A Hot Potato: Joystick Drift has been hitting the latest game consoles for the past few years. This week, a former Nintendo Switch repair center supervisor highlighted how serious the problem is with Nintendo’s engine.
Every defective Nintendo Switch that users returned from East America passed through a repair shop in Syracuse, New York. An unnamed former supervisor told Kotaku that since the console was launched in 2017, the store has been constantly overflowing with repair and replacement orders.
The supervisor said thousands of joy-cones pass through the repair center each week, needing their own specialized space and increasing the number of workers there. The tidal wave of work orders has resulted in higher turnover rates, leading to more errors from inexperienced temporary employees.
In its first year of operation, the repair center replaced Joy-Cons, which relieved some of the stress from the staff. However, after 2018, the store was forced to repair all the joy-cons it had received and struggled to keep up. The store was expected to repair 90% of returned units within four days, regardless of the size of the Nintendo staff.
Joystick drift – the main reason for repair orders – is durable and shows no signs of disappearing in no time. Late last year, Nintendo engineers said it was inevitable and the result of wear and tear. Drift also recently hit the Xbox and PlayStation controllers. All three console makers are facing class action lawsuits over it.
After analyzing the PlayStation 5 controller in February, iFixit said the problem could arise from the cost-cutting measures of the three companies. This result should be checked to see if many controllers have been repaired and replaced and the cases are worth the cost.
Edward Langley is a contributor to Nintendo-power.com, covering a wide range of topics including news, business, technology, entertainment, lifestyle and current affairs. He focuses on delivering clear, balanced and accessible reporting that helps readers stay informed about important developments and emerging trends. With an emphasis on accuracy, relevance and useful insights, Edward aims to provide engaging stories and practical information that matter to audiences in the UK and beyond.