Following continued reports that the Nintendo Switch’s Joy-Con controllers are “drifting”, a Vice story today claims that Nintendo is instructing its customer service representatives to repair the controllers for free, no questions asked. And anyone who has previously paid to get one repaired will now be refunded.




Speaking with “a source familiar with Nintendo’s updated customer support documentation”, the Vice report says the company’s internal documents now include the lines:

Customers will no longer be requested to provide proof of purchase for Joy-Con repairs. Additionally it is not necessary to confirm warranty status. If a customer requests a refund for a previously paid Joy-Con repair [...] confirm the prior repair and then issue a refund.


Nintendo’s only statement on the issue was earlier this week, and was simply a vague recommendation that anyone affected by the issue visit the company’s support website. If the changes listed in this story have indeed been made, that would indicate Nintendo is now taking the matter a lot more seriously.

“Joy-Con drift” is an issue where the thumbsticks on Nintendo’s Switch controllers detect movement and begin to “drift”, even when the player is not touching the controller.

We’ve contacted Nintendo for comment.