Although many Nintendo Switch owners play with the console frequently, some people just don't have the time or desire to log long hours in games. As such, some consoles go largely unused, enough so that Nintendo is issuing a support announcement for those who don't use the bestselling Switch that often.

The Nintendo Switch has proven itself to be incredibly popular, and COVID-19 influenced production and increased demand (in part thanks to Animal Crossing: New Horizons' massive popularity) leading to a shortage severely limiting Switch sales. Although most people who have one probably play it at least once in a while, and a large portion of players use it frequently, there are likely plenty of Switch users who don't use it often now (or won't in the future), and Nintendo has a message for them.

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The official customer support Twitter account for Nintendo recently published an informative tweet instructing these users what to do. While the original tweet is in Japanese, the translation tells people that the Switch should be charged at a minimum twice a year, or once every six months. If users don't follow this advice, they could face a very dire consequence indeed: their Switch may be unable to be played if it goes without charge for longer than that.

The Switch has been out for over three years now, so it's a real possibility that some Switch owners may be getting a nasty surprise when digging up their own console and finding it unplayable. Of course, if the Switch went unused for that long, the chances of it getting used again drop as time goes on, but some people put things away in storage and then ultimately give the highly portable console out to family or charity.

While it may be too late for some people who were unfortunately unaware of this news, this may be a saving grace for those who haven't played their Switches in a number of months. And this information will only be more useful as the Switch ages as a console, because even in the years to come, there are always going to be people who enjoy playing on older devices, like modders for older games like GTA: San Andreas.

Whether people own a regular Switch or a special edition Animal Crossing Switch, the console wasn't cheap for most people and it's worth preserving a piece of technology that valuable. Even if people don't want to use their consoles anymore, it's worth resurrecting them for someone else and giving the Switches a charge before they become unusable.

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Source: NintendoSoup (translation)