Patrick Holland/CNET
Nintendo is cutting the price of a single Joy-Con controller for the Switch from $50 down to $40, the company tweeted Friday. The new price takes effect Nov. 9, and applies to left Joy-Cons in neon blue and right Joy-Cons in neon red.
Starting on 11/9, single #NintendoSwitch Joy-Con controllers will be available for purchase for $39.99. Choose from the left Joy-Con controller in Neon Blue, and the right Joy-Con controller in Neon Red. pic.twitter.com/wXW8BEssS7
— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) October 23, 2020
It’s unclear if the new pricing will apply to other colors, but I’ve asked Nintendo and will update if I hear back.
First introduced in 2017 and followed by a second-gen model with longer battery life, the Nintendo Switch is a handheld gaming system that doubles as a console you can connect with a television for full-screen play. The detachable Joy-Con controllers connect to each side of the device for traditional twin-stick controls, but you can also play some games by using a single Joy-Con as a mini-size wireless controller. That includes Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, which CNET’s Scott Stein dubbed the best party game on the Switch, so having an extra Joy-Con on hand probably makes sense for a lot of gamers.
The price cut also follows nagging issues with Joy-Con drift, where certain controllers register false directional input. Nintendo faced a class-action lawsuit over the issue last year, and now offers to fix affected controllers for free.