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[Alchemy]

This console is just a mess, what the hell is Nintendo thinking with this stuff?

 

[jonno394]

ummm.. but the pack in grip is a battery itself, it charges the joy-cons while playing, right?

no. it doesn't have that functionality.

 

[xxracerxx]

So like every other wireless controller? You just connect it to the main unit via USB?

Not USB, you will have to slide the two Joy-Cons onto the plugged in Switch to charge them.

no. it doesn't have that functionality.

Exactly! The Charging Grip does not have an internal battery, going by the specs.

 

[crinale]

ummm.. but the pack in grip is a battery itself, it charges the joy-cons while playing, right?

It seems like it isn't..

Not USB, you will have to slide the two Joy-Cons onto the plugged in Switch to charge them.

You also have to detach it from grip every time too. I guess this is cumbersome to quite a few people.

 

[PSFan]

ummm.. but the pack in grip is a battery itself, it charges the joy-cons while playing, right?

Nope.

 

[Conkerkid11]

Well, that's wrong. I use my Gamepad with my Wii U while it is plugged in and charging, also use my DS4 on my PS4 while plugged and charging and my DS3 with my PS3 as well.

They all charge while I play.

What?

I'm saying that the Switch isn't like modern day consoles, in that by default, you cannot charge the joy-cons while playing if they're connected to a docked console.

I'm shaming the Switch, not the Wii U, PS4, and Xbone.

 

[Vital Tundra]

What about the other sets of joy-cons for local multiplayer?

They last about 20 hours, and take 3 hours to charge. Ain't no way there isn't down time to charge even 4 sets of them within a period without needing all of them. Be smart about charging, its not hard when they last 20 hours. Not saying there should be the usually way of usb out of the box, but damn its really not hard to keep them all charged to play with friends.

 

[Hasney]

Because a modern day controller like the Xbone controller, PS4 controller, or hell... The Wii U Pro controller, can be charged while I'm playing a game. They also take standard USBs that everybody has lying around the house, so it's easy to plug in and charge several controllers.

Whereas by default, you can only charge one set of joy-cons at a time, and you can only do so while not playing the console, or while playing it portably.


What about the other sets of joy-cons for local multiplayer?

XB1 controller needs a play and charge kit. This is a play out of their handbook that I assumed Nintendo were copying to not leave money on the table. So it's only Sony that charges out of the box.

 

[Deleted member 752119]

The battery will eventually run out, though. If you want to continue playing on your television, you'll have to shell out for a pro controller or a charging grip. It's not hard to understand.

Well, if you're diligent about just putting them back on the docked tablet everytime you finish playing they'll probably never die on you (until years down the road when the battery won't hold a charge) given the 20 hour battery life is correct.

Still too much hassle for some (myself included) to move them back and forth that often though.

 

[azyless]

The Joy Cons get 20 hours of battery apparently. Your not gonna do a 20 hour in one shot gameplay session. So just attach them to the console between sessions.

This seems like people looking for something to complain about.

It means if you didn't go through the slightly inconvenient ritual of taking them off the grip, on the dock, and back on the grip again, and your batteries die on you mid-play, then you're out of luck if you want to play on TV. What if you have 2 sets of JoyCons ? Can't recharge them both at the same time unless you give Nintendo that extra 30€.
Yes the batteries from what we've heard seem amazing and this isn't some dramatic issue. It's still a negative.
It just feels incredibly cheap to not have included it imo.

 

[Jarmel]

Ok so the Joycons themselves don't have a USB port and can only be charged initially by connecting it to the main unit which has a USB charger. This then results in the player losing the ability to play off their TV as they would switch to the unit. Is that right?

 

[PSFan]

What?

I'm saying that the Switch isn't like modern day consoles, in that by default, you cannot charge the joy-cons while playing if they're connected to a docked console.

I'm shaming the Switch, not the Wii U, PS4, and Xbone.

Sorry, my bad. I read it wrong. Just disregard.

 

[RadioJoNES64]

Micro managing the charge of three devices to play a single player game sounds pretty tedious.

 

[EloquentM]

EDIT: ^^^YUP

From what I took

The Switch Console is essentially the in-the-box charger

Meaning to charge the JoyCons they will need to be plugged/snapped into the Switch after use to charge the JoyCons

or you can buy the Accessory which is the 'Battery' with an actual USB plug that chargers all three together

The charge grip doesn't have a battery.

 

[SRTtoZ]

You could say this is a classic bait...

and Switch.

 

[Conkerkid11]

XB1 controller needs a play and charge kit. This is a play out of their handbook that I assumed Nintendo were copying to not leave money on the table. So it's only Sony that charges out of the box.

You're right, my bad. I forgot I still have to frequently buy AA batteries for my Xbone controllers.

Joy-con doesn't offer that up though.

