Nintendo Switch: new statement about Joy-Con connectivity issues, Nintendo has “simple fix” for it

Even before launch, a fair number of Nintendo Switch users reported connectivity issues with the left Joy-Con. Unfortunately, the problem was not solved by the Day 1 Firmware update, and while the majority of users are not impacted, it remains an issue for quite a lot of players.

Yesterday, Nintendo sent a statement to Kotaku, explaining that the connectivity issues with the left Joy-Con were not a design issue. This was pretty obvious, because if it really was, then all launch units would be impacted (and this is not the case). In fact, not all journalists who received a Nintendo Switch early (for previews) encountered the issue.

According to Nintendo, the issue is caused by a “manufacturing variation”, which has already been addressed and corrected. If one of your left Joy-Cons is impacted, Nintendo has a “simple fix” for it, but you need to send it to them for repairs. The good news is, this will not cost you a cent (thanks to the warranty), and you should get your controller back in less than a week.

Here’s the full statement from Nintendo:

There is no design issue with the Joy-Con controllers, and no widespread proactive repair or replacement effort is underway. A manufacturing variation has resulted in wireless interference with a small number of the left Joy-Con. Moving forward this will not be an issue, as the manufacturing variation has been addressed and corrected at the factory level.

 

We have determined a simple fix can be made to any affected Joy-Con to improve connectivity.

 

There are other reasons consumers may be experiencing wireless interference. We are asking consumers to contact our customer support team so we can help them determine if a repair is necessary. If it is, consumers can send their controller directly to Nintendo for the adjustment, free of charge, with an anticipated quick return of less than a week. Repair timing may vary by region. For help with any hardware or software questions, please visit http://support.nintendo.com.

And here goes the theory that the connectivity issues of the left Joy-Cons were caused by the cleverly hidden ice cubes inside…

Source: Kotaku