NEWS ROUNDUP: New Switch Revision for 2019 Announced, Lawsuit Over Joy-Con Drift, New Joy-Con colors, the end of Splatoon 2, SDCC 2019, Moon Landing Anniversary, and MORE!

News. *clap* Review. *clap*. What is up, fellow ogres? I haven't posted very frequently recently because of summer camp taking up much more time than I initially expected (hey, that wasn't in the job description), but that's actually a positive thing. Why? That means I have more important news to talk about and catch you guys up on, and then proceed to babble on about it for 12 pages!-- Just kidding. While there may not be a TL;DR included for this post due to the fact that it covers so many topics at once, I have attempted my best to make each individual section as short as possible, like a TL;DR in it of itself. You're welcome. Now, without further ado, let's Naruto Run straight into this news! We're starting off with an announcement that seems perfect after the Switch Lite last week... 

New Switch Model Announced! But is it a worthy upgrade?

On Wednesday, Nintendo announced via their Japanese website that a new Nintendo Switch model set to replace the current model is going to release in the fall (August in Japan, and September in the US). This new model will also cost the same price of $300, and there are no immediate physical differences that have been detailed. However, the main difference here is that the new model will have a significantly improved battery life, of 4.5-9 hours, versus the original Switch's estimated 2.5-6.5 hours, according to Nintendo. That means that you will be able to play a graphically intensive game like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild in handheld/tabletop mode for around 4.5 hours, which is a significant leap from the often less than 2 hours which you could get from the original Switch. 

There will be no way to tell these models apart from other than their boxes and model numbers. The above image shows a comparison of the different packaging. The model number of the original Switch was HAC-001. The new model number is HAC-001(-01). Why did Nintendo make a new Switch? A few reasons. They wanted a new version of the Switch on store shelves for people who haven't bought it yet that doesn't feel outdated, and also as a clear better version of the Switch Lite. Other than having TV mode, another clear way to communicate to consumers that the regular Switch is worth 100 dollars more than the Switch Lite is better battery life. Before, in my Switch Lite post, I said that the Lite had a better battery than the regular Switch, but this will no longer be true.

This doesn't mean that Nintendo is ripping off the 35 million people who originally bought a Switch up to this point. It's simply a way to make their product better for future buyers. Is it worth buying if you already own a Switch? Probably not, unless you already planned to replace your Switch and play a lot in portable mode away from a charger. Otherwise, get a battery pack, and your problem is solved... assuming you think that it's convenient to carry around a plastic block along with your already-big Switch kit with you everywhere. But a significant upside to this announcement may be that for those willing to look for the soon-to-be discontinued model and are fine with less battery life, you might be able to buy what most people just bought for $300 for a significantly less. Maybe a $250 price for the outdated version? Who knows, but that might just further complicate the decision of which Switch to buy for a whole lot of people. 

Nintendo gets sued for Joy-Con Drifting issues!

If you have been on the Internet recently, you must know about the Joy-Con joystick drifting outcry that all of a sudden sparked amongst people. I have had drift on all my Joy-Cons, personally, for years. After getting it on my launch Joy-Cons in less than half a year, I wondered why the Internet wasn't already in an outcry over what seemed to be a design defect, which I discovered after repeatedly replacing my Joy-Con set (keep in mind that these aren't cheap-- $80 a pair for defective controllers). It doesn't help that the warranty period is only a year, and they still charge you shipping fees. Every single one of the Joy-Cons I own currently moves without me even touching the stick, making many games unplayable and the act of even navigating menus a chore of precisely-timed button-mashing.

Even my special edition, 80 dollar Splatoon 2 edition Pro Controller has an issue where the left joystick slowly drifts down and makes upward movement impossible. This seems to be less common of an issue, but it still is a problem with all Pro Controllers, I discovered after some research. It's because the sensor wheel for the up/down position on the left stick has poor quality, and dust accumulates inside the stick. People haven't gotten super mad about it just yet, but I'd say wait a year and you'll see a similar outcry over the Pro Controllers people bought as an attempt to escape from drifting issues. I'll be glad to see it happen since it means that something similar to what I'm about to discuss might happen.

