Nintendo has revealed that the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 will not incorporate Hall effect sensors in the analog sticks of its Joy-Cons or Pro Controllers. This was confirmed by Nate Bihldorff, the Senior Vice President of Product Development & Publishing at Nintendo of America, in an interview with Nintendo Life. Despite choosing a different technology, Bihldorff assures that the new console’s analog sticks are crafted with durability as a key focus.
Bihldorff explained, “We’ve redesigned the Joy-Con 2 controllers from scratch. They’re not using Hall Effect sensors, but they feel exceptionally good.” He emphasized that with every new hardware release, Nintendo aims to create the best experience for their consumers, focusing on the immediate impact of the Joy-Cons during gameplay and their long-lasting durability.
The original Nintendo Switch struggled with a notorious issue known as stick drift, where the analog sticks would register movement even when untouched. This led to several class-action lawsuits throughout the console’s lifespan. Both Nintendo and Nintendo of America’s presidents publicly apologized for the trouble caused and offered free replacement programs for the affected sticks.
Hall effect sticks offer an advanced method for detecting joystick movement, using magnets instead of the traditional potentiometer wipers that contact pads and alter voltage to determine stick position. Potentiometer sticks are prone to wear and can lead to stick drift over time, whereas Hall effect joysticks, popular in third-party controllers and magnetic PC keyboards, do not have this issue, making Nintendo’s decision a bit puzzling.
Bihldorff noted that durability was pivotal for Nintendo in crafting a successor for the Switch’s controllers. This was underscored during a developer roundtable with Nintendo’s product leads for the Switch 2. Kouichi Kawamoto, producer for Switch 2, mentioned that the Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller may appear similar to its predecessor but has undergone a complete redesign.
Tetsuya Sasaki, heading hardware development, spoke about Nintendo’s longstanding ambition to design the “ultimate” controller. While not confirming if this has been fully achieved with the Switch 2, the team takes pride in the new “smooth-gliding switches.”
Whether Nintendo has managed to solve the infamous stick drift issue with the Switch 2 remains to be seen. Historically, Joy-Cons have experienced drift as early as six months into use, so we might hear complaints by 2026 if the problem remains. For more insights on Nintendo’s new hardware, including its DLSS and ray tracing capabilities, make sure to check our additional Switch 2 coverage.
