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    Nintendo Switch

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    Nintendo's home console that can be turned into a portable device by removing it from its TV-dock. Launched worldwide on March 3, 2017.

    Are Your Joy-Cons Drifting & How Long Have You Had Your Switch?

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    liquiddragon

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    #1  Edited By liquiddragon

    Hey, I've had my Switch for very close to a year and I haven't experienced the drifting issue yet.

    Just trying to get a sense of how widespread this problem is. It's obviously common enough that Nintendo had to do something about it.

    I'm wondering if it's something I should expect in the near future. Thanks.

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    tacobelmont

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    I bought mine at launch and also bought an additional set of Joycons. The ones bundled with the system have no issues, but my left Joycon I bought separately does have drift issues.

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    imhungry

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    I've had mine for just over a year and definitely have drift on my left joycon.

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    nateandrews

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    I’ve had mine since December 2017 and the drift has gotten way worse in recent months. I can’t navigate menus with the left joycon stick because it’ll keep scrolling, and my movement in Fire Emblem is affected by it too.

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    Captain_Insano

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    I only really notice the drift in my left joycon when using it on its own sideways as a controller for Mario Kart, but it is fairly pronounced. I got a Switch pretty much at launch

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    wollywoo

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    I've had mine since launch and never replaced the Joy-Cons. I've only experienced drift issues once or twice.

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    mellotronrules

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    bought one in nov. 2017- no drift i've noticed yet.

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    urban_ryoga

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    I've had the drift since launch, which was a special level of hell when trying to use gyro controls at times in botw. I eventually bought a pro controller and took my controller with a repair. I eventually bought a second pair of controllers and sent them for repair sight unseen since I didn't want to experience it again.

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    deactivated-61665c8292280

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    Switch owner since June 2017. I swapped to the Splatoon pink and green Joy-Cons shortly after they released (which was January 2018, I think?). No drift, although the left stick on both left Joy-Cons I own feel loose in their sockets.

    I don't feel like I play a lot of games that require a ton of aggressive analog stick input, and if I do I'm usually playing docked + Pro Controller. Most of my handheld gaming has been Into the Breach, Pokemon Let's Go, and Diablo 3.

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    frytup

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    Bought mine launch day and no drift, but I don't actually use the joycons all that much. Mostly docked and pro controller.

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    handlas

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    My normal Switch has been great since launch.

    But I just got a Switch Lite with the thought that I would eventually trade in my normal Switch since I only play handheld. Welp, the left stick doesn't have the "drift" problem. But it has a new problem that seems to be popping up... I hit left on the left stick and it just doesn't register at all for a few seconds. Randomly happens. Pretty bad when making a life or death jump in a platformer.

    Guess I'm keeping my old Switch as backup.

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    Pooch516

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    I have a launch Switch and I've found that ANY joycons that connect to it have drifiting/connection issues. I've yet to find another person with the same problem, but I did tests with my joycons on another Switch and they work fine, and then they freak out when connected to mine. I've sent back a pair of joycons and got a refurbished pair back from Nintendo and they STILL didn't work. It's definitely the system.

    The pro controller I have works fine on my Switch.

    I'd be really interested in people testing to see if it's their console, not the actual controllers in some cases.

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    Casepb

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    I have a launch day Switch, and have never experienced the Tokyo drift!

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    liquiddragon

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    @pooch516: have you tried recalibrating? System settings -> Controllers and sensors -> Calibrate control sticks

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    jamesyfx

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    I've had my switch since April 2017, not had any issues with drifting. I have had connection issues with them, and Nintendo wouldn't fix it without a hefty charge as they were outside of warranty.

    So I just bought a new pair of joycons.. but even those disconnect from time to time. Curses.

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    Luchalma

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    I got mine in March 2018 and three months later the left joycon was drifting. I'm pretty careful with my stuff and I've been lucky enough to avoid most hardware issues (I had a red ring'd 360 but didn't everyone?). I bought another pair of joycons in December 2018 that so far have had no issues.

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    glots

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    Got mine in September 2017 and the left joy-con at least has had issues, which I noticed most while playing Splatoon 2. I've just shrugged it off, since it's not noticeable with most games and I also have a Pro Controller.

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    holycrapitsadam

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    I got my switch when it launched. My left JoyCon was drifting to I se t it in and just got it back a week ago. It is still drifting so I need to send it back into Nintendo again

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    Pooch516

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    #19  Edited By Pooch516

    @pooch516: have you tried recalibrating? System settings -> Controllers and sensors -> Calibrate control sticks

    Yup, recalibrated and updated the firmware in the controllers. I even tested them on a friend's Switch and they worked with no problem (in the same room/setup). Then we paired his controllers with my system and his controllers were acting weird. I don't even know what would be causing it, but it definitely seems to be a problem with the actual console.

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    Gundato

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    I got mine October 2017 (pretty much the week Stardew Valley got ported). I think I switched to my d-pad joycons that February?

    Left stick has drifted since early this spring (whenever Moonlighter was on sale). Contact cleaner still works well enough and buys me a month or two in between applications, but not looking forward to having to redo the d-pad mod.

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    Toby80

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    #21  Edited By Toby80

    My original console has started to drift this week. If I go onto the calibration screen you can see the purple dot slowly move around without me touching it. I don't think I would ever buy a Lite as there is no option to replace the Joy-Con if it becomes defective.

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    MrGreenMan

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    I very rarely use the joycons as I prefer using the pro controler docked or portable. That said, about 2 months ago noticed one of my joycons drifting when playing a game with a friend.

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    gerrid

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    I don't have drift on my OG switch. But the Lite I got on release, I've had to return because of the left joystick not working properly. While holding the joystick to the right, it'll randomly stop registering it completely. In the calibration menu it looks like you are recentreing the joystick, only for it to flip back and forth. And if you do full circles, on the right hand side in the calibration menu the dot will jump back into the centre, like there's a sudden dead zone.

    Seems like some problem with debris or build up over a short amount of time on those contact pads. Just bad design, but it seems fairly limited at the moment. Hopefully the replacement I get won't have this problem. If it does, I'll just get a refund and wait for a hardware revision. As much as I love the switch lite, having one without a working left joystick is a waste of time.

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    norm9

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    #24  Edited By norm9

    About six months after release AND a launch day switch, both have drift on the left stick. It makes playing some games unbearably frustrating. I've gone ahead and tried to only play games that don't require using the stick, but even without touching it, itll mess me up. (slightly less frustrating but annoying nonetheless when playing turn based games). I don't want to send it in because I heard it takes three weeks to get back with no guarantee it ain't happening again.

    Eta- also, calibration all wonky as shite too so that doesn't work. Worst built system by Nintendo so far.

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