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The joycons drift problem is extremely annoying
- Thread starter Slushimi
- Start date
My right stick started to drift quite recently. It only became more noticeable as I played BoTW. I bought a Switch used from my best friend last November but only started playing it more in the last few months due to quarantine.
I had to change to dock mode and use my Pro controller. But lord knows how long that controller will last before the analog sticks eventually wear out. I might try the alcohol method. Otherwise, I wouldn't mind doing some DIY work to save a good chunk of money.
I had to change to dock mode and use my Pro controller. But lord knows how long that controller will last before the analog sticks eventually wear out. I might try the alcohol method. Otherwise, I wouldn't mind doing some DIY work to save a good chunk of money.
The left joycon had issues with poor signal at launch, I sent mine in to get fixed. Does it happen if you have the dock right in front of you, at close range and no obstructions?
I'm sitting about 8 feet away with no obstructions.
Bought my Switch November 2017, both the pack-in JoyCon and the Splatoon one i imported from Japan do this.
Yeah. I can agree. I despise it and will day joy cons are worst Nintendo made controllers ever.
Yeah it's pretty bad. I've gone through 2 sets and now it's at the point where I use my 8bitdo even when playing handheld. The most recent one is drifting upwards and I also somehow managed to crack the plastic on the downwards side, making moving downwards incredibly inconsistent.
Very annoying.
My launch pair (bought 3 years ago) started drifting only recently so I've bought another pair (new) with Animal Crossing and they're already drifting... I play the game a lot with my kids (around 180hrs in) but is it normal that it starts drifting so early?
How come these expensive things didn't have a complete revision boggles my mind.
My launch pair (bought 3 years ago) started drifting only recently so I've bought another pair (new) with Animal Crossing and they're already drifting... I play the game a lot with my kids (around 180hrs in) but is it normal that it starts drifting so early?
How come these expensive things didn't have a complete revision boggles my mind.
I used alcohol and a q-tip under the analogs flap. Worked for 2 sets but 1 other is still acting up.
Absolutely ridiculous and completely unacceptable that Nintendo hasn't done more to fix this by now.
Absolutely ridiculous and completely unacceptable that Nintendo hasn't done more to fix this by now.
Bought my second set of replacement joystick units which arrived yesterday.
Got significant drift on the left, and minor on the right.
IPA, air duster and contact cleaner don't help in the end. Luckily they're quick, easy and cheap to replace.
Got significant drift on the left, and minor on the right.
IPA, air duster and contact cleaner don't help in the end. Luckily they're quick, easy and cheap to replace.
They suck, at least with the limping N64 controller you could still play, and when the circle pad on the 3DS came off you could play, and with the low low wireless distance on the Wii U you could still play.
Having the stick drift with any of the two sticks means you can't play anymore. You can't control the camera. You can't choose your options. That joy-con is dead.
Having the stick drift with any of the two sticks means you can't play anymore. You can't control the camera. You can't choose your options. That joy-con is dead.
Finally replaced my launch day Joy-Con. The left one started drifting badly around Animal Crossing's launch, so they were about three years old. After replacing them, I realized I needed new ones for more reasons than just drift. The new ones are a light tighter and the seams aren't misaligned. I'm usually a grayscale kind of guy, but I decided to go with Neon Yellow and really love them.
I'm probably going to take the old ones apart and replace the sticks/reshell them as a fun project, and to have an extra set.
I'm probably going to take the old ones apart and replace the sticks/reshell them as a fun project, and to have an extra set.
Sorry for hi-jacking the thread.
I've had a different Joy-Con related issue, and was wondering how widespread it was.
Some time ago, out of nowhere, one of my Joy-Cons stopped working on its own (it would work, but only when attached to the Switch).
Of course, this quickly became annoying because of casual multiplayer sessions.
Since the console has long been out of warranty, I opened up the controller and... the flat cable connecting the SL and SR buttons was half torn. It visibly got straight up folded at one point, probably during the manufacturing process, and I wonder how it managed to live this long as this kind of cables are very fragile - they snap into 2 very easily when folded.