If you have this issue, you have a few possible solutions. You can calibrate it (but that seems to be impossible if your drift is extremely severe), use contact cleaner if you're okay with dealing with potentially dangerous chemicals (yeah, no thanks), or you can do the smart thing if your controller is out of warranty already, which is to open it up and swap the Joy-Stick with a third party replacement stick. That's what I'm planning to do. I've already purchased these for all both of my Joy-Con pairs, they come with some tools as well: https://amzn.to/2O5I9u1. I will also do it for my Pro Controller with the help of this: https://amzn.to/2O1vhVp, and this: https://amzn.to/30LvMEN 

Recently, I guess more than enough people have been fed up with Link randomly walking up cliffs, or Mario Kart being impossible, or selecting the wrong option in turn-based RPGs, that they have just flocked the Internet as a whole to complain to Nintendo about it. This includes Tweeting to the official Nintendo accounts on Twitter with hashtags like #joycondrift, and technology news media outlets reaching out to Nintendo to attempt to get them to comment on the matter. But it seems that Nintendo either knows about this issue and is working on it, knows about it and is ignoring it, or somehow isn't aware of it at all. They haven't spoken a word about it yet, which is strange since the last time that the Switch hardware had manufacturing issues, which was the left Joy-Con disconnecting on the launch Switch two years ago, the early adopter journalists and fans complained enough about the faulty antennae that a new batch was created. I guess that's since Nintendo really needed a smooth launch for the Switch after the Wii U's overall failure, but it doesn't look good at all on a company to be aware of a fault in their product's design that makes enjoying their games impossible, and yet refusing to do anything about it because they're driven more by profit than by a positive brand image (which is what gives them so much money and fans in the first place). 

But yesterday, things changed. A U.S. law firm sued Nintendo for Joy-Con drift, forcing Nintendo to address it soon in the most powerful way! Instead of some whiners on Twitter, this issue is finally being taken to court, forcing the King of Gaming to get off their seats and attempt to do something about the issue. This lawsuit started out as a class-action investigation, which means that the lawyers were going to investigate the issue and collect information to determine whether it was worth suing the House of Mario over. Yesterday, they published an online survey asking anyone to give them information about the info and their experiences with it (which I actually filled out), and yesterday they gave an email to all those who contributed to their investigation that looks like this, confirming that in less than 24 hours they had already gotten enough info from fed-up gamers to decide to sue Nintendo over it:

Now, there are a few ways that this could go. Nintendo is guaranteed to speak about the issue somehow anyway since they are literally forced by law to do so. But, the outcome still could be anything. Obviously, if the lawsuit succeeds, then Nintendo will probably be asked to create a new batch of Joy-Cons without the drift defect. But the compensation for all those affected by the problem that "covers" all Switch and Joy-Con owners could be multiple things. I don't know if I would get excited too much about the possibility of free repairs or replacements for the victims of the defect since they already provide that in their way-too-short warranty system. However, something small like money or eShop credit for this is likely and would still be nice... even though I still have to open up my Joy-Con and somehow strip those ridiculously small and poorly-positioned screws. 

Waluigi-Themed Joy-Cons announced. Yes, seriously.

