Nintendo Switch's Bundled Joy-Con Grip Doesn't Charge Controllers

Megalith

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…does anyone have any good news to share about Nintendo’s latest effort? Now we find out that if the Switch isn’t docked, the only way to charge your controllers is to buy yet another accessory. While $35 is negligible for some, you can’t deny the nickel and diming.

The Joy-Con grip bundled with Nintendo Switch does not charge your Joy-Con controllers. …The basic Joy-Con grip included with the console is simply a plastic shell. It exists just to hold your Joy-Con but not charge them. The premium Joy-Con charging grip, available separately, includes a USB connection so you can plug in and power the device while playing, and in turn charge attached Joy-Con. Without the chargeable grip, you can charge Joy-Con while they are attached to the Nintendo Switch itself. But this option isn't available if you are using the Joy-Con and your Switch is docked to the TV.
 
I would like to hear this directly from Nintendo, but it seems all but confirmed at this point. This is a pretty big blunder IMO, among other issues with the Switch announcement.
 
Great, more nothing in stock items, or not in meaningful supply till near end of life. Once you are done getting everything, your Switch investment will be the cost of a PS4 Pro
 
I get that it's annoying, but is it really a blunder?

The controllers are said to get 20 hours of battery life. At some point after playing video games for a few days, you're going to have to walk to your entertainment center and charge them on the Switch. I had to buy a charging stand for my PS4 controllers to avoid plugging them in (which don't even last 8 hours), and I have to walk downstairs to get AA batteries for my Xbox controllers.

Forget to charge them? Pop them on the Switch and use it in portable mode for a few hours.

Again, I acknowledge it isn't ideal and admit that I have ordered two charging grips for my own use. But the fact is, you do not have to buy the charging grip to use the system.
 
Having a hard time getting mad here. They do offer a way to charge them. They then offer an additional way to charge them. Imagine if Xbox or Playstation did something similar..........
 
MSFT does something similar with the XB1 controllers.

I don't think Sony does, though.
 
I get that it's annoying, but is it really a blunder?

The blunder was announcing the Switch and showing off the Charging grip, making it seem like that's what you got in the box. Only now through retailers we are finding out that there are two versions. You would never know based on the info Nintendo gave during that presentation.

Having a hard time getting mad here. They do offer a way to charge them. They then offer an additional way to charge them. Imagine if Xbox or Playstation did something similar..........

Can you charge them through the non-Charging grip at all? If not then that is a pretty big fail compared to the other consoles, where you can plug them in to charge while playing. The Charging grip also supposedly has an internal battery for more life to charge them while playing, but even with a basic grip it should still allow you to charge using a passthrough cable.
 
You know, I wanted the switch to be a day 1 purchase for me since I skipped the WiiU.

But fuck if they aren't making it harder and harder to justify. I mean, I would probably buy a third party charge stand like I did for the PS4/XB1 anyhow, but the combination of things is starting to get...irksome.
 
Not really seeing the problem here. I mean, yes, this could potentially be inconvenient if you have four players and want to charge two sets of Joy-Cons at once... but otherwise, what's the problem with just putting the Joy-Cons back onto the Nintendo Switch and putting the whole thing into the dock so they can charge? I wouldn't have even thought to look for a charging grip until someone brought it up.

As a PC gamer, though, the Nintendo consoles are the only ones worth buying for me, because just about everything good I want to play that comes out on Xbox or PlayStation also comes out on PC. Plus, I find myself enjoying stuff like the Wii remote, using a stylus with Wii U/3DS, because it's unique. I play so many games with a standard gamepad on PC that it gets a little old, so I want to change things up and play my games a new way once in a while. Nintendo offers something different, and I guess I like that.
 
Can you charge them through the non-Charging grip at all? If not then that is a pretty big fail compared to the other consoles, where you can plug them in to charge while playing. The Charging grip also supposedly has an internal battery for more life to charge them while playing, but even with a basic grip it should still allow you to charge using a passthrough cable.

yes, you can charge it with a usb cable while plugged into the basic grip. as someone who almost always has their Wii U gamepad plugged in with a charging cable plugged in this isn't a deal breaker for me.. but yes annoying.
 
yes, you can charge it with a usb cable while plugged into the basic grip. as someone who almost always has their Wii U gamepad plugged in with a charging cable plugged in this isn't a deal breaker for me.. but yes annoying.

Does it? Because looking at this (which is what I am guessing is included), there is no mention of any way to charge the controllers while in the grip: http://www.gamestop.com/nes/accessories/nintendo-switch-joy-con-comfort-grip-black/141859
 
I've found most Nintendo wireless peripherals to have such long battery life (except the Wii U tablet) to be so long that I'll usually recharge them by accident before they run out of power!

Not really concerned here.
 
Does it? Because looking at this (which is what I am guessing is included), there is no mention of any way to charge the controllers while in the grip: http://www.gamestop.com/nes/accessories/nintendo-switch-joy-con-comfort-grip-black/141859

Without a grip you could always play in tablet mode while it's charging. They have confirmed that as an option, at the very least. I can't find anything about the Comfort Grip having a USB port though.