It had to happen at factory level since the Joy-Con had never been opened before.
I've had a different Joy-Con related issue, and was wondering how widespread it was.
Some time ago, out of nowhere, one of my Joy-Cons stopped working on its own (it would work, but only when attached to the Switch).
Of course, this quickly became annoying because of casual multiplayer sessions.
Since the console has long been out of warranty, I opened up the controller and... the flat cable connecting the SL and SR buttons was half torn. It visibly got straight up folded at one point, probably during the manufacturing process, and I wonder how it managed to live this long as this kind of cables are very fragile - they snap into 2 very easily when folded.
It had to happen at factory level since the Joy-Con had never been opened before.
Nintendo is total shit. Imagine selling something you know is absolute garbage while doing nothing at all to fix the issue. They haven't even acknowledged that they have a fucking problem with these self-destructing controllers. Then they put the same sticks in the Switch Lite... can you possibly show more disdain for your customers?
I wonder if I haven't just noticed any drift, I tend to be quite forgiving. Can you measure it somehow?
Started noticing this on mine after a year and some change. Not happy about it. Usually play with a wired controller but when I wanna play in bed its getting noticeable in AC. Things are too expensive to replace while being so common.
Guess I'll tough it out.
Guess I'll tough it out.
I rarely played my switch until I stared botw due to covid. The drift is really bad and souring my experience. I refuse to buy another pair or the pro controller since I'm 100% on handheld mode.
Apart from the drift the lack of proper dpad, the small buttons placed together. I just hate the joycons.
Mine just started doing strange things.
I don't know if the root cause it's the same as the drift, but it's probably that.
The up/down direction is sticky and slow, so I cannot look diagonally towards up or down, it goes completely vertical.
I still have another set of joycons so I'll look into the best way to fix it.
I might just change iot for a new one, but I fear it's not going to be any good if it's not original.
I don't know if the root cause it's the same as the drift, but it's probably that.
The up/down direction is sticky and slow, so I cannot look diagonally towards up or down, it goes completely vertical.
I still have another set of joycons so I'll look into the best way to fix it.
I might just change iot for a new one, but I fear it's not going to be any good if it's not original.
WD-40 really helps. My joycons were causing my player to walk/turn upward in AC without me touching the sticks, but I got some WD-40 and that cut it right out.
Happened to me too, I heard it was so prevalent I was just wondering when it would happen to me. I may have about 300 hours on the console. I hope they announce a revised joy-con because I'm for sure not going to be paying for a new pair.
I may get a pro controller but I mostly like to play in handheld mode so that's not ideal.
I may get a pro controller but I mostly like to play in handheld mode so that's not ideal.
My wife's switch was a recent victim, which was only the start of the issues. We ended up having her brother find one where he lives in Florida, to ship us a new set of joycons, so she could resume her Animal Crossing. Then the wifi went out on it. Then it basically bricked completely. It's been a week since I've messed with it, so while I know it's a laundry list of things to deal with, the joycon issue just started the sour taste in my mouth for their overall build quality.
Do they still fix them for free? I need to send two of them for repairs.
Also, how's the Hori Pro Joy cons?
It looks like your traditional console face buttons, and analog sticks, but I'm worried about size. All the pictures make it look incredibly wide/large.
Also, how's the Hori Pro Joy cons?
It looks like your traditional console face buttons, and analog sticks, but I'm worried about size. All the pictures make it look incredibly wide/large.
Trying to place an item at a specific spot outside your house in Animal Crossing with drifting Joy-Cons is a nightmare. I also don't feel like buying new ones, since nothing's been done about it and they'll break sooner or later too.
My launch switch finally got the drift last week but on the up side I had to buy some replacements and as I would have been fuming to spend €80 on the official joycons I ended up getting the Hori Daemon X Machina joycons and they're the best thing I've done for the switch, absolutely fantastic.
