[Kotaku] Joy-Con Drift Is Becoming A Real Problem On The Switch

[HeroR]

Out of my three Joy Cons, I only had to send back one pair. Faulty left and then right Joy Con. My right one acted up again, but I bought the spray recommended here and the issue was gone. Except in Trails of Mana for some reason, works fine in my other games.

The other Joy Cons worked fine and got them at launch. I honestly had more issues with GameCube controllers.

 

[J_ToSaveTheDay]

I haven't personally experienced Joy-Con drift myself yet but I have zero reason to deny that it is a problem. I hope Nintendo is working up a solution. I wouldn't expect it to be addressed with the initial waves of Switch Lite, there's been no really strong acknowledgement from Nintendo and no explicit mention of more durable parts in the Lite's construction, outside of speculated durability boons from its different construction.

 

[Zeroro]

More big publications need to be pushing Nintendo on this issue. It's fucked how widespread of a problem it is, especially when they're the most expensive console controller on the market.

 

[Sojiro]

Yeah, my right Gray Joycon that came with the Switch has been drifting to the bottom starting last month, I take damn good care of my stuff so I know it is not because of abuse. My switch is long out of warranty, so I had to purchase a replacement joystick and change it out myself. This seems to be a big problem that is only going to get worse as more and more people seem to start experiencing these issues.

 

[I Wanna Be The Guy]

The poll sums it up nicely. It's a joke. I had to get a replacement right joycon. Now my left has the issue. Even worse build quality than the DS4.

 

[HeroR]

Yeah, my right Gray Joycon that came with the Switch has been drifting to the bottom starting last month, I take damn good care of my stuff so I know it is not because of abuse. My switch is long out of warranty, so I had to purchase a replacement joystick and change it out myself. This seems to be a big problem that is only going to get worse as more and more people seem to start experiencing these issues.

Click to shrink...

You probably could have fixed it yourself with the spray recommended here.

 

[NeverWas]

I don't know how many times I've run off an edge in Dead Cells because of it.

 

[Lethologica]

Voted yes since, while I do not own a Switch personally, I had the issue happen to me a few times while trying out BoTW for around 45 minutes on a family members. I can see how that would be problematic for regular users. Kind of can't believe Nintendo still hasn't fixed the issue after 2 1/2 years.

 

[Mashing]

If Nintendo won't fix something that could arguably be called a failure in workmanship, then they're opening themselves up to litigation.

 

[jts]

Kotaku back at it again.

Spoiler

We have realized this for months if not for over a year.

This is a real problem and it has happened to me, thankfully it is mitigated by how simple and cheap it is to replace the joysticks if you have ever opened/serviced any electronic device.

But Nintendo needs to fix it. Hopefully by the time the updated Switch releases at the latest. For the Lite I am confident that the built-in controls will be designed with a different robustness in mind.

 

[Saint-14]

It's one of the reasons why I haven't used my Switch in +5 months and will probably end up selling it, no one sells a joycon here and I'm not ordering a delivery from Amazon where it'll cost even more.

 

[MisterR]

No I've seen videos that show that it's basically bound to wear down with repeated use. But you're not really looking for a discussion. You're just looking to defend your favorite company.

 

[Mashy]

Will try to fix it with what's been said but it is a ridiculous issue. Barely use it because I use my Pro controller, but somehow I got the issue.

 

[carlosrox]

Electrical contact cleaner will fix it. Every single time.

Click to shrink...

But what about WD40?

 

[pulsemyne]

But what about WD40?

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same thing different name. All contact cleaners do is remove rust and gunk.

 

[carlosrox]

same thing different name. All contact cleaners do is remove rust and gunk.

Click to shrink...

I don't need to worry about it damaging anything?

Is it all okay to spray?

Thanks!

 

[Apollo]

My right joy-con is soooooo bad. It's unbelievable

 

[Doskoi Panda]

But what about WD40?

Click to shrink...

It has to be WD40 Electrical Contact Cleaner. If it's just regular WD40, don't use it

 

[Apopheniac]

I always thought this was a connection problem. Have had issues with this a handful of times, but it typically went away when I restarted the software, and it's an occasional issue I've had with every wireless controller. Hasn't happened to me recently, at least.

 

[Captjohnboyd]

No I've seen videos that show that it's basically bound to wear down with repeated use. But you're not really looking for a discussion. You're just looking to defend your favorite company.

Click to shrink...

