Stick Drift comes to everyone, but Nintendo Switch Hardware has a reputation for being particularly prone to fail. Naturally, I’m wondering whether the Nintendo Switch 2 and its new Joy-Con controller are better than its predecessors. The news that at least one person has purchased a brand new Switch 2 that appears to come out of the box with stick drifting has not helped paranoia around drifting. So, what’s actually going on – do you need to worry too?
Stick drift refers to a phenomenon in which the joystick on a controller appears to have its own mind. The machine interprets input that doesn’t actually occur, and in many cases the characters and cursors move permanently in a certain direction. It can be played around it via new inputs that override drift, but creating inaccuracies during gameplay is annoying. Usually you will need to repair your controller or buy a new gear.
Stick drifting is not unique to Nintendo, but there are many potential reasons for stigma. “Joy-Con Drift” is a punchy term compared to “Dualsense Drift” and “Xbox Wireless Controller Drift.” Also, the removable controllers are around the culture where people simply buy new colors to have a rad system. All platforms offer unique colorways, but the ones on the Switch are more whimsical. Beyond past the pastel options, one set of Joy-Con comes in two completely different colors that give the console an air of artistic asymmetry. Portability allows the Joy-Con to act as a fashion accessory compared to a controller that is always packed at home. Also, the defect can feel like a bigger deal on the Switch, as Joy-Cons is slightly more expensive than their competitors’ basic controllers.
There’s no perfect way to collect data around it, but anecdotes, more people have searched for PlayStation-related drifts than Nintendo’s inherent drifts, taking into account a variety of search terms over the past five years.
People cite statistics that apparently 40% of controllers are experiencing the problem in the end, but over 900 people voted in the survey of the problem. The first switch has sold over 150 million units and is currently on track to become the best sales system ever.
The good news is that people who boxed Switch 2 with stick drift seem like a rare experience. You’ll need to scroll through dozens of posts to see others who claim to have the same problem. Still, commenters say they can manually re-adjust the controller. Elsewhere, there have been incorrect reports of Joy-Con 2 drift. This cannot be seen individually for polygons, but if taken at face value, do not significantly change the prevalence of the problem. Nintendo has sold millions of Switch 2 consoles. If even a small portion of these consoles are drifting away, it could mean thousands of people. Of course, it’s awful for those experiencing it, but that doesn’t mean that the average Switch 2 owner has to worry about Joy-Con Drift.
At least this isn’t early on. Most often, stick drift occurs after long wear and tears. Switch 2 hasn’t been released for a month yet. Nintendo claims the entire system was designed from scratch, including Joy-Con, but experts who broke the technology say the organs are pretty similar to the original Joy-Con. This suggests that Joy-Con 2 is prone to drifting and collisions over the long term.
Like the first time, Nintendo offers free Joy-Con alternatives for Switch 2, as long as it’s still under warranty. Fine Print stipulates that the warranty lasts only one year, but historically Nintendo has been able to fix the controller with an inactive warranty.
Note that Joy-Con’s online repair experience has been mostly positive, and users have had to meet deadlines without a controller for at most weeks. There are many reports of people who have sent Joy-Cons many times. Unfortunately, a much smaller segment of the group says that the controllers have started to drift away even after repairs. At least Nintendo will get them back for free. This is a much better option than paying an additional $79 for a fresh pair.
It’s possible to modify Joy-Con personally for a cheaper price, and fans simply rely on low-tech methods that require cardboard. However, if you choose that route, you void the warranty while chanting the possibility of making a mistake. You can expect a similar situation with Switch 2.
Photo: Nintendo
In the past, Furors around Joy-Con Drift have urged Nintendo to lawsuits apologise to customers for the matter. As Nintendo says, Japanese companies have been continuously improving the durability of Joy-Cons throughout the lifecycle of their first switch, and strengthening was taken into consideration when developing Switch 2.
“The control stick on the Joy-Con 2 controller has been redesigned and improved in areas such as durability,” a Nintendo spokesman told VGC. When gripyajoystick was asked about Joy-Con wear, Nintendo was a mother about what players could expect on the Switch 2.
With Switch 2, things may differ. Magnetic strips mean that the hardware is brought together in slightly different ways, while mouse controls mean that people use Joy-Con 2 on all kinds of unusual surfaces. These factors alone make the possibility of friction more likely.
It’s not surprising to see more Joy-Con Drift reports on Switch 2. You may even experience Joy-Con 2 drift on your own. Again, all of my PS5 controllers succumbed to drift, but none of my Joy-Cons on the switch had any issues. Mileages vary, but for now there is no reason to believe that Switch 2 has a wider range of hardware flaws than its rivals.