As a company it's ok to have an unforeseen malfunction on your newest products. What is not ok is to barely acknowledge the malfunction and ignore your costumers' demands for a repair or fair compensation.
It's not so much the drift itself that is annoying, but Nintendo's attitude -or lack thereof- towards it.
It's not so much the drift itself that is annoying, but Nintendo's attitude -or lack thereof- towards it.
Yeah, pretty much.
It took a class action lawsuit to make them give it the time of day.
Major drift in both joycons, tempted to get a repair kit but I have no job so even a small purchase is kidna out of the question. I blame animal crossing, I was fine until I was playing animal crossing every day 😂
I don't think its annoying. I think its criminal how these things break and Nintendo still hasn't fixed it, or even offers a decent returns and replacement policy. The fact that the gaming press doesn't seemt o care at all is more icing on the cake.
It's not a minor inconvenience. Games are literally unplayable when it happens.
It's not a minor inconvenience. Games are literally unplayable when it happens.
I have the same problem and you're right, it's extremely annoying. My left stick usually lean towards the left and this precludes me some actions in games; Smash online has become a torture cause every time I'm on the left part of the stage basically there's a high chance that I can't use properly the B up move, hence falling off stage during recovery. In Animal Crossing New Horizons I can't get the pieces o stars cause I can't stay put and watch the sky.
Which leads me to the next questions; can someone give me some feedback on the Hori joycon, the ones with the D-pad? I only use my switch in portable mode, so I don't care about the fact that I can't use them docked. It's just 20€ on amazon for a single left joycon and it's quite tempting.
Which leads me to the next questions; can someone give me some feedback on the Hori joycon, the ones with the D-pad? I only use my switch in portable mode, so I don't care about the fact that I can't use them docked. It's just 20€ on amazon for a single left joycon and it's quite tempting.
And in europe you need to pass through hoops to get them repaired for free if you dont have guarantee anymore (by actually getting really angry in the phone with them telling you never going to buy their shit and sometimes this doesnt work).
Thy refuse to say its joycon drift until you send it to them, then they say only the repair guys know what it is and the person in the phone doesnt, and that joycon drift is the persons problem, not them.
This is the worst nintendo problem they have, at least in NoE.
The alcohol "repair" works for some months at first, then weeks, then days... I dont even understand how that is possible.
Thy refuse to say its joycon drift until you send it to them, then they say only the repair guys know what it is and the person in the phone doesnt, and that joycon drift is the persons problem, not them.
This is the worst nintendo problem they have, at least in NoE.
The alcohol "repair" works for some months at first, then weeks, then days... I dont even understand how that is possible.
I really don't know how but I've made it since launch with no drift issues on my joycons. What does drift is my pro controller which is seriously upsetting considering I spent 70+ dollars on it. It's a shame because it's very comfortable to use, and I'm forced to use the joycons as an alternative. I really think I should just look at the 8bitdo controller, seems like a popular option here.
When the Lite came out, I briefly considered buying one. But this potential problem put me off. Very glad with my decision.
I've been using my drifting joycon to play project diva Megamix because I'm too afraid of killing my new ones with this game, it's annoying.
Ugh I just got hit with the left joy con drift after playing some switch this weekend. The amount of cliffs and towers I fell off playing BoTW was infuriating to no end.
Was wondering where the drift thread in era was anyway.
I'm not buying new joy cons for £70. I tried the alcohol rub method n it didn't work.
Was wondering where the drift thread in era was anyway.
I'm not buying new joy cons for £70. I tried the alcohol rub method n it didn't work.
Something I don't get, why haven't third parties capitalized on this? Not only is this not happening, but even the Hori d-pad joycon has drifty sticks, it's unbelievable. Release a joycon with a different stick - it might even lack HD rumble or motion controls and it'd still sell well if it doesn't drift.
I gave up in the end and bought a Pro Controller for £60 or so. New joycons aren't protected from drift and £65-£80 for them is disgraceful