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Updated: 26 Apr 2023

Which? tells Nintendo what is causing its Nintendo Switch drift issue

Which? has lab analysis evidence that Nintendo Switch controller drift problems are likely due to a mechanical fault, pointing to design flaws. We're calling for the games console giant to get a grip on the issue

Andrew Laughlin

The Nintendo Switch seemingly has a mechanical issue in its design that’s likely to be causing chronic drift problems on the Joy-Con controllers, according to Which? research. We are calling on Nintendo to fix the issue and be more proactive in assisting affected consumers.

We reported in June 2022 that two in five Switch Classic owners surveyed* had experienced Joy-Con drift, when the on-screen cursor moves despite the user doing nothing. It can make video games unplayable and means many people have been left out of pocket through having to buy expensive replacement Joy-Con controllers, which can cost around £70.

After acquiring five controllers with reported drift and analysing them in the lab, we believe that a mechanical issue is likely to be behind the drift in the UK’s best-selling video games console, and Nintendo hasn't done enough to address the problems suffered by hard-up consumers. We originally published this research in December 2022.

In April 2023 Nintendo announced it would offer free Joy-Con repairs to affected Switch owners in the UK, European Economic Area and Switzerland.

However, we don't think that goes far enough to address the problem. Keep reading to find out more about our research, and what we think Nintendo still needs to do for Switch users.

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Drifting Nintendo Switches sent to the lab

The Classic version of the Nintendo Switch console has been dogged by reports of Joy-Con drift since its release in 2017. This occurs when the detachable Joy-Con controllers appear to move the on-screen controls without the user doing anything.

We sourced five sets of Joy-Con controllers from actual consumers, plus their Nintendo Switch Classic consoles. One set of controllers was a replacement set purchased after the original Joy-Cons developed drift – the owner supplied both sets.

All had reported instances of drift that had not been resolved by the owner and were all bought between 2017 and 2019.

We sent these to a specialist lab for teardown analysis, which involves dismantling the hardware of the consoles to their component parts in order to forensically see what has gone wrong.

Teardown testing reveals likely mechanical fault

The lab verified that there was a drift issue on all five Joy-Con sets of controllers we had sourced. It was present on one or both Joy-Con controllers, but most commonly affected the left-hand stick.

After tearing the consoles and controllers down, the lab found:

While there were dustproofing cowls on the joystick components of the Joy Cons, the presence of dust and other contaminants in the internal components suggested that this protection was insufficient
All the plastic circuit boards exhibited noticeable wear on the joystick slider contact points
It was concluded that this wear, and the drift issue that resulted from it, were likely due to a mechanical issue.

The lab report stated: 'While there are variances between the construction of the individual controllers, the common features noted are the wear on the joystick slider contact points (present on all of the plastic circuit boards) and the ingress of dust/contamination.

'It may therefore be the case that the drift issue is caused by the wear to the circuit board, or a combination of this wear together with the dust/contamination ingress.'

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What our research reveals

Our snapshot findings indicate there is an issue in the core design of the Switch Classic and its Joy-Con controllers that is causing the drift issue. These findings are similar to a report commissioned by French consumer organisation UFC-Que Choisir.

With our June 2022 report indicating that 40% of UK Classic owners had experienced Joy-Con drift, this also suggests that Nintendo had failed to get a proper grip of the problem and address the inherent fault in some consoles.

In our survey*, 52% of Switch owners with a drift problem bought replacement controllers to address the problem, at a cost of around £70 from the official Nintendo store.

Of those that did contact Nintendo, 79% received a repair or replacement for free. However, 19% of those who contacted Nintendo didn’t receive a free replacement or repair at all, likely leaving them to have to pay for it themselves.

Based on our research, the maximum price to repair one controller is £26.40, and to repair both costs £52.80. So some consumers are being left footing the bill to fix the drift issue.

What Nintendo said

When we presented our findings to Nintendo in December 2022, the games giant said: 'The percentage of Joy-Con controllers that have been reported as experiencing issues with the analogue stick in the past is small, and we have been making continuous improvements to the Joy-Con analogue stick since its launch in 2017.

'We expect all our hardware to perform as designed, and, if anything falls short of this goal, we always encourage consumers to contact Nintendo customer support, who will be happy to openly and leniently resolve any consumer issues related to the Joy-Con controllers’ analogue sticks, including in cases where the warranty may no longer apply.'

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Nintendo must do more to combat Nintendo switch controller drift

We made four key calls to Nintendo:

Commission an independent investigation into the causes of drift on Joy-Con controllers and make the findings and outcomes publicly available
Provide a compensation or refund plan for any UK consumers who can prove that they have paid out for replacement Joy-Cons as a result of the drift fault since 2017
Promote this scheme so that all consumers who are affected are aware that they can access free support, compensation or refunds
Commit to a ‘no-quibble’ and completely free-of-charge repair or replacement of all Joy-Con controllers sold in the UK that have developed drift since the Nintendo Switch Classic launched in 2017

Following an alert with the European Commission, and in line with our fourth call, in April 2023 Nintendo announced it will offer a free-of-charge repair or replacement service for all Joy-Con controllers sold in the UK that have developed drift since the Nintendo Switch Classic launched in 2017. It has also said that this applies even if the problem could be caused by 'wear and tear' and even if the product is outside the standard 24-month manufacturer warranty.

Which? says

Rocio Concha, Which? Director of Policy and Advocacy, said: 'Nintendo Switch ‘drift’ has been plaguing gamers for years, and many consumers have been left out of pocket buying expensive replacement controllers, so it's positive that the video game giant has committed to lifelong free repairs.

"Which? tests found that these chronic Nintendo Switch controller problems are likely due to a mechanical fault – pointing to design flaws that Nintendo must address to prevent faulty controllers ending up in people's homes in the first place.

'As well as free repairs, Nintendo also needs to commit to compensation, refunds or replacements for any consumers who have been impacted by this issue since the launch of the console and promote this scheme so that consumers know that support is available.'

What to do if you have Nintendo Switch controller drift

If you have bought a Nintendo Switch since 2017 and encountered Joy-Con drift that has not been resolved, you should contact Nintendo to see if you can get it repaired, even if the console is no longer in warranty.

You will need to book a repair on Nintendo’s support site, and will then receive a reference number and a free shipping label in your email inbox. Print this shipping label and package up your Switch to send to Nintendo, including proof of purchase if you have it.

The repair should be free (barring possible postage charges). While Nintendo has told us that it will take an 'open and lenient' approach to out-of-warranty repairs, we don't know for sure how that will work in practice.

Please share your repair stories with us at tellwhich@which.co.uk.