The Nintendo Switch Joy-Con comes with a bundled-in grip that enables the two controllers to be used like a more traditional game pad. However, the grip does not have the ability to charge the unique peripherals, it has emerged.
Instead, Nintendo plans to sell a separate charging grip for £28/$30 to those seeking to replenish the Joy-Con controllers while using them.
Without purchasing the additional accessory, gamers will only be able to charge the Joy-Cons by docking them with the main console.
Related: Nintendo Switch hands-on
If the batteries expire while using the Switch in home mode, console owners will need to cease gaming, or resort to using the Switch as a handheld.
The additional expenditure is unlikely to be a deal-breaker for those hellbent on jumping into bed with the Switch on March 3.
However, given the Switch is priced higher than many hoped, the lack of a bundled-in charging grip for the Joy-Con controllers may irk some people who are on the fence.
As well as containing a dock for boosting the battery life via a USB-C port, the charging grip also boasts a slightly differing design, boasting translucent grey plastic, just like the Switch Pro Controller.
The difference was explained during Nintendo’s Treehouse Live stream on Friday, but was largely overlooked until listings for the charging grip began appearing online.
“There’s also a Charging Grip accessory that’ll come as well, that you can actually plug these into — plug a spare set of Joy-Con into — and charge,” Nate Bihldorff, senior director for localization at Nintendo Treehouse had said (via Polygon).
Will this affect your decision to buy the Switch? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
