Nintendo has announced some intriguing details about the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2, specifically highlighting that the new console will not incorporate Hall effect sensors for the analog sticks in its Joy-Cons or Pro Controllers. Nate Bihldorff, who serves as the Senior Vice President of Product Development & Publishing at Nintendo of America, revealed this in a conversation with Nintendo Life. He emphasized that despite the absence of Hall effect sensors, the analog sticks have been crafted with durability in mind.
“We’ve designed the Joy-Con 2’s controllers from the ground up,” Bihldorff explained. “They don’t use Hall Effect sticks, but their performance is impressive. Every time we release new hardware, we aim to provide the best experience possible for our players. This includes everything from how the Joy-Cons interact with games to their robustness.”
The initial Nintendo Switch faced significant issues with stick drift over its lifetime, which caused the analog sticks to move in unintended directions without any applied pressure. This flaw led to several class-action lawsuits, prompting apologies from Nintendo and the launch of a free replacement program for affected analog sticks.
“Hall effect” joysticks offer a more advanced method of tracking joystick movement compared to traditional potentiometers. Unlike standard analog sticks, which rely on a wiper moving against contact pads that can wear down and cause drift, Hall effect sticks use magnets for detecting motion. This technology has become prevalent in third-party controllers and even some PC keyboards, raising questions about Nintendo’s choice to steer clear of it in their new offering.
Despite this, Bihldorff reassured gamers that durability was a top priority in developing the new controllers for the Switch 2. This sentiment was echoed at a recent developer roundtable, where Switch 2 producer Kouichi Kawamoto noted that, while the Pro Controller might appear similar to its predecessor at a glance, it has been completely redesigned.
Hardware lead Tetsuya Sasaki expanded on Nintendo’s ambition to craft the ultimate controller. He mentioned an ongoing project aimed at developing the “pinnacle of all controllers.” Although it’s unclear if this goal was achieved with the Switch 2, the introduction of “smooth-gliding switches” is a notable achievement for the engineering team.
Whether Nintendo has successfully eliminated early-onset stick drift with the Switch 2 remains to be seen. Given that Joy-Cons could experience stick drift as quickly as six months into their use, it won’t be long before we find out if this persists. For further insights into the new console’s features, like its DLSS and ray-tracing capabilities, stay tuned to our ongoing Switch 2 updates.
