Nintendo repairs the Drifting Joy-Con for free in Austria

The Switch is a hit for Nintendo, with over 120 million devices sold (as of December 2022). But a dark cloud has been hovering over success for years: the so-called “Joy-Con-Drift.” The problem is particularly common with the left Joy-Con and causes game characters to constantly run to the left. But how can you Joy-Con fix?

How is Joy-Con Drift explained? Gamers have found that controller movements are recognized even when no one is touching the joystick. This makes it difficult to move the game’s characters in the right direction.

What can I do against it? Do not disassemble it yourself! After the United States, there is also the possibility in the European Union (including Austria and Germany), Switzerland and Great Britain to repair the Joy-Con for free if there is indeed a “jaw”. Nintendo will pay for it.

It costs nothing to fix the Joy-Con

As Nintendo writes on their official website, “There is no fee for processing response syndrome,” “regardless of whether it is caused by a defect or wear and tear.” In other words, Joy-Cons that are not covered by the warranty are also repaired.

What should I do first?

Before sending a Joy-Con, Nintendo recommends making sure the “Default button is set in the joystick settings.”

on Nintendo support page There are a few pointers to read before sending your Joy-Con in for repair. The company writes that “controllers whose joysticks cannot be calibrated” should be repaired. Important note at this point: “Please do not send in the console.” Furthermore, Nintendo says: “Joy-Con controllers that are recognized as being properly connected to the console, but that the joysticks do not respond properly, should be fixed.”

How long is the free repair?

As of now, there is no set time period for how long you can fix a Joy-Con by drifting. The official website states, at least “until further notice”, that “the free repair of joystick-associated response syndrome will be performed by the Official Nintendo Repair Service”. Nintendo’s offer is valid even “if the response syndrome is caused by wear and tear, and even if Nintendo’s 24-month manufacturer’s warranty has already expired.”