As everyone adjusts their habits during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and as concern about keeping surfaces clean to limit the spread of the virus grows, Nintendo is offering up some advice for how to care for Switch Joy-Cons during this unprecedented time.

The Nintendo Switch is selling out. With many folks working from home or retreating indoors to self-isolate, there has been a surge in sales for the popular console. Sources of entertainment like the Switch help to keep minds occupied, and offer an escape from the stress that COVID-19 is putting on people.

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As such, it's no surprise that sales of the console have spiked. With all of these new Switch owners, and with the intense focus on keeping surfaces and devices clean to prevent the spread of the virus, Nintendo's Japanese Twitter account has put out a warning to gamers.

Despite handheld devices being notorious for germ transmission, Nintendo is urging customers not to use alcohol-based cleaning products to clean the console and Joy-Cons. The reasoning provided is that "alcohol may cause the plastic parts to fade in color or deform."

In a follow-up tweet, the company also tells Switch owners that "non-alcohol based wipes could also potentially damage the plastic components of the console and should not be used." This is sound advice. If the world had not been plunged into a pandemic, this information would be taken to heart by nearly everyone. In the face of a relentless virus that can easily spread by lingering on surfaces touched by those with the virus on their hands, a little color fade might be an acceptable risk.

Medical experts continue to stress that washing hands and cleaning surfaces will kill the germs associated with COVID-19, and ultimately, for this pandemic to end, folks need to adhere to this. While Nintendo's advice is not at all inaccurate, as color fade and potential damage to plastic parts are undesirable for any Switch owner, the timing of this announcement is not great considering the circumstances. While outright false information can put people at risk of exposure, advice that stands in opposition to recommendations provided by medical experts is also potentially hazardous.

With more Switch owners out there than ever before, and the supply chain for the console slowly getting back up to speed to meet the demand, the need to reiterate best practices for the console are understandable.

Were these normal times, the advice given would be fine. But these are not normal times. People are adapting to a new way of life to combat this virus, and while in some cases the result can be a positive one, such as hosting a wedding in Animal Crossing, for many the new reality is a lot to deal with.

Color fade might be the least of folks' concerns right now.

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Source: Kotaku