dbrand admits some Switch 2 Killswitch cases are failing – and a fix is on the way
Replacements for faulty Switch 2 Killswitch cases will be offered
🙇♂️ dbrand has backtracked on its previous response to issues faced by users of its Switch 2 Killswitch case, branding it "spectacularly terrible"
👍 The company has since taken responsibility for the issue in a new statement posted to Reddit, and is offering replacements for affected users
📆 dbrand is looking at either a complete case redesign or an improved version for users, with the decision expected on July 10
The Switch 2 Killswitch case was causing the Switch 2's Joy-Con controllers to detach from the main body of the console too easily when pressure was applied
dbrand, best known for its cases and accessories for phones and handheld consoles, has admitted that its response to user who raised issues about its flagship Switch 2 Killswitch case was "spectacularly terrible".
The Switch 2 Killswitch case has just recently released, but complaints soon followed as it appeared to cause the Switch 2's Joy-Con controllers to easily detach from the main body of the console when pressure was applied. This could be done by holding the console with one hand, a common thing to do when in handheld mode.
However, when news of the issue initially broke, dbrand attempted to deflect the problem by stating that "nobody routinely holds their Switch 2 like this", causing fans to assume that dbrand was blaming users for the issue.
The company has since backtracked on its initial stance and posted a new response on Reddit, (via VGC) taking full responsibility for the issue, and offering replacements to affected customers when new Joy-Con grips emerge in July.
Apparently, the issue affecting some users is that the Killswitch case has "a manufacturing tolerance issue on the retaining lip that keeps the Joy-Con Grip attached to the Joy-Con", according to dbrand's statement.
The top line of their statement reads as follows:
"After reading through your feedback, it’s quite clear that our post was a spectacularly terrible response to the issue at hand. Some of you have expressed that opinion in a perfectly reasonable way. Others have expressed it with literal death threats.
“Before even stating the solutions, let’s state the good news: everyone, whether or not you’re experiencing this issue, is getting a free replacement set of Joy-Con Grips.”
In addition, dbrand goes on to note that as much as they still believe that detachment only occurs under certain conditions, it shouldn't matter, as people should be able to hold the console in its Killswitch case however they wish to:
"As easy as it is to boil our original post down to “you’re holding it wrong,” what we’re sober to now is the point that you should be allowed to hold it however the f*** you want, without detachment occurring. We get it."
dbrand is pursuing two solutions, with either a complete redesign of the case to resolve any detachment issues, or an improved version of the current Killswitch product. The former may not be feasible to mass-produce at the moment, but dbrand is looking into its options.
Which option they choose should be communicated in an update expected on July 10, so if you have been affected, hang tight, and it should be resolved soon.
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Reece Bithrey is a journalist with bylines for Trusted Reviews, Digital Foundry, PC Gamer, TechRadar and more. He also has his own blog, UNTITLED, and graduated from the University of Leeds with a degree in International History and Politics in 2023.