Nintendo Switch Left Joy-Con Issue: Foam fix proves poor reception is a hardware problem

The Nintendo Switch left Joy-Con issue has gotten in the way of many players' experience. The console's point is that it lets you "switch" between playing it as a home console and playing it on the move, yet when playing at home on your television the wireless controllers don't work consistently. More specifically, the left Joy-Con controller on the Switch is not as good at keeping a signal as the right. And it's not something that can be fixed by a software update.

Fortunately, there's an easy fix for those Nintendo Switch Joy-Con units giving their owners trouble.

Nintendo Switch Left Joy-Con Issue: What's the fix?

When problems like this occur, your best move is to call up the company and see how they're willing to help. Cnet did just that, and Nintendo was able to do a repair. Cnet took before and after photos of the inside of their Joy-Con. Their findings were this:

The only difference they charted was the piece of foam in the bottom right of the picture. The left Joy-Con bore the same serial number and all of the same internals, except for this piece of foam. A Cnet employee speculates that this is conductive foam, meant to protect electronics from outside wireless signals. 

Along with the controller, you may have trouble if the console is physically nearby devices with their own wireless signals, or too close to your aquarium.

Regarding the Joy-Con issues, Nintendo tells Kotaku, "A manufacturing variation has resulted in wireless interference with a small number of the left Joy-Con. Moving forward this will not be an issue, as the manufacturing variation has been addressed and corrected at the factory level."

Nintendo Switch Left Joy-Con Issue: How should you go about fixing it?

You may be able to get some conductive foam yourself, but you may want to call Nintendo instead. While the fix is a simple one, having Nintendo officially do it will likely lead to fewer problems down the road. Imagine if the foam you applied dislodges and you have to open up the controller all over again? As Nintendo is fixing a numerous amount of these left Joy-Con, they almost assuredly do a better job than you. No offense.

Your controller's turnaround time may be longer than Cnet's but at least you'll never have to think about the issue ever again in the amount of time (usually years) you'll have the console. 

March 22, 2017, 2:15 p.m. ET: This story has been updated

Check out more Nintendo Switch news and coverage

Looking for more Nintendo Switch news? Find out how to buy one amidst the recent restock. Learn why the Switch cartridges taste so bad. Check out our comparison photos sizing up the Switch to the Wii U GamePad (part one and part two), find out how to make use of ethernet without the dock and the best way to get alerts when new stock arrives.