EDIT: Now that I'm looking, the ONLY grip I'm seeing from Nintendo on websites is the Charging Grip. Could that be the same one that's included with the system, after all?

EDITED EDIT: Okay, so it's more or less confirmed that there are 2 different grips; the one that comes with the Switch and DOES NOT appear to have a charging port/battery and the Charging Grip, though only the latter appears to be available through Nintendo as an aftermarket purchase.
 
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…does anyone have any good news to share about Nintendo’s latest effort?

Yes. It exists, it fills a niche, it has excellent first party games, it's affordable, and it looks fantastic. Shall we go on?
 
Great, more nothing in stock items, or not in meaningful supply till near end of life. Once you are done getting everything, your Switch investment will be the cost of a PS4 Pro

PS4 Pro is selling like hotcakes, so price of admission clearly isn't an issue there.
 
I've found most Nintendo wireless peripherals to have such long battery life (except the Wii U tablet) to be so long that I'll usually recharge them by accident before they run out of power!

Not really concerned here.

You must not have an original 3DSXL then because the battery life is garbage...
 
Na i dont find this a deal breaker. The deal breaker for me is why not use Pascal? why Maxwell? why?!! it is almost confirmed that it using a maxwell based SoC.

Other deal breaker for me is the line-up, i only want zelda and I have wii u, so I am getting it for the wii u. Mario kart Deluxe? just a MK8 with extra content (just items actually) the Wii U version could easily have a DLC with such upgrades....
 
Na i dont find this a deal breaker. The deal breaker for me is why not use Pascal? why Maxwell? why?!! it is almost confirmed that it using a maxwell based SoC.

Other deal breaker for me is the line-up, i only want zelda and I have wii u, so I am getting it for the wii u. Mario kart Deluxe? just a MK8 with extra content (just items actually) the Wii U version could easily have a DLC with such upgrades....

They've said it will have a reworked battle mode, too. I think they're including actual arenas instead of just tracks.
 
I am starting to think that ppl are just trying to find away to make the switch look bad. If you play the games on the switch for 20 hours and the Joy-Cons die, that is on you. Just put them back on the Switch and charge them when you go to bed at night or when you walk away from the switch to maybe what eat food or something. I understand why there will be times when you may want to play and charge at the same time, but that isn't what most people will need to do right away. I am not sure of anyone that I know that will play the switch for no stop 20 hours before the Joy-Cons die. I am not really going to use the Joy-Cons much at all since I am going to buy a Pro Controller right away. The Joy-Cons will mainly be used for mobile play for me. Also yes I have Pre Ordered the switch, Zelda, Bomberman R, and the Pro Controller.
 
Uh, my DSi XL battery life is just fabulous. I can't speak for every single permutation of the 3DS mind you...

The DSi is not a version of the 3DS. All versions of the 3DS have meh to crap battery, including the New 3DS XL. At least Nintendo sold a bigger battery for the Wii U gamepad, I would pay good money to buy a bigger one for the N3DSXL.
 
The DSi is not a version of the 3DS. All versions of the 3DS have meh to crap battery, including the New 3DS XL. At least Nintendo sold a bigger battery for the Wii U gamepad, I would pay good money to buy a bigger one for the N3DSXL.

I am hoping you can just use the normal the battery back packs that you can use with Cell Phones for the Switch. I have a 10000mah one which fast charge on it and I can just use a USB Type C cable. So I am hoping I can just use that to charge it when I need to on the go.
 
The DSi is not a version of the 3DS. All versions of the 3DS have meh to crap battery, including the New 3DS XL. At least Nintendo sold a bigger battery for the Wii U gamepad, I would pay good money to buy a bigger one for the N3DSXL.
We have two of the original 3DSXLs and get fantastic battery life from them. Not sure what you're smoking, unless maybe it's a problem with the "new" 3DSXL. I don't even remember what was new about it. If it has more processing/graphics capability, then maybe that is why you're having less-than-expected battery life. I know for me, I was like "meh" when it came out, since we already had the original XLs.
 
We have two of the original 3DSXLs and get fantastic battery life from them. Not sure what you're smoking, unless maybe it's a problem with the "new" 3DSXL. I don't even remember what was new about it. If it has more processing/graphics capability, then maybe that is why you're having less-than-expected battery life. I know for me, I was like "meh" when it came out, since we already had the original XLs.

The normal 3DS XL lasts from 3 to 5 and a half hours when playing 3DS games. The New 3DS XL can theoretically last up to 7 hours with a minimum of 3.5. If you turn 3D on it quickly pushes battery life down towards that minimum.

The N3DS line is slightly stronger and has vastly improved 3D.
 
I never claimed it was, thanks for reading what I wrote...

The DSi is not a version of the 3DS. All versions of the 3DS have meh to crap battery, including the New 3DS XL. At least Nintendo sold a bigger battery for the Wii U gamepad, I would pay good money to buy a bigger one for the N3DSXL.
 
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