Nintendo has made the surprising announcement that it will be selling single Joy-Con controllers soon. This is certainly welcome news for players affected by Joy-Con drift on the Nintendo Switch, but it still doesn’t solve the underlying problem.
Joy-Con drift is an issue that has plagued Nintendo Switch controllers ever since the release of the console. When this issue appears, the Joy-Con’s analog stick will incorrectly detect the player’s input and move a character in the game in the wrong direction. In some cases, a Joy-Con can cause movement even when the player is not touching the stick. Selling single Joy-Con controllers allows players to therefore pick up an individual controller to replace their broken one, but it doesn’t solve the underlying problem.
Single Joy-Con controllers will be available to buy for Nintendo Switch
Players have few options if they discover Joy-Con drift affecting their gameplay. Several potential home repairs exist, but Joy-Con drift can reemerge after some time passes. That might leave players with only one option: send their Joy-Con to Nintendo for repair, which naturally means that they would be unable to use it.
The severity of the Joy-Con drift issue has been so bad that at least one class-action lawsuit has begun in the United States. The issue may not be with the Joy-Cons, but rather with the analog stick: even the Nintendo Switch Lite has reportedly had issues with drifting.
Selling single Joy-Con controllers gives players another option without having to wait too long. If their controller was suffering from issues or otherwise broken, their only option would be to purchase a pair of Joy-Cons to replace one broken controller. The ability to purchase a single Joy-Con controller is an improvement on this front, but the underlying problem of Joy-Con drift ultimately must be solved by Nintendo.
For now, players can look forward to buying a single Joy-Con controller starting on November 9, 2020. The purchase price will be $39.99, exactly half the cost of buying a pair of controllers.
Starting on 11/9, single #NintendoSwitch Joy-Con controllers will be available for purchase for $39.99. Choose from the left Joy-Con controller in Neon Blue, and the right Joy-Con controller in Neon Red. pic.twitter.com/wXW8BEssS7
— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) October 23, 2020