Image Credit: Nintendo of America via Twitter

Speaking of Joy-Cons, a few people were hopeful about the drift defect being fixed when Nintendo suddenly announced two new packages of new Joy-Con colors on their Twitter account a few days ago. These are dark blue left, and neon yellow right (we already had neon yellow), and the better looking one, in my opinion, which is the long-awaited neon purple and orange. What would this be themed after, since every single Joy-Con so far other than the launch colors have been connected to a game? We can't tell for certain. Orange and purple could be a reference to Gamecube colors, or something Halloween themed for the release of Luigi's Mansion 3 on October 31st (another bit of news confirmed recently), or even the pair of evil Mario villains, Wario and Waluigi. Is Waluigi confirmed to be DLC for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, then? Or does this rather mean the iconic Playstation platforming mascots Crash Bandicoot (who is orange) and Spyro the Dragon (who is purple) will be DLC? The answer is whatever your imagination can dream up of, dear reader. I don't know what dark blue and neon yellow mean though, other than that I wish they had a full pair of dark blue Joy-Cons for me to buy if they have indeed fixed the drift issue, since every single handheld I've owned except for the Switch has been black and dark-blue (first my DS Lite, then my 2DS). Also, anyone remembers the time that Nintendo Minute "leaked' the dark blue color?: https://nintendosoup.com/dark-blue-joy-con-coming-soon/ Also, did anyone else notice that literally almost all of the first replies to Nintendo's tweet announcing these new Joy-Cons are about begging them to fix the drift defect? Come on, Nintendo, please listen this time. It's hard to believe that it will take an actual lawsuit to get you to make good controllers that aren't just pretty on the outside but are reliable on the inside as well. 

Customize your #NintendoSwitch even more with these new Joy-Con colors – Blue/Neon Yellow and Neon Purple/Neon Orange. Available beginning 10/4 for $79.99. #MyWayToPlay pic.twitter.com/231TcnnTG2

— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) July 17, 2019

New 8BitDo customizable controller announced! 

Image Credit: 8BitDo 

Speaking of controllers in general, a fantastic third-party controller maker named 8BitDo (whose controllers aren't notorious for drifting, thankfully), has announced a brand new retro controller which is a direct upgrade to last year's SN30 Pro (which I own, by the way, and it's a fantastic modern and retro hybrid controller that might be my favorite Switch controller ever), titled appropriately as the SN30 Pro+. This controller seems to be a very big upgrade indeed, and instead of being the tried-and-true bone-shaped retro controller, it actually adds grips for your palms like modern controllers have. In addition, it sports the same multi-platform compatibility, USB-C, motion controls, and rumble, as well as the Game Boy or SNES color schemes as the original. As if comfort grips weren't enough to tempt me to get this beautiful thing, it actually adds practical features in the form of lots of customizability options like an Xbox Elite Controller, but for your Nintendo Switch. It now has programmable back buttons, adjustable joystick customizability, mappable face buttons, and even adjustable back-triggers! 8BitDo has really spoiled us with this one. It will cost $49 and release on August 7th, pre-orders are live on Amazon now, and just like the one I own, I'd expect it to be excellent for retro games, or even as a replacement for those poorly-made Joy-Cons and Pro Controllers. Considering it's considerably cheaper than the Pro Controller and actually has many advantages while retaining most of the same essential features (other than NFC amiibo support, or "HD" rumble instead of regular rumble), I'd probably recommend it to anyone despite it not even being out yet. Maybe I'll review the original one day, who knows. 

Splatoon 2's Final Splatfest and the future of the series

Image Credit: Nintendo 

After two amazing years, Nintendo is finally stopping event support for Splatoon 2. But don't be sad. This isn't an occasion to cry, it's an occasion to PARTY in Inkopolis-style, with the best way possible: The last Splatfest event for the game, ever, and it's the best one yet! This entire weekend is the longest Splatfest ever, Finalfest, which lasts over 72 hours! The theme for Final Fest is a very interesting one: Chaos versus Order. Do you enjoy thinking outside the box and getting messy, or are you strictly-OCD and like things to be nice and neat and shiny? In other words, yes, this is a debate of anarchy versus totalitarianism. But since I don't have OCD and am mostly a right-brained individual, of course, I signed up to fight alongside Team Chaos! Plus, the paint colors for this event are awesome as well. Chaos gets shiny gold, while Order gets smooth Silver! 

