Nintendo says Joycon drift isn't a real problem.

CastletonSnob

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A report from a law firm building a case against Nintendo argues that the company thinks that Joy-Con drift in the Nintendo Switch is not a real issue. Joy-Con drift has been plaguing Switch owners since the console was released. The problem affects joysticks, causing them to register directional inputs even when they aren't being touched. It affects both the main Switch console and the Switch Lite.

Joy-Con drift has been a major thorn in the side of numerous Switch owners for a long time, and considering how widespread of an issue it is, many are understandably upset at Nintendo for engineering a console with such a flaw. This frustration has led to legal trouble for Nintendo on more than one occasion. Recently a French law firm even accused the company of manufacturing the issue deliberately in a planned obsolescence complaint. Nintendo is allowing players to mail in their Joy-Cons for free repairs, which would seem to contradict this argument. In fairness, though, the company only started offering repairs after the lawsuits started coming in.
Goddammit, Nintendo.
 

Chimpzy

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And here I was thinking the big N’s hardware was infallible; the epitome of design and quality.

Ohhh, I get it now...that’s just what everyone thinks, until something like this happens.
I think they've been hit or miss on general quality of their hardware post Gamecube. The current crop is merely ok on average. The Switch main unit is adequate, I guess. Not exceptional, just fine, minus that shitty kickstand. As for controllers, on one hand, the pro controller feels solid and durable in the hand, but the joycons and to some extent the dock have always come off flimsy and cheap to me.

Tho I haven't had any issues with my joycons, but that's probably because I mostly play docked with the pro controller while the joycons are basically relegated to sitting in the ring-cons and leg traps. Which have excellent build quality btw, tho that's only to be expected from a peripheral meant to be pulled and pressed.
 

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I'm someone who hates the joycons and thinks that they're a garbage controller...but I still think it's silly to have a lawsuit over.
 

Elijin

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I'm someone who hates the joycons and thinks that they're a garbage controller...but I still think it's silly to have a lawsuit over.

Why?

If it's faulty in the mass numbers people are suggesting, that means the design or build is defective. If it's defective and the company is ignoring it, a lawsuit pushes them to correct the issue instead of saying it doesn't exist while offering you the chance to buy a brand new replacement joycon.
 
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Why?

If it's faulty in the mass numbers people are suggesting, that means the design or build is defective. If it's defective and the company is ignoring it, a lawsuit pushes them to correct the issue instead of saying it doesn't exist while offering you the chance to buy a brand new replacement joycon.
Not to mention those joy coms are expensive as fuck! Every controller I've bought for my switch, are cheaper and way better than the joy-cons. I plan on getting one more that's on Amazon later.
 

CriticalGaming

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Not to mention those joy coms are expensive as fuck! Every controller I've bought for my switch, are cheaper and way better than the joy-cons. I plan on getting one more that's on Amazon later.
i would be curious to know how 3rd party controllers behave, because nintendo equipment traditionally doesn't like to play nice with 3rd party hardware.

I've always been lucky when it comes to my gaming hardware. I never had an 360 red ring on me, I never had a PS2 brick, I have two Switches and all four joycons are perfectly fine.

Sometimes I wonder if people just don't take care of their shit sometimes. Like are people dropping their controllers or rage chucking them against a wall or something? i'm not saying the drift isn't an issue, I just find it odd how i've never seen these hardware problems in 30years of gaming.


On direct topic of the lawsuit and what Nintendo is implying here. Saying "Joycon drift isn't a real problem" I think they are inferring that it isn't a big deal. What's the worst that is happening to the player? Their character runs off a cliff and they are set back 5 minutes of game time? That really isn't a problem, and as far as i can tell the Joycon's aren't fighting control with the player as in the game responds to the correct inputs the player makes. The drift only seems to even be a factor when you take your hands off the stick, which there is usually a pause button for that sort of thing right?

I'm not arguing that it isn't something they should address, I'm just playing devils advocate here.
 

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i would be curious to know how 3rd party controllers behave, because nintendo equipment traditionally doesn't like to play nice with 3rd party hardware
The ones I have worked pretty good. I have two Hori pad controllers. They still work fine. I also sometimes use the six button Sega Genesis controller for certain games on my Switch. They work excellent. The controller I plan on getting that's on Amazon, I've heard nothing but good things about it.


