Nintendo Switch Joy-Con They are known to have a lot of drifting issues and are not very durable. This contrasts with the official Pro Controller for the same console, which has a reputation for being tough (or at least a bit tougher) and is even considered by some to be the best controller for PC. Despite the passing years, the Joy-Con situation doesn’t seem to have improved, and the origin of the problems they cause is a design flaw, or at least that’s what the study concluded.

UK consumer association Which? it found according to its version the drift issues that the Nintendo Switch Joy-Con suffers from have their origins in a mechanical failure that would point to major design flaws.. That’s the conclusion he came to after conducting an investigation that found the Joy-Con’s plastic circuit boards showed noticeable wear at the joystick’s slider contact points.

The wear and tear was noticeable after just a few months of use and then led to the shifting issues that the Joy-Cons are notorious for. Besides, which one? found dust and other debris on the internal Joy-Con components, despite the fact that Nintendo reportedly took steps to prevent it.

The quality of materials and construction aren’t the only points raised by the consumer association, which also criticized Nintendo’s handling of the situation when responding to affected consumers. Who? has asked Nintendo to provide a compensation plan or refund for any UK consumer who can prove they purchased a replacement Joy-Con after 2017 due to shift issues. The company has also asked to offer a hassle-free, completely free repair or replacement for all Joy-Cons that have drifted since 2017..

It’s no wonder Nintendo stepped forward to defend against the conclusions of Who? said that “the percentage of Joy-Con controllers that have experienced problems with the analog stick in the past is small, and we’ve been continuously improving the Joy-Con analog stick since its release in 2017. We expect all of our hardware to perform as designed, and if anything fails to achieve this, we always encourage customers to contact Nintendo Customer Service, who are happy to resolve any consumer issues related to Nintendo analog sticks in an open and accommodating manner. Joy-Con controllers, even in cases where the warranty no longer applies.”

It’s not the first time, what? publishes a report or investigation regarding Nintendo Switch Joy-Con drifting issues because discovered earlier this year that two of the five Joy-Cons from the original Nintendo Switch release experienced displacement issues.. Perhaps for many, what does Which? puts specific data and numbers into a known problem. The problems the controls have caused for consumers have motivated them to file lawsuits in some countries.

We will see if other studies and investigations with at least similar conclusions appear in the future. If that happens, Nintendo could be embroiled in a problem that could cost a lot of money.