Just like the Final Fest in the original Splatoon game, it would make sense that the outcome for this Splatfest would determine the theme of the next Splatoon game. In the original Splatoon, Marie beat Callie in the Squid Sisters-themed popularity contest, so the story mode of Splatoon 2 was about Marie being gone missing. But if that's the case, then Splatoon 3 must be very dark, right? Well, in a recent interview, according to Hisashi Nogami, producer of Splatoon 2, Splatoon 3 isn't in development yet at all.

Some people were shocked or upset by this news, but this seems silly to me. Of course they aren't even thinking about the next Splatoon yet if A.) the same development team is busy working on Animal Crossing: New Horizons for March 2020, B.) the next Splatoon might not come until either the next Nintendo console or many years, and C.) a spin-off (maybe mobile) game to properly make Splatoon into a diverse, varied franchise would make more sense as a smaller project to fill the gap between Splatoon 2 and 3 and satisfy the fans for a bit. 

But instead of focusing on the future, let's think about now. A perfectly awesome Splatoon 2 Finalfest awaits all those fans as one last gift before event support ends, and I'm looking forward to seeing all of you guys on the Turf War battlefield! The Splatfest ends tomorrow at 8 AM Central Time (that's 9 AM in NYC). 

San Diego Comic-Con is here! 

Image Credit: Comic-Con International

Speaking of non-Nintendo news (finally), San Diego Comic-Con has officially commenced as of a few days ago. Almost every single geeky thing you can imagine is getting showcased there this year. There are panels from film-makers, game developers, toy manufacturers, comic writers, and much more. Obviously, there will be a big presence from everything from Marvel, DC, Star Wars, animation, and much more. 

So far, a few notable announcements have been made. If you are a fan of the MCU, you should know that the entire Phase 4 lineup is possibly just days away from being revealed, and one movie has been confirmed already; Thor 4 has recently been confirmed to happen and will be directed by Ragnarok's Taika Waititi. 

Image Credit: Disney/Lucasfilm

For Star Wars fans like myself, I wouldn't expect a new trailer or movie announcement, since that almost never happens at SDCC, but in terms of merchandise do expect a lot. So far, we even know about the existence of a brand new stormtrooper for The Rise of Skywalker, which is called the Sith Trooper! (Huh, I guess now that Palpy's back, he's brought the Sith Order back with him.) It looks super-cool, sleek, and evil with its bright red, angular design. Below I will include a few photos of a life-sized version of the trooper, even one made of Lego. Expect all sorts of merchandise to be made featuring this bad boy. 

Image Credit: Official Site of StarWars.com

Image Credit: Laughing Place

Oooh, and this giant life-sized Endgame gauntlet Iron Man LEGO statue from a booth there is incredible.

Image Credit: The LEGO Group

The 50th Anniversary of the First Moon Mission

One small step for man...

Speaking of non-Nintendo and non-comic news... here's some "real" news that I've saved for near the very end. A very important historical event had its semicentennial recently (that means 50th anniversary, for those who don't know), and if the Google Doodle for the past few days didn't give it away, it is, of course, Apollo 11! The first manned mission to the moon was on July 16, 1969, which if you've done the math, was officially fifty years ago as of this past Tuesday! Reflecting back on such a significant and influential achievement by mankind truly makes you wonder as to where we will step foot on next. If you're listening to Elon Musk, that's the Red Planet, AKA Mars. But the U.S. government says they plan on sending people to the Moon within a few years, way before those Mars colonization efforts in the 2030s. I don't really mind wherever brave men and women following Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong explore next, as long as it means we're one step closer to seeing "them aliens" (assuming they're like E.T., instead of like Thanos). Which leads me right into the last bit of news I will cover in this post, and a bit of a "bonus meme", if you will... 

By the way, you should definitely watch this well-animated and extremely informative video by Google Doodles on the mission: 

The most dangerous meme... ever. 

