Consider me confused. Some players, not myself, have reported that their Nintendo Switch consoles arrived with dead pixels. That is, spots of bright white or black on the screen that stay in place forever because, well, the pixel (or pixels) there is dead.

This happens relatively frequently during the manufacturing of LCD screens, so it’s a normal defect. You read that, Nintendo? I used the words “normal” and “defect” together because they aren’t mutually exclusive.

I say that because Nintendo suggests the opposite on their official troubleshooting page when it comes to dead or struck pixels. Here’s their word on the UK troubleshooting site.

Small numbers of stuck or dead pixels are a characteristic of LCD screens. These are normal and should not be considered a defect.

They’re normal, sure, but they’re still a defect.

If you have dead pixels, contact Nintendo

I’m not sure what they’ll tell you. Interestingly, I can’t find any mention of dead or struck pixels on the Switch’s American support site. That tells me that Nintendo doesn’t have a clear repair or return policy in place for this problem just yet.

Contact the company if you have dead or struck pixels. They might work with you. Just remember, be cool. That always helps.