Who is this in response to? I think virtually everyone in here acknowledges that Nintendo is responsible for this. Also the first part of your post write what it seems to be a "it just happens with normal use" defense like most controllers but the second seems to be calling Nintendo out. Genuine question I'm not trying to be a jerk I just don't quite understand your post

 

[Linde]

I've experienced it once but then never again

 

[Keldroc]

I have literally never used my joycons because I only play docked with a pro controller. But everyone I know who has a Switch has had some kind of drift issue so I'm sure mine do it too, or would if I ever used them enough to cause wear and tear. Not too impressive considering what they cost.

 

[Morgan Park]

The worse problem for me is general Joy-Con connectivity. I can't put anything between me and the Switch or the connection totally drops. Bought a Pro Controller just to bypass this.

 

[Sojiro]

You probably could have fixed it yourself with the spray recommended here.

Click to shrink...

Yeah maybe so, I didn't seen the spray as a solution in another thread about this issue, and wished I had tried it first. It was either replace the stick yourself, or send it to Nintendo, at least as far as I remember from the other thread.

 

[Instro]

The quality and feature set that Nintendo offers in their controllers, vs the price they charge, is abysmal. The fact that they haven't fixed this or the d-pad issue on the Pro controller is embarrassing.

 

[FantaSoda]

Did you have to open the JoyCon to apply it?

Click to shrink...

I have opened the joycons before to replace the stick, but you don't have to to apply the contract cleaner. There is a little flap right under the flat post of the stock and under that is where you spray.

 

[MisterR]

Who is this in response to? I think virtually everyone in here acknowledges that Nintendo is responsible for this. Also the first part of your post write what it seems to be a "it just happens with normal use" defense like most controllers but the second seems to be calling Nintendo out. Genuine question I'm not trying to be a jerk I just don't quite understand your post

Click to shrink...

It was in response to a guy who was trying to blame user error. Thought I had him quoted but missed it on mobile. It's got a poor build quality .

 

[CesareNorrez]

I have had no issues with launch system Joy-cons until the past few weeks. The right stick has started to drift. I thought I was pretty lucky, but 28 months was as long as the streak could go.

Hope they fix it for the Switch Lite people. That would be a bummer to deal with.

 

[Deleted member 16365]

Isn't this a problem with almost all analog sticks?

My PS4 controllers tend to drift within 6 months. I buy between 2 and 3 Dual Shock 4's every year.

XBOX Controllers are better, but not by much.

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No, man. What are you doing to your controllers? I've only ever had one DS4 issue and it was a build problem where hitting L2 would trigger as moving the analog stick up.

 

[Clefargle]

Never had this issue. But I play mostly docked or with a pro controller all the time so my sticks don't suffer much

 

[TitlePending]

Class action lawsuit on the horizon?

Isn't this a problem with almost all analog sticks?

My PS4 controllers tend to drift within 6 months. I buy between 2 and 3 Dual Shock 4's every year.

XBOX Controllers are better, but not by much.

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Ironic that the only controller I had drift issues with was the another Nintendo console - the N64.

 

[ronpontelle]

Its started happening once in a while on my left stick, it moves up very, very slightly, but when I centre it again it's fine. I noticed it most on Celeste, I think it was, when I had to be really accurate with my platforming.

I've got a spare kicking around from when I had another problem with it after a few months, and Amazon refunded me the price of a new joycon, so I bought another and sent it off to Nintendo. Can't recall if that was the left or right joycon though, I should dig it out!

It's not good, considering their price, but I had it worse on three 360 controllers back in the day, after a similar amount of time (two years or so). Was probably playing a lot more FPS games then, when pushing up/forward is almost a constant!

 

[UsoEwin]

My joycons are currently fine, but. This is the exact reason I won't be getting a Switch Lite. If they haven't sourced a new analogue part, I think we are going to be seeing a lot more uproar from people whose sticks start to drift and now they can't even just go an buy a new joycon.

 

[Digital Savior]

I'm still using launch joycons and have no drift. I'm usually pretty gentle with the sticks. All of my anger comes out in the form of obscenities.

 

[digita1alchemy]

I have 7 sets of joycons + the Hori dpad thing and have never experienced this issue, which is crazy considering how widespread it seems to be. Is it more likely with heavy use? Maybe it's because I spread my play time out pretty evenly among my controllers.

 

[the_kaotek1]

My right Joycon had drifting issues. Contact cleaner worked for me.

