Here’s a very First World Gamer problem. You’re playing the Switch in bed. It’s late. You’re on your side because your partner would like to sleep. So you can’t hold the console upright with both hands without rolling over. But if you detach one JoyCon from the Switch, games often demand that you detach both JoyCons. So what is one to do?
This article has been updated since its original publication.
The co-founder of the Generozity charity, Michael Sloane, found himself in this exact scenario. He plays the Switch in bed on his side, and wanted to play with just one JoyCon detached while still having the other JoyCon attached to the console. “You can’t play on your side because you’d have to hold your arm in the air to hit buttons,” Sloane argued.
So how do you play while having just one JoyCon detached?
The answer: a bit of tape.
The contacts that provide input are under the lip of the rail and not the metal plate on the rail. So you gotta block it. I used a piece of paper for this. Just bend it under, making sure it clears the contacts.
I’m sure there’s a better material for this: suggestions welcome. pic.twitter.com/NsuzCIVI4H
— Michael Sloane (@GoodpartAU) July 31, 2019
By using a bit of tape under the lip of the rail, you can clear the contacts underneath. The useful trick means you can leave one JoyCon attached at all times, while the other JoyCon can nestle safely in your hand, letting your arm can lie in a much more natural sleeping position. And the console will think both JoyCons are detached, because the contacts on one JoyCon are covered by the tape.
Even when attached, the Switch will think that this Joycon is detached! So now I can remove the right Joycon and leave my arm on the bed where it belongs, and not in the air like a zombie.
Laziness is the mother of invention, and I’m not responsible for your warranty ❤️ pic.twitter.com/j8Cm4UT8ZD
— Michael Sloane (@GoodpartAU) July 31, 2019
Of course, doing this will undoubtedly void the warranty. But that’s probably not going to stop people from pretending they were suffering from JoyCon drift.
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