Alright, put on your tinfoil hats, and close your window blinds, 'cause we're about to get "far out, duuuude". The Internet is full of funny people, as you probably know. It's also full of crazy people. It can also be filled with people who are both of these things at the same time. It appears that over 2 million people fulfill this category, after pledging to attend or be interested in attending a Facebook event titled "Storm Area 51, They Can't Stop All Of Us". This was posted last week, and it blew up really quickly. What started out as a simple joke by some random memester in his mom's basement suddenly became meme gold and the subject of the attention of the media and even the U.S. Air Force itself. The event claims that this massive army of "Kyles, Naruto Runners" and miscellaneous other groups of weebs (aided by a group of Karens, asking to see Area 51's manager, of course), will march right across the gates of the heavily classified and heavily-armed military base early in the morning of September 20th, 2019, to "see dem aliens", the author of the post writes. 

Despite the memes it spawned being utterly hilarious, and everyone from Chipotle to fake Bill Nye joking about it, this many people actually storming into Area 51 like it's no biggie whatsoever would be an incredibly foolish and potentially deadly decision. The army has told the press in response to this that they are willing to use lots of force, whatever is necessary to "protect the nation and its assets", to stop these people from seeing whatever it is that's so important about this place, anyways. Spoiler Alert: It totally isn't just flight technology and aviation they want to hide from the Russians, and is definitely Metal Alien Howard building some TIE Fighters in the middle of the Nevada Desert. Because you know... science?... 

The point is, the meme is funny, people definitely shouldn't attempt it, aliens are totally "out there" and are part of the secret eLoomy-Not-E controlling everyone's minds using Fortnite and Despacito, and plane tickets to Nevada are at an all-time high... probably to see the Roswell UFO Museum. No other reason. But if even 500,000 Naruto runners and epic gamers actually show up to Area 51 at 3 AM on the same day that the Link's Awakening remake and the Switch Lite are released, all I can say is I sure hope that nothing bad happens to them. They aren't totally innocent (what they're doing is illegal, after all), but they took a viral joke way too far. Here's to hoping that by September 21st, Elon Musk and Pewdiepie will walk out of the military base with the Krabby Patty Secret Formula and real-life alien anime girlfriends... talk about an epic #1 victory royale, am I right? Wait a minute... I hear the MIB knocking at my door. I'll be back in a minute...

Wait, what was I even talking about? I forgot. Oh well, on to the outro! 

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That about wraps it up for this mega-news roundup blog post. Thanks for reading it, and be sure to share it with others if you liked it. All this month, I will attempt to post almost daily (or at least every few days), so stay tuned. My next post might be a Spider-Verse movie review... finally... maybe? My blog is currently at 147.3K views, but my goal is to reach 150k before the end of this month---errr, summer, I guess. Click that “subscribe” button at the top of this site if you want to receive email notifications to be the first person to know when I make a new post! You could also bookmark this page to your browser if you want an easy way to visit my blog every day. 

Here’s my previous post, about the Switch Lite announcement and why it exists:  

Check out my YouTube channel, “Δrjay Meemz”, where I sometimes post vlogs and funny edits. I’ve got vlogs in the works for my recent trip across Italy, as well as for my Dominican Republic vacation with my pal Ege, and much more. Be sure to subscribe to find out when I make new videos. Here it is: https://www.youtube.com/c/ArcaBaran 

Here are some other blogs made by my close friends that you might like.

“The Way of Wakanda” is a brand-new blog run by my little brother, Onur. He posts humorous and short stuff every day during summer as well, and it’s all about video games, pop culture, and his life. In other words, it’s similar to my blog, so I think you guys should check it out: https://omegaonix.blogspot.com/ 

“Burak’s Blog” is by my friend Burak from The AABO Show, and he posts very frequently about tech reviews and other news. Here it is: http://biloglu.blogspot.com/

See you next time! This is Arca, signing off.