Click to shrink...

I'm seeing this a lot in this thread, are you taking apart the joy con to do this? My original pair are unusable at this point and getting replacement sticks isn't easy (Amazon don't deliver to my country)

 

[DanceToTheRadio]

Whenever a "Joy-Con drift" thread pops up on era, I feel the need to vent about how much I hate these controllers. The drifting is so bad that my Switch is damn near unplayable now. The only solution is to replace the controller or at least the analog stick, but only for it to start drifting again months later? Fuck that. I'm going to have to buy a Pro controller at some point, but it's not cheap or ideal for portable play. I remember there were issues with the D-Pad on the Pro controller too.

The quality control for the Switch is pathetic, really disappointed in Nintendo. They have to fix this for the Switch Lite, or they will have a nightmare on their hands.

 

[S I C K O]

Shit I didn't even know this was a thing.

Makes me weary on the lite version. The new revision should hopefully do something about it.

 

[Inquisitive_Ghost]

I don't need to worry about it damaging anything?

Is it all okay to spray?

Thanks!

Click to shrink...

You need an electrical contact cleaner that is safe for consumer electronics. WD40 makes one, which is what people are talking about when they say that.

Make sure you read whichever one you're looking at and check that it is in fact safe for the console. I found one locally that actually specifically said that it wasn't for personal electronics and was instead for automotive use, which I did not expect. I had to order a can online.

 

[Omegamon]

They will fix it for Switch Lite, right? D: also, does the Hori dpad joycon has this problem? I'm thinking of getting one since I mostly play hh and don't use the motion controllers.

 

[Deleted member 2752]

Breakdown of a joycon analog stick, courtesy of u/rainbopython from Reddit

https://m.imgur.com/gallery/58bBc43

Its a design issue, its basically unavoidable and will happen sooner or later depending on your usage. Luckily you can snag a set of analog replacements (2 analogs per set) through sites like AliExpress for roughly 10 USD.

But for the price joycons are going for in retail, this is really unacceptable.

Click to shrink...

Wow this looks bad. The actual physical wear on those pads makes me think this issue will only get worse.

The Lite better have a solution for this...

 

[Deleted member 21709]

Nintendo should do a recall.

 

[ZeroX]

Yeah it's started happening a little on my launch Switch.

Just using a Wii U Pro Controller most of the time now.

 

[Vj27]

Yeah it's started happening a little on my launch Switch.

Just using a Wii U Pro Controller most of the time now.

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I never thought of buying a Wii U pro controller, hell I didn't even know that worked with the switch. Damn I'm hoping I didn't sell that with my Wii U way back because using this cheap $20 switch controller isn't cutting it atm 😭.
Edit: WHAT, THERE ONLY $20!!! Do they work fine with the switch?? I remember looooving playing wind waker hd and zombi u with that controller, was so great. This is definitely going to be my Joycon replacement then, if they work great I'm gonna go out an buy like 3.

 

[Sitrus]

I'm using contact cleaner for electronics as a temporary measure for now, but I'm prepared to replace the left analog stick when the cleaner stops working. I've never seen such fragile sticks in any handheld ever and I've had all of the major ones including the Vita, which features the same-ish sticks and the 3DS which I had to replace the sticks once because the plastic got worn out.

 

[BraXzy]

I pretty much stopped playing on my Switch with my GF because of this. It made Mario Kart unplayable for one of us... I don't feel like dropping £60 to fix a manufacture defect.

 

[Noctilum]

My launch Switch drifts all the time but canned air fixes it. My son has a Switch that he got a year after launch and no amount of canned air fixes it. Luckily he can use my joy-con because I only use the pro controller. No joy, all con.

 

[DanGo]

I bought my girlfriend a Switch and Zelda in November. She gets a ton of drift (with the left stick) now that ruins gameplay moments. It's really bad that a controller can go to shit in 8 months and not even with a ton of use.

 

[DarthWalden]

All four of my joycons are straight trashed.

I've resorted to playing handheld with kickstand plus pro controller.

 

[Hucast]

my left joy-con after 3 months of use:

bought 2 new Pro Controllers because of this. If same issue will still appear - then I'm done with Nintendo peripherals, I'll better switch to Hori or another company.

Click to shrink...

Ok if this is the issue I have never experienced it. My issue is with connection from more than a couple of feet away from the switch. I guess i'm good then, sorta