Nintendo Agrees to Pay French Fine over Controller Defect

Paris, June 8 (Jiji Press)–France’s consumer protection agency said Monday it will impose a fine of 35 million euros on Japan’s Nintendo Co. for failing to properly inform consumers about a defect in its Nintendo Switch controllers. The agency proposed a settlement in which it would waive prosecution for violations of consumer law in exchange for payment of a fine, and Nintendo’s European subsidiary accepted the proposal. According to the announcement by the Directorate General for Competition Policy, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control, some controllers for the original Switch game console exhibited a “drift” phenomenon, in which game characters moved contrary to the player’s intentions. The problem led to a series of complaints across Europe. Because it took time for Nintendo to acknowledge the defect and make it public, some users reportedly had to replace their controllers. The original Switch, released in 2017, has sold more than 150 million units. In 2023, following a recommendation from the European Commission, the company pledged to repair the defective controllers free of charge. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]