Nintendo no longer charging for Switch Joy-Con repairs, will issue refunds for prior repairs

Important news for those System Warriors with the Switch's Joy-Con drift issue:

VICE Games has managed to get in touch with a source familiar with Nintendo’s updated customer support documentation. In it, the company tells its employees that it will no longer charge customers seeking repairs for their Switch Joy-Con, and to refund those who’ve already paid.

A portion of the internal customer service memo states:

“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.”

VICE states that customer support representatives have been advised to guide Switch owners complaining about Joy-Con drift through troubleshooting steps. However, if issues persist, customers will have the device repaired “at no-charge.” Nintendo is also no longer seeking proof of purchase for Joy-Con or confirmation of an active warranty.

Source

wow what a great company

No issues with mine yet... But it's great to see them being so responsive.

Excellent to hear. I have a slight drift in my left analog stick so it’s great to hear that I can get it fixed free of charge.

I heard Nintendo makes the best hardware so this must be fake news.

Wasn't a class action lawsuit just launched? This kinda screams "please cancel that lawsuit".

Shoulda just did a recall.

Same here. Even my Switch launch Joy-Con are still doing just fine.

You can read about it more here if you wish: Nintendo faces Switch Joy-Con drift class action lawsuit

Fighting off a lawsuit isn't going to fix the drift and reputation issues caused by it, though. I'm sure Nintendo is aware of the problem and are working on a fix. Heck, I'm surprised it's taking so long. I haven't experienced joy-con drift. Yes, I believe it affects a significant number of people and that Nintendo needs to address the problem.

Haven't had any problems with mine yet (touch wood!). But I'm nervous if I do end up "upgrading" to the newer version Switch with better battery life (don't really plan to at this stage but who knows), that I have problems with the new one.

Might not be worth the risk :(

Litigation’s a bitch.

Reminds me of RROD, just not as drastic. When a company messes up so bad that they have to pay out of their own pocket indefinitely to fix things, well, you could say that that company "pulled a MS".

@subspecies: That's exactly what I was gonna say to the other dude

Nintendo knows of the story where if Ballmer didn't make the decision to fix the scenario, it could wreck the whole thing.

Maybe they aren't doing it as swift, but its becoming a serious issue with lawsuits and stuff, it isn't system killing, but it isn't kind of bad buzz they need.

The joystick on mine randomly moves my character up...is this part of it? Highly annoying and it has not been used that much.

"Please pay us insane amounts for repairing our faulty hardware"

-> Lawsuit happens

"Free repairs for everyone!"

@Chutebox: Yeah that's it. My kids left analog stick moves up and to the right with zero input, it makes playi,g games with it nearly impossible. I bought a generic analog stick to replace it but havent put it in yet, now I'll just send it in and get a free fix.

Cool for us. Haven't had any problems myself though.

It must really burn Nintendos insides having to treat their use-base with a modicum of respect.

Those cheap joycons aren’t worth 80 dollars and they know it. Good to hear

@jcrame10:

I was surprised when someone posted a link that, at least initially, they were selling them for a loss.

That's what I thought. What lawsuits have taught me is that no one has to win to get something done. Should probably use this while it lasts.

That's good....

Personally I hate the joycons. Too bad they don't support the pro controller in every game.

I wonder if this is really about manufacturing defects or an issue that can be resolved by simple user control adjustments to dead zone settings. After all many vids I've seen of DIY fixes involve cleaning dust and dirt off the module sensors. Giving users that control to confront issues would be a lot cheaper than refunds and repairs. Not sure though the degree of drift though, might require more substantial support.

This and the refunding of the loot box thing, and them avoiding crunch...

I already loved Nintendo but they are becoming like gaming angels?

Ah I guess maybe it's just because of the lawsuit. Still seems like a big thing to do even if it's for the lawsuit, because isn't this essentially what the courtroom would make Nintendo do in a worst case scenario?

@lamprey263 (It's coal particles spreading in the joystick. As a consumer it's easier to just replace the stick. Or to clean it... but then the problem may return in a few weeks time. Dead zone settings/calibration won't solve it.)

Title: Nintendo’s free Switch Joy-Con replacement policy does not seem to apply to all regions

Yesterday, Nintendo would start to offer free repairs for faulty Joy-Con. This all came about after numerous complaints regarding drifting controllers, in which they would sent input to the console on their own. A lawsuit was also filed. Unfortunately, the free Joy-Con replacement policy does not appear to be in effect worldwide – at least not yet.

The first example of this is in France. Numerama (site is in French) attempted to reach out to Nintendo’s customer service, and it denied having adopted a free Joy-Con replacement policy. French support claims it will still cost a customer €45 to replace a controller out of warranty.

Those in the UK also appear to be out of luck for the time being. One customer on Reddit contacted Nintendo customer support, and after asking about the policy, was told that “our Nintendo UK process remains the same”.

Seems like more lawsuits need to be filed, before Nintendo will take action.

Nice the bumpers on one of mine broke. I’ll give them a call now ?

Hoping this isn’t only for the analog issue.

Good to see progress, even if it is slow. This is exactly why I use my Pro controller... I'm not a big fan of individual remotes unless absolutely necessary... Plus the JoyCon pad is super small.