Nintendo admits connectivity issues with left Joy-Con controller
Nintendo has admitted that there are connectivity issues with some copies of the Nintendo Switch’s left Joy-Con controller. The company does not set up a large-scale repair program, but does offer consumers to repair malfunctioning controllers free of charge.
According to Nintendo, the Joy-Con controller connectivity issue is caused by a “manufacturing anomaly” and is not a design flaw. There would be wireless interference with a small portion of the left Joy-Con controllers. A simple factory-level fix should have fixed the issue, meaning all future controllers should work properly, Nintendo said in an official statement released by the Kotaku website.
There could also be other reasons for the connectivity issues, according to Nintendo. The Japanese company asks consumers who have problems with the controller to consult customer service. If a repair proves necessary, Nintendo will repair the controller at no additional cost and within one week. In addition, the company says that the duration of the repair will differ per country.
The simple solution that Nintendo is referring to is probably placing a small square piece of conductive foam. This addition turned out to be in the unlocked controller of a CNET journalist, who got his controller back from Nintendo after a repair. The foam piece may contain nickel and copper, so the electronics in the controller should be better protected from interference.
The reason for the left Joy-Con controller is said to be due to a difference in the design of the left and right controllers. The right controller turned out to have a separate part for the bluetooth antenna, while the left controller has the antenna built directly into the motherboard. This allows the right controller to have a stronger bluetooth signal. Users previously reported that the left controller sometimes went down, after which the controller had to be re-paired to the Switch.
For some time now, a Nintendo support page has advised that in case of connection problems when using the Joy-Con controller wirelessly, do not place the console behind the TV, do not use it near an aquarium and do not use it against a large number of cables.
Looking back: Nintendo Switch video review from early this month