Nintendo Switch consoles are apparently warping, ours included (Updated)

Over the weekend, Nintendo Switch owners turned to online forums like Reddit to complain about a potential defect with the system. #BendGate all over again? Maybe, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves just yet.

The one image that’s been cited a lot comes from a Redditor who goes by the username _NSR. They posted this shot with a headline that reads “The Nintendo Switch Is Starting To Warp While Only Being In Dock Mode.”

Here’s _NSR’s Nintendo Switch, warped.

That’s severe, especially since the console’s only been out for a month (as of today, actually). Other users in the thread note similar warping.

“Oh s***,” Big_Bears writes, “this is a real thing. I just checked mine and it is bent the same way. The QC is becoming a disappointment.”

“I actually checked my switch after seeing this,” offers Magnaha23. “Its starting to do the exact same thing just not as bad as yours yet. I called nintendo and got a repair set up in like 10 minutes. [sic]”

Updated: Since publishing our story, a few users have reported similar findings. Another Redditor shared a shot of their Switch with some warping. This appears to be an issue that’s happened more than a few times.

Redditor Falco9805 shared an image of his Switch, warped.

I also received this tweet from @kahlandra on Twitter. She noted that her co-worker’s Switch was bending, though she plays almost exclusvely in handheld mode.

I decided to check mine, too. I grabbed my trusty straight edge and set the system down. Yes, there’s a definite gap towards the center. You can see that for yourself.

Here’s my Nintendo Switch, warped.

Now, I play my Nintendo Switch mostly in docked mode. I’d say the breakdown is something like 75 percent docked, 25 percent undocked. When I’m undocked, I don’t grasp it tightly or twist and turn in transit, I have an exceptionally sturdy case designed for the system. It’s not been sat on or physically bent. This is warping, it appears.

I’ve seen the same sort of questions asked online about this. I can’t speak for every user, but I’ll address my personal use here.

• Do you have any fabric on to dock to prevent scratching? No. I left mine bare, as it arrived.
• Is the area around you Switch well ventilated? Yes. The dock sits away from the TV on a piece of furniture in a cool area of my house. It’s all by itself.
• Are you rough on the system? No. I treat it like a baby. Maybe better, I don’t know.

We reached out to Nintendo with our image and what’s going around on Reddit. We’ll let you know if we hear more from them.

Is your Switch warping?

Update #2 (4/3/2017): The Reddit user who posted the initial thread reached out to us through our contact form. He’s recorded an update video. He clearly shows the console’s bend, and he indicates that he’s had success speaking with Nintendo’s support team. They’re getting it repaired. Here’s his clip.