit]

In August 2017, Los Angeles-based tablet peripheral manufacturer Gamevice filed a lawsuit against Nintendo in the United States District Court for the Central District of California, alleging that the design of the Joy-Con controllers conflicts with its patent on the design for the Wikipad, an Android-based gaming device that also features a tablet with a detachable controller. The lawsuit sought damages on existing Switch sales and banning further sales of the console.[58] The lawsuit was voluntarily dismissed by Gamevice on October 23, 2017.[59]


However, in March 2018, Gamevice initiated a second patent infringement lawsuit on Nintendo related to a different set of patents. Gamevice also sought action through the United States International Trade Commission related to patent infringement under Section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930, and was seeking to block imports of the Switch into the United States.[60][61][62]

Joy-Con drift lawsuits[edit]

Two class action lawsuits were filed in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington in July 2019 and September 2019 over the Joy-Con drift issue. The first suit alleges that Nintendo is well aware of the defect but does not "disclose the defect and routinely refuses to repair the joysticks without charge";[63] the second suit alleges that the Joy-Con controllers are defective. It asserts claims for breach of warranty, fraud, and violations of numerous state consumer protection statutes.[64] The court refused to dismiss the suits, and as of October 2020, are currently under arbitration hearings.[65]


Two additional class action lawsuits were filed in October and November 2020 in the United States, respectively in the Northern California District Court and in the Western Washington District Court. Both suits allege Nintendo of having defective manufacturing processes for the Joy-Con, even after the company apologized for the problem, as the primary clients in both cases has purchased multiple Joy-Con but found the drift occurred over time in each set purchased.[65][66] At least one of the lawsuits was dismissed in February 2023, as the judge ruled that the EULA for the Nintendo Switch required users to go through arbitration instead of lawsuits to resolve matters.[67]


The French consumer group UFC-Que Choisir filed a lawsuit against Nintendo in September 2020 alleging that the Joy-Con were designed with planned obsolescence intended to fail or break due to the drift issue and other factors. The suit seeks to compel Nintendo to change its manufacturing process to improve the durability of the Joy-Con.[68]


A consortium of nine European consumer organizations requested consumers inform them on Joy-Con drift issues in December 2020 as they negotiated with Nintendo on how to resolve the matters in that region. The organizations stated that they would plan legal action if they could not come to an agreement with Nintendo.[69] The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC), which represents 40 consumers groups in the region, also urged the European Commission to investigate the Joy-Con drift issue in January 2021 after the body received 25,000 complaints.[70]