Owners of the Nintendo Switch have been having a problem with the left Joycon controller. The left JoyCon on some consoles has not been responsive to gestures due to a wireless signal issue with the device.

Nintendo's Press Statement

However, Nintendo of America has released a statement citing a “manufacturing variation” as the cause of the problem. This statement by the console manufacturer simply means that the issue with the JoyCon is not a hardware problem, but a minor human error in the production of the device. Nintendo’s full press statement can be viewed online.

The Solution

CNET’s Sean Hollister suggests that the JoyCon is fixed by sticking a tiny piece of conductive foam in the left JoyCon. Nintendo has recommended consumers to contact them to fix their devices.

Nintendo’s statement also mentions other causes of the wireless connectivity interference issue. Consumers are asked to contact the company’s customer support team to decide if there is a need for a repair. If it is found that a repair is needed the device can be sent to Nintendo. The JoyCon will be repaired free of charge and returned in less than a week.

The number of left JoyCons affected seems to be few for now but Nintendo promises that the problem is a minor one and has been fixed at manufacturing.

Consumers will be hoping that this issue with the JoyCons will not get out of hand. Sales of the Nintendo Switch has been growing strong it is estimated that more than 1.5 million units have been sold worldwide. The company will also be hoping to avoid any obstacle to the successful sale of the device.

Competition from Microsoft and Sony will definitely put Nintendo under pressure to solve this issue or any other that may arise.

It is early days for the new console and more consumers will be expected to buy the device as their primary or secondary console. Nintendo has always been a family-friendly entertainment system but most gamers are mature and more demanded. The Switch needs more mature content to attract serious gamers and still, have the best family friendly content after the failure of the Wii-U.