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Nintendo Switch: consumer discontent spreads in Europe over the rapid wear and tear of controllers

2021-01-27T16:46:37.226Z


The UFC-Que Choisir and the European Bureau of Consumers' Unions are joining forces to demand an investigation into the premature obsolescence of Nintendo Switch controllers.


After a complaint in France against Nintendo, accused of selling controllers for its Switch games console which wear out too quickly, consumer defense associations want to give the case a European dimension.

The European Bureau of Consumers' Unions (BEUC) "

calls for an investigation to be launched at European level on this issue and for Nintendo to be obliged to urgently remedy the premature failures of its product

", sold worldwide to more than 68 million units, according to a press release from the organization.

Consumers assume that the products they buy last long enough (...) and that they do not have to pay for costly replacements due to a technical defect

,” said the BEUC Managing Director. .

"

The creation of unnecessary electronic waste goes completely against the objectives of the Green Deal for Europe,

" she also argues.

In France, the association UFC-Que Choisir has indicated to join BEUC "

to engage the European mechanism [of external alert], and to shed light on this recurring failure which goes beyond our borders

", according to a separate

press

release.

Nearly 25,000 testimonials across Europe

Que Choisir had filed a complaint last September against Nintendo France for planned obsolescence, "

with more than 9,100 consumer testimonials attesting to the defect of their Switch console controllers

", a defect called "

Joy-Con Drift

".

With this bug, the player suddenly loses control of their controller and their onscreen character begins to move forward on their own.

Other Belgian, Dutch, Portuguese, Italian, Norwegian, Slovak, Slovenian and Greek consumer associations have called for testimonies.

Almost 25,000 European consumers have come forward, producing similar testimonials.

According to Que Chooser, the blackout causes "

unexpected phantom movements, which prevent consumers from using their game consoles properly

."

The organization evoked two causes at the time of the complaint in France: "

premature wear of the printed circuits, and a sealing defect which causes a worrying amount of debris and dust within the joystick

".

This anomaly can sometimes be repaired by the consumer by removing the dust with a compressed air can.

But the problem is often more serious and requires calling Nintendo after-sales service.

In January 2020, the director of Nintendo France offered to repair defective controllers for free, even if they were no longer covered by the warranty.

But according to the French association, the basic problem has not been resolved.

Concretely, BEUC sent a letter to the European Commission "

via the external alert mechanism for deceptive, aggressive and unfair commercial practices

", specifies the UFC.

Ultimately, the goal of the joint action of UFC-Que Choisir and BEUC is to force Nintendo to settle these premature failures.

Que Chooser wants the group to repair defective controllers free of charge and extend their lifespan.

Source: lefigaro

All news articles on 2021-01-27

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