Nintendo of America has officially revealed that the highly anticipated Nintendo Switch 2 will stick with traditional technology for its Joy-Con and Pro Controller analog sticks, instead of opting for Hall effect sensors. This was confirmed by Nate Bihldorff, the Senior VP of Product Development & Publishing at Nintendo of America, during a chat with Nintendo Life. Despite this, Bihldorff assured fans that the new console’s analog sticks are built with longevity in mind.
“The Joy-Con 2’s controllers have been completely redesigned. Even though they’re not using Hall Effect sticks, they still offer a fantastic feel,” Bihldorff explained. “When we release new hardware, we’re always starting fresh, aiming to deliver the best possible experience. This means focusing not only on how the Joy-Cons behave when you’re gaming but also ensuring their durability.”
The original Nintendo Switch suffered from a notorious issue known as stick drift, where the analog sticks would randomly move on their own, even with no user input. This led to several legal challenges over the console’s lifespan. In response to these issues, Nintendo’s leadership provided public apologies and launched free replacement programs for the problematic analog sticks.
Hall effect sticks, on the other hand, are known for a more advanced method of tracking joystick movement. Traditional analog sticks operate by having a wiper glide across contact pads to adjust voltage, indicating the stick’s position. Hall effect sticks utilize magnets to perform a similar task. The downside of potentiometer-based sticks is the wear and tear of contact pads, which can lead to drift. Hall effect technology has gained popularity among third-party controller producers and even in magnetic PC keyboards, raising questions about Nintendo’s choice not to leverage this reliable technology.
Yet, Bihldorff emphasized that durability was a key priority for Nintendo when designing a new controller solution. This commitment was echoed in a developer roundtable with Nintendo’s product leads for the Switch 2. Switch 2 producer Kouichi Kawamoto noted that, although the new Pro Controller looks much like its predecessor, it has been completely reengineered.
Tetsuya Sasaki, who leads hardware development, expanded on Nintendo’s broader vision for their controllers. “We’ve had an ongoing project at Nintendo, aiming to create the ultimate controller,” Sasaki revealed. While he did not confirm if that goal was achieved with the Switch 2, he highlighted the new “smooth-gliding switches” as a point of pride for the engineering team.
We’ll have to wait to see if Nintendo has managed to tackle the stick drift issue with the Switch 2. Given that stick drift could affect Joy-Cons within six months, we might hear the first signs of this problem by 2026—unless of course, Nintendo’s new design holds up without the need for Hall effect tech. For more details on Nintendo’s latest hardware, including its new features like DLSS and ray tracing, keep up with our ongoing coverage of the Switch 2.
