Nintendo offers free controller repairs after Commission intervention

Nintendo has pledged to provide free repairs of a faulty controller after prompting from the European Commission over a consumer rights complaint.

The Commission contacted the gaming company following a 2021 complaint filed by the European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) over what it said were recurring technical issues with the Nintendo Switch “Joy-Con” controller.

On Monday (3 April), the company announced that it would provide customers in the UK, European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland with free repairs of the console, bringing the region in line with the policies in effect in a number of others.

BEUC launched its action following what it said were nearly 25,000 complaints from consumers in nine European countries: France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Portugal, Italy, Norway, Slovakia, Slovenia and Greece.

At the heart of these complaints was the issue of “drift” in Nintendo’s “Joy-Con” controllers, whereby game characters move of their own accord, without players touching the controls, rendering the games unplayable.

In January 2021, BEUC formally submitted a complaint to both the European Commission and national consumer protection authorities, alleging “premature obsolescence and misleading omissions of key consumer information”.

The organisation called for a Europe-wide investigation into the issue and for Nintendo to be required to urgently address the situation, including via the provision of free repairs and provision of adequate information on the product’s lifespan to potential consumers.

Nintendo faces EU-wide complaint over premature joystick wear

Japanese video game maker Nintendo will face an EU-wide complaint for premature wear of a joystick controller on its Switch console, French and EU consumer groups said Wednesday (27 January).

In June 2022, the UK consumer group Which? reached a similar conclusion, urging the gaming giant to investigate the problems with Joy-Con controllers independently.

A survey on the issue by Which? found that 40% of UK owners of the original Switch model had experienced “drift” and that 19% of those that contacted Nintendo about it did not receive a repair or replacement.

In a joint action with the Greek Ministry of Development and Investments, and the German Environment Agency, the Commission contacted Nintendo to address the issue, in response to which Nintendo agreed to a change of policy with regard to repairs of the devices.

On Monday (3 April), Nintendo updated the support page on its UK website to cover issues related to drift, which it describes as “responsiveness syndrome”.

Until further notice, it says, the company will offer those who purchased a faulty Joy-Con controller in the UK, EEA or Switzerland free product repairs, a policy already in place in North America, Latin America and France.

Repairs will be available whether the issue was caused by an internal fault or wear and tear, even if the two-year warranty period has expired.

The announcement was described as “a tangible win for consumers” by BEUC Deputy Director General Ursula Pachl, who cautioned that “this is only a short-term fix that will allow consumers to have their defective products repaired for free. Yet Nintendo can still sell the console with the potential bug.”

“Other companies should take note. Premature obsolescence in consumer goods is unacceptable – it contributes to the growing mountains of e-waste and costs consumers money,” she said.

“So, product manufacturers must ensure that their products are more durable. We now hope that this coordinated enforcement action and upcoming changes to EU law will tackle premature obsolescence more effectively in the future by preventing it in the first place.”

The “right to repair” has become a subject of much discussion at the EU level recently. In March, the Commission published its proposal for a directive on common rules promoting the repair of goods, intended to promote sustainability by encouraging repair rather than replacing items.

The proposal will seek to reduce barriers to repair, such as cost, logistics and lack of interoperability, as well as tackle product obsolescence and promote longevity as a way of boosting more sustainable consumption.