Nintendo VP Confirms Absence of Hall Effect Sticks in Switch 2 Joy-Cons

Nintendo of America recently dropped some intriguing news about the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2, confirming it will steer clear of using Hall effect sensors in the analog sticks of its Joy-Cons or Pro Controllers. In a chat with Nintendo Life, Nate Bihldorff, who serves as Senior Vice President of Product Development & Publishing, assured fans that despite this choice, the console’s analog sticks have been crafted with a keen focus on durability.

Bihldorff mentioned, “We’ve rebuilt the Joy-Con 2 controllers from the ground up. While they’re not Hall Effect sticks, the feel is significantly