Nintendo finally has a solution to fix the dreaded Joy-Con drift thanks to an incredibly cheap repair service.
The new Nintendo Switch repair service, known as Wide Care (opens in a new tab), covers infamously temperamental Joy-Con consoles and controllers. Controllers packed with new Switch systems have already landed Nintendo in hot water. This is largely due to its relatively low build quality and "stick offset" which erroneously registers movement on the analog sticks even when not being touched.
Unfortunately, the Wide Care service is currently only available in Japan. But this is only good news in terms of the price of the service. An annual subscription to Wide Care costs just 2000 yen. This equates to around €15 / €12 / AU$22 per year.
Subscribers are covered for up to six repairs per year, with a total repair cost limit of 100 yen (approximately €000 / €738 / AU€609). Accidental damage is covered, as is natural breakdowns due to wear and tear and weather damage.
We've reached out to Nintendo to find out if the Wide Care service will soon be available worldwide.
nintendo please...
There is no room for doubt here, I think Wide Care is an amazing service. On a surface level, it's really no different than buying an additional warranty. But Wide Care becomes particularly attractive thanks to its absurdly low subscription cost. And it would be even better if Nintendo could launch the service worldwide.
The Nintendo Switch is a great console, but unfortunately it's plagued with Joy-Con issues. So much so that I have long favored the excellent Nintendo Switch Pro Controller due to its excellent build quality and long battery life.
But I know that is not an option for many players. Some prefer the compact nature of the Joy-Con and its suitability for seamless couch co-op sessions. Others, understandably, aren't necessarily willing to shell out the extra money for the Pro Controller.
Nintendo's Wide Care would solve this problem by giving Joy-Con users some much-needed peace of mind. Hopefully being able to easily replace controllers through Nintendo, not a third party, will help alleviate issues like stick drift. As long as the replacements are not faulty, of course.
But maybe I'm getting a little ahead of myself. It is not unreasonable to think that the cost of Wide Care could increase in territories outside of Japan. With supply issues still ongoing, a higher subscription cost may be needed to offset the demand a service like Wide Care would create.
And if the cost of the subscription ends up being more comparable to simply buying a new pair of Joy-Con controllers (or a Nintendo Switch console), then I can see why Nintendo can keep Wide Care exclusive to Japan. That would be a shame, as the service is undoubtedly a valuable asset.