Nintendo Switch Problems? You're Not The Only One

There's been a lot of excitement surrounding the Nintendo Switch and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, but for some folks, that excitement was quickly killed by what seems to be a variety of launch day problems. Some of these issues were documented before launch – such as the connectivity issues with the Joy Con controllers – while others have waited until consumers took their consoles home to rear their ugly heads.This poll on the Nintendo Switch subreddit seems to sum up many of the issues rather well. Folks are asked to say whether their Switch is free of problems, experiencing minor issues, or crippled by major issues. In the comments section, many of the respondents elaborate on their answers.

The problems range from syncing issues and poor WiFi connections to more frustrating problems like dead pixels and bent docks that leave scratches on the Switch display. These problems understandably have folks upset, and right now a not insignificant 20% of respondents to that Straw Poll (out of around 6300 total at the time of this writing) say that their Switch is suffering from some kind of issue, be it minor or major.

Of course, one important thing to keep in mind is that people experiencing the problems are going to be more vocal than the ones who aren't. Folks rarely go out of their way to point out that something is performing well and within expectations, whereas those who are experiencing issues are rightfully disappointed that they spent all this money just to bring home a console that has some sort of defect.

Still, even with the expectation that those experiencing defects will be more vocal than the ones who aren't, 20% seems to be a pretty high rate. This obviously isn't a scientific poll, but it does give a general idea of what people are dealing with.

Nintendo, for its part, covers a few of these problems in its Switch troubleshooting portal, but it's unclear at the moment what would fall under the manufacturers warranty and what wouldn't. Dead pixels, for instance, are considered normal by Nintendo, when you'd think that would easily get a warranty replacement.

If you're having trouble and you'd like to try your luck with Nintendo's support department, you can reach them at 855-877-9099 in the US or +44 (0)345 60 50 247 in the UK. Otherwise, head down to the comments section and let us know if you're experiencing any issues with your Switch or if it's been smooth sailing since you got it.