Nintendo Switch Has a New Problem: Melting

We knew the Nintendo Switch was a hot product, but we didn't anticipate it getting this hot.

According to multiple reports from owners, Nintendo's new console has been melting and warping from overheating when left in its dock for hours at a time.

Photo: Reddit user _NSR

Photo: Reddit user _NSR

In a Reddit thread, user _NSR posted a photo of his deformed Switch, which appears to have bent pretty severely towards the right edge. The Switch owner says that he's spent roughly 50 hours of playtime with the system, and that it gets very hot while docked. At least one commenter in the thread reported having a similar issue.

"Luckily it hasn't affected the way that it plays," said _NSR in the thread. "The lack of disc drive is definitely a good thing here."

The user followed up on his post with a YouTube video, in which he mentions that he contacted Nintendo about the issue and received a shipping label so that the company can investigate the faulty console. Nintendo told _NSR it's likely an isolated issue, despite some folks on Reddit reporting similar problems.

MORE: The Biggest Nintendo Switch Issues So Far

This warping issue is the latest in a decently long list of Nintendo Switch problems — some big, some small. The most notable Switch issue at launch was the left Joy-Con's tendency to lose connection with the system, which Nintendo has apparently fixed for all future models. Other problems include dead pixels and scratched screens from the dock (get a screen protector!).

It certainly doesn't help that there's currently no way to transfer game saves from one Switch to another — meaning you might lose the dozens of hours you put into The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild if you decide to replace your console. Nintendo has yet to make an official comment on the warping issue; in the meantime, we suggest keeping an eye on your console if you tend to leave it docked for long stretches of time.

Michael Andronico

Mike Andronico is Senior Writer at CNNUnderscored. He was formerly Managing Editor at Tom's Guide, where he wrote extensively on gaming, as well as running the show on the news front. When not at work, you can usually catch him playing Street Fighter, devouring Twitch streams and trying to convince people that Hawkeye is the best Avenger.