 

[Hasney]

Micro managing the charge of three devices to play a single player game sounds pretty tedious.

Stick em all in the dock overnight. Jobs a goodun.

You're right, my bad. I forgot I still have to frequently buy AA batteries for my Xbone controllers.

Joy-con doesn't offer that up though.

To me, not dealing with AAs gives the Joycons the slight edge if the 20 hours actually pans out in the real world, but yeah, neither is ideal.

 

[SMG]

This is what Nintendo are trying to do to their customers with this abomination:

If only they forewent the expensive tech that makes milking invisible udders a reality and instead made an affordable and cost effective system.

 

[Jarmel]

This is so unbelievably stupid that I'm stunned. Why the fuck didn't they just put a small battery on the regular grip?

This is nickle-and-diming tactics.

 

[Deku Tree]

Can you charge and play the pro controller at the same time?

 

[~Cross~]

Nice home console decision there nintendo

 

[Deleted member 752119]

Ok so the Joycons themselves don't have a USB port and can only be charged initially by connecting it to the main unit which has a USB charger. This then results in the player losing the ability to play off their TV as they would switch to the unit. Is that right?

Exactly.

Unless you buy the $30 charger grip, then if they die you can just plug that into a USB charger via a USB-c cable and keep playing.

Or if you have a pro controller of course. I'll probably just opt for that, overpriced as it is, and just leave the Joy Cons on the tablet all the time.

Can you charge and play the pro controller at the same time?

Yes, it just charges via USB-c.

You can also charge the Joy Cons and play on tv at the same time if you use the $30 charger grip that's sold separately.

 

[Scoobie]

Not a big deal to me, as long as the joy cons have comparable battery life to ds4 or xpad when detached from the handheld unit and playing on TV since then it's really no difference?

 

[FantasticMrFoxdie]

Damn guys just put the joycons on your switch and dock it at night. Makes it a literal none issue.

Communication is the issue here
It took us three threads to figure out the Switch+Dock is the charger to the JoyCons

 

[rtcn63]

If only they forewent the expensive tech that makes milking invisible udders a reality and instead made an affordable and cost effective system.

They need to steal back that million dollar cow-milking smartphone game audience

 

[Conkerkid11]

Can you charge and play the pro controller at the same time?

Yes, but that's a $70 controller that doesn't come with the console.

 

[Hasney]

Can you charge and play the pro controller at the same time?

Yeah, it looks like it anyway. Worried I'll be proved wrong.

Just wish they didn't put NFC in it so they could keep the cost down...

 

[Tunesmith]

For people having a hard time understanding.

WHAT IS PACKED IN THE BOX:



WHAT YOU PAY $30 FOR (CHARGING GRIP):


edit: Also:

Where dat USB-C port at on the main official page???

There are flat pics of the back of the grips too on the site making it very evident the default grip has no charging.

Also this text on the charging grip:

https://www.nintendo.co.jp/hardware/switch/accessories/index.html

「Joy-Con(L)」と「Joy-Con(R)」を取り付けて、グリップ型のコントローラーとして使用できます。
本体セットに付属している「Joy-Conグリップ」とは異なり、付属のUSB充電ケーブルを使ってプレイ中に「Joy-Con」の充電もできるので、バッテリー切れの心配がありません。

You can use "Joy-Con (L)" and "Joy-Con (R)" as a grip type controller.
Unlike the "Joy - Con grip" that comes with the main unit set, you can also charge "Joy - Con" while using the included USB charging cable, so you do not have to worry about running out of the battery.

 

[Kaelan]

Exactly.

Unless you buy the $30 charger grip, then if they die you can just plug that into a USB charger via a USB-c cable and keep playing.

Or if you have a pro controller of course. I'll probably just opt for that, overpriced as it is, and just leave the Joy Cons on the tablet all the time.



Yes, it just charges via USB-c.

You can also charge the Joy Cons and play on tv at the same time if you use the $30 charger grip that's sold separately.

I dunno man, I heard the joy cons on the grip feel better than the Pro controller (various journalist tweets) and that the pro controller is meh

 

[WhiteRabbitEXE]

Included grip can charge they joy cons, but they won't have a battery that can be used to recharge the joy cons on the go.

Correct?

Incorrect.

Neither has a battery. The $30 one has a USB port for charging the JoyCon while playing. The pack-in is just a shell. The only way to charge the JoyCon without the $30 version is plugging them into the Switch.

Nintendo is making you pay $30 for the convenience of a single USB component.

 

[SRTtoZ]

ummm.. but the pack in grip is a battery itself, it charges the joy-cons while playing, right?

No. The pack in grip that comes with the Switch is just a plastic shell, no ability to charge while using it. You need to physically remove the Joy-Cons from the grip and plug them into the sides of the Switch to charge em.

