Nintendo is expected to conduct an independent investigation into a problem with the Joy-Con drivers on its Switch game console, Consumer Group Which? he says.
The Nintendo Switch was released five years ago, but has been haunted by reports of “drift” when the console registers movement even though the joysticks are not in use.
Nintendo has said that only a small number of devices are affected and that customers who have problems should contact them.
Which one? said it surveyed 919 owners of the original UK-based Switch.
40% reported drift issues, but only 73% contacted Nintendo about it.
This was despite the fact that the gaming company offered a two-year warranty for the console.
About 19% of those who complained did not receive any repairs or replacements.
Which one? Policy and defense director Rocio Concha said: “Our research shows that drift issues continue to plague Nintendo Switch owners, but too often they may be allowed to pay the bill to replace faulty drivers or they face a lottery when they contact Nintendo for assistance.
“Nintendo needs to do an urgent independent investigation into why this problem is occurring and make the findings public.
“The video game giant must also commit to making completely free repairs or replacements for those affected by the problem and must promote this scheme so that consumers know there is support.”
Which one? he said his own tests on the Switch console had found no problem with drifting, adding that this demonstrated the difficulty of detecting the problem, which means that an investigation was the best way.
Nintendo said: “The percentage of Joy-Con drivers that have been reported to have problems with the analog pen in the past is small and we have been making continuous improvements to the Joy-Con analog pen since its launch in 2017.
“We expect all of our hardware to work as designed, and if something goes wrong, we always encourage consumers to contact Nintendo Customer Service, who will be happy to resolve this openly and leniently. any consumer issues related to Joy-Con analog drivers, even in cases where the warranty no longer applies. “