I've always been lucky when it comes to my gaming hardware. I never had an 360 red ring on me, I never had a PS2 brick, I have two Switches and all four joycons are perfectly fine.
My brother and I always took good care of our consoles. The original fat PS2 bricked on us in 2004. We had to wait about a month to get the new PS2 slim at the time. That PS2 slim still works. The refurbished PS2 slim I got in 2011 still works. Our original 360 red ringed of death twice. After the second time it got fixed, it would eat only copies of DMC 4. So I had to get the 360 elite slim refurbished in early 2014. That one still works. My first Wii bricked a week and a half after I got it on Christmas due to a power outage. Luckily, my dad and I were able to exchange it for the last one at Target early Jan. 2009. It's always great to keep the receipt. After that, the Wii I currently have, still hasn't bricked, even when there were power outages. My Sega Genesis from day one still works. My GameCube from day one still works. All of my game boys still works from each generation. I got my PS4 in 2015 and it still works.
 
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The article says:

A US law firm called Chimicles Schwartz Kriner & Donaldson-Smith (CSK&D) is raising legal action against Nintendo, and is currently collecting testimonies from players who've been affected by Joy-Con drift. As reported by VGC (via ResetEra), CSK&D is seeking to refute Nintendo's arguments that the drift "isn’t a real problem or hasn’t caused anyone any inconvenience." While the law firm claims that these are Nintendo's own arguments, the quote comes from CSK&D itself, and not Nintendo.
So lawyers are claiming that Nintendo is claiming something. This isn't Nintendo making the claim themselves.
 

Chimpzy

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The ones I have worked pretty good. I have two Hori pad controllers. They still work fine. I also sometimes use the six button Sega Genesis controller for certain games on my Switch. They work excellent. The controller I plan on getting that's on Amazon, I've heard nothing but good things about it.
Was gonna mention Hori, but you beat me to it. Tho yeh, Hori is top tier when it come to third party controllers. Also officially licensed, for whatever that is worth.
 

sXeth

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i would be curious to know how 3rd party controllers behave, because nintendo equipment traditionally doesn't like to play nice with 3rd party hardware.

I've always been lucky when it comes to my gaming hardware. I never had an 360 red ring on me, I never had a PS2 brick, I have two Switches and all four joycons are perfectly fine.

Sometimes I wonder if people just don't take care of their shit sometimes. Like are people dropping their controllers or rage chucking them against a wall or something? i'm not saying the drift isn't an issue, I just find it odd how i've never seen these hardware problems in 30years of gaming.


On direct topic of the lawsuit and what Nintendo is implying here. Saying "Joycon drift isn't a real problem" I think they are inferring that it isn't a big deal. What's the worst that is happening to the player? Their character runs off a cliff and they are set back 5 minutes of game time? That really isn't a problem, and as far as i can tell the Joycon's aren't fighting control with the player as in the game responds to the correct inputs the player makes. The drift only seems to even be a factor when you take your hands off the stick, which there is usually a pause button for that sort of thing right?

I'm not arguing that it isn't something they should address, I'm just playing devils advocate here.

It was fairly prominent in the first run or two of PS4 controllers too (exacerbated heavily if you played something that needed you to hold L3 in (like FPS sprinting) alot. They eventually fixed it in one of the later runs (if your touchpad has the light line visible on it near the top, you've got the later ones).


While relatively few of Nintendo's traditional games have involved much fine use of the sticks, I'd imagine its coming up more with some of the third party titles on there..
 

CriticalGaming

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It was fairly prominent in the first run or two of PS4 controllers too (exacerbated heavily if you played something that needed you to hold L3 in (like FPS sprinting) alot. They eventually fixed it in one of the later runs (if your touchpad has the light line visible on it near the top, you've got the later ones).


While relatively few of Nintendo's traditional games have involved much fine use of the sticks, I'd imagine its coming up more with some of the third party titles on there..
I have a launch day ps4 and never had that issue. Though a few months ago i had to replace my pad because i accidently stepped on it.
 

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Why?

If it's faulty in the mass numbers people are suggesting, that means the design or build is defective. If it's defective and the company is ignoring it, a lawsuit pushes them to correct the issue instead of saying it doesn't exist while offering you the chance to buy a brand new replacement joycon.
Because unless the stick drift is really extreme it's not actually going to affect gameplay and is therefore not a significant defect. There's probably less than a handful of games where it actually matters.

And again, this isn't a defense of the joycons or Nintendo. I hate the joycons, I think they're awful.