Nintendo of Europe to Pay 35 Million Euro Settlement Over Joy-Con Drift in France
The settlement marks the first time a national consumer authority has formally ruled that Nintendo's information disclosure about Joy-Con drift was misleading, establishing a regulatory precedent that could influence how hardware defects are communicated in other jurisdictions.
Key Facts
- Nintendo of Europe agreed to pay a 35 million euro settlement to resolve an investigation by France's DGCCRF over Joy-Con drift on the original Nintendo Switch.
- The settlement was proposed in lieu of prosecution under Article L523-1 of the French Consumer Code, and Nintendo accepted the terms.
- Nintendo has offered free repairs for affected Joy-Cons in the European Economic Area, the UK, and Switzerland, even beyond the statutory warranty period.
- Nintendo stated that the Joy-Con 2 for the Nintendo Switch 2 was completely redesigned from scratch, though it does not use Hall effect sensors.
Reporting from 4 sources: 4Gamer.net, Automaton, GameBusiness.jp, Game Spark.
France's Directorate General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control (DGCCRF) announced on June 8 that Nintendo of Europe has agreed to pay a 35 million euro settlement (approximately 6.4 to 6.5 billion yen) over the Joy-Con drift issue on the original Nintendo Switch. The settlement resolves an investigation that began after a 2020 complaint from French consumer group UFC-Que Choisir. The DGCCRF found that Nintendo was aware of the drift defect-where the analog stick registers input without being touched-but failed to provide consumers with sufficient information from 2018 to 2023. The agency stated that Nintendo only began disclosing the issue in 2020, and that the delay and fragmentary nature of the information discouraged consumers from seeking after-sales repairs and led some to purchase new Joy-Cons. The settlement was proposed in lieu of prosecution for consumer law violations, and Nintendo of Europe accepted the terms. The company also agreed to post a notice on the homepage of its official French website. Nintendo has since offered free repairs for affected Joy-Cons in the European Economic Area, the UK, and Switzerland, and has stated that the Joy-Con 2 for the Nintendo Switch 2 was completely redesigned from scratch.
The DGCCRF's investigation unit, the Service National des Enquêtes (SNE), sent its findings to the Nanterre Public Prosecutor's Office in 2025. With the prosecutor's consent, a criminal settlement proposal under Article L523-1 of the French Consumer Code was presented to Nintendo of Europe. The company accepted the 35 million euro payment in lieu of prosecution.
The French consumer group that filed the original 2020 complaint, UFC-Que Choisir (now Que Choisir Ensemble), has been active on the issue for years. In 2021, UK consumer group Which? published survey results suggesting the drift problem may stem from a design flaw in the Joy-Con's internal parts.
Nintendo has since offered free repairs for affected Joy-Cons in the European Economic Area, the UK, and Switzerland, even beyond the statutory warranty period. Repairs can be requested through the official Nintendo website. The company has also stated that the Joy-Con 2 for the Nintendo Switch 2 was "completely redesigned from scratch," though it does not use Hall effect sensors, which are widely regarded for drift prevention.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 4 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.