Nintendo will pay a €35-million fine to settle a French consumer protection case over faulty Joy-Con controllers on its Switch consoles, ending a dispute that began with complaints of the widely reported “Joy-Con drift.”
French authorities found that Nintendo Europe failed to adequately inform consumers about recurring controller defects despite selling the console for years after its 2017 launch. The issue causes analog sticks to register movement even when they are not being touched, prompting many users to replace controllers instead of seeking repairs.
The case stemmed from a 2020 complaint alleging “planned obsolescence.” In 2023, Nintendo committed to repairing or replacing defective Joy-Con controllers free of charge, even for units no longer covered by warranty.
