You can now get free Joy-Con repairs if they're suffering from drift even outside of warranty, courtesy of Nintendo's new policy change.
Nintendo Switch owners will know that Joy-Cons are prone to drifting and repairs that can often cost more than replacements, but Nintendo has committed to offering them for free. A recent change on the Nintendo Support page for what it refers to as responsiveness syndrome (more infamously known as drifting) outlines the policy change.
The company has confirmed that due to the pride it takes in producing high-quality and durable products, it will be extending its free drifting repair programme to the UK, the European Economic Area and Switzerland. This is already in place in the USA and other territories across the globe.
It is clarified that this is the case even if the 24-month manufacturer's warranty period has expired or if the issue has been caused by regular wear and tear. This means that no matter how long you've had your Nintendo Switch console, you're entitled to a free Joy-Con repair if you're facing drifting issues. It's worth noting that other problems are not included.
If you're wondering how to fix Nintendo Switch Joy-Con drifting for free, then you can do so by booking a repair through the Nintendo Support website. You're able to select your issue and troubleshoot before having to actually send off your device.
One thing you may want to note before sending off your controllers to Nintendo, though, is that it has the right to refuse repairs if the drifting has been caused by accessories or other items which have not been manufactured by Nintendo. This is even the case if the product is made specifically for Joy-Cons or if it is licensed by Nintendo, so you may want to stick to those official Nintendo accessories for now.
You're also exempt if the problem is the result of negligence or modification of the Joy-Con or if the serial number has been removed. Be sure to keep your controllers intact in the meantime.
It's about time
After offering free Joy-Con repairs across multiple regions, UK Nintendo fans have been waiting a long time for the same offer to be available over here too. Prior to this policy change, any Joy-Con repairs that occurred outside of the warranty period had to be paid for, and for many people it was easier and cheaper to just purchase a whole new set of controllers.
Controllers that have joysticks are all prone to drifting. However, it seems that the issue is so much worse with Nintendo Switch Joy-Cons when compared to other first-party controllers – whether it's the Dualsense on PS5 or the official Xbox Series X|S wireless controller. It's a good sign that Nintendo are finally owning up to this mistake.
