Hundreds of Nintendo Switch devices are affected, but customers might not get refund.
The Switch is the sixth console from Nintendo, and only six days into its launch customers are already complaining about dead pixels and software crashes. The £280 device went on sale last Friday and reportedly sold more units on its launch than any other hardware in the company’s history.
Many of the complaints from customers have been about dead pixels on the consoles screen, the screen can also be used as a handheld device. Nintendo have responded to this saying “Small numbers of stuck or dead pixels are a characteristic of LCD screens. These are normal and should not be considered a defect.”
Customers suffering from the issue are at risk of not getting a refund, high street stores like Game cannot guarantee a full refund because of Nintendo’s strict policy, but have urged customers to contact their Tech support team before going in store to get a refund.
Game and animation lecturer at Sunderland University Chris McQuillan spoke about the rocky Nintendo Switch launch saying “You are spending 2-300 pound on a piece of hardware that should work fine, you really don’t want others to see your product in that kind of light.” “Nintendo are normally rock solid with the hardware they produce, really well engineered. It does seem a little bit rushed.”
The last time Nintendo launched a console was back in 2012 with the Wii U, but a lot has changed since then in terms of gaming hardware and according to Chris McQuillan: “It just doesn’t have the fanfare of other hardware launches.”
It’s been a tough launch for Nintendo, but they aren’t the only company to suffer on launch day back in 2005 the Xbox 360 launch and consoles were unplayable, suffering from the fatal red rings of death, and more recently with Samsung note.
But things could still get worse for Nintendo, with a host of exclusive games set to be released this year for the console, customers want assurances that the product will work and the launch issues are resolved.