 

[hogendaz85]

Ninspendo is at it again.

 

[Hasney]

I dunno man, I heard the joy cons on the grip feel better than the Pro controller (various journalist tweets) and that the pro controller is meh

D pad tho. Gonna be needed for some games.

 

[Synless]

This is a complete non issue if the battery life of the joy cons are good enough.

If not.. oh boy.

Has there been word on the battery life of the joy cons?

 

[Jarmel]

Let's be real too, that 20 hour battery life number is almost certainly going to be bullshit for the average player. Add on to that, degradation over time and use.

 

[Guymelef]

They should delay the launch to April 1st, seriously.

 

[RootCause]

Incorrect.

Neither has a battery. The $30 one has a USB port for charging the JoyCon while playing. The pack-in is just s shell. The only way to charge the JoyCon without the $30 version is plugging them into the Switch.

Nintendo is making you pay $30 for the convenience of a single USB component.

Oh, I see. Thanks.

 

[mrklaw]

Damn guys just put the joycons on your switch and dock it at night. Makes it a literal none issue.

Yeah actually it's quite good - I bought a Ds4 charging dock which is very convenient - but the switch effectively comes with one built in.

They're 20 hours battery allegedly on the JP spec sheet.

Ah that's good - and surprising given their size

 

[Pie and Beans]

M-my scoops...

Yeah this is nickel and diming at its most bizarre. Even making the things without the tiny port and wire required is mind boggling.

I'm sure Rumble HD has no effect on 20 hours of battery at all, just straight plain sailing with this device. Nothing to see here.

 

[xxracerxx]

The messaging on this shit is almost as bad as Microsoft's messaging for the XBO. Good thing this is just a small thing and not the whole console.

 

[rpmurphy]

Ok so the Joycons themselves don't have a USB port and can only be charged initially by connecting it to the main unit which has a USB charger. This then results in the player losing the ability to play off their TV as they would switch to the unit. Is that right?

Yes, that's correct. If you want to play in TV mode while JoyCons are charging, either you buy the charging grip accessory, buy a Pro Controller as an alternate controller, or presumably (not confirmed but likely) buy a second set of JoyCons to alternate. Those are the known options at this time that's based off the information given on the official Japanese site.

 

[The Hermit]

This is a complete non issue if the battery life of the joy cons are good enough.

If not.. oh boy.

Yeah

How long the battery of the controllers last? You can charge at night if it's around 8 hours

Edit: 20hours?! Non issue

 

[JP]

Dear me.

It's not the end of the world but it's certainly seems poorly thought out. from this I'm assuming that it's going to be a console that they'll be expecting you to leave in standby, because if you switch it off your controller won't charge.

 

[xxracerxx]

Yes, that's correct. If you want to play in TV mode while JoyCons are charging, either you buy the charging grip accessory, buy a Pro Controller as an alternate controller, or presumably (not confirmed but likely) buy a second set of JoyCons to alternate. Those are the known options at this time that's based off the information given on the official Japanese site.

The pricing on that breaks down to:

$30 Charging Grip
--or--
$70 Pro Controller
--or--
$80 Pair of Joy-Con controllers as spares

 

[Jarmel]

Yes, that's correct. If you want to play in TV mode while JoyCons are charging, either you buy the charging grip accessory, buy a Pro Controller as an alternate controller, or presumably (not confirmed but likely) buy a second set of JoyCons to alternate. Those are the known options at this time that's based off the information given on the official Japanese site.

I thought the JoyCons themselves had a USB port which would seem to have been the logical design solution in the first place.

 

[KAL2006]

20 hour battery life for controllers

Well if this is true then it's a non issue for me.

 

[Deleted member 752119]

Not a big deal to me, as long as the joy cons have comparable battery life to ds4 or xpad when detached from the handheld unit and playing on TV since then it's really no difference?

Well the battery life of the Joy Cons is supposedly 20 hours, which makes it all a bit easier to swallow.

But otherwise the difference is with a DS4 you can plug into a USB charger and keep playing on the TV when the controller dies (X1 you can just pop new AA batteries in).

With the Switch, you can't do that out of the box as you have to connect the Joy Cons to the tablet while docked/plugged into charge and thus can't play on the TV. You have to buy the separate $30 charger grip to play on the TV and charge at the same time.

 

[rokero]

20 hours of continuous playtime isn't enough ? I don't see the issue here I you leave the joycons charging every time you go to sleep you'll never run out of juice ever

 

[rpmurphy]

I thought the JoyCons themselves had a USB port which would seem to have been the logical design solution in the first place.

Nope. And that would be pretty hellish with wires to be honest.

 

[crinale]

I thought the JoyCons themselves had a USB port which would seem to have been the logical design solution in the first place.

Well if you consider Ninty pricing $30 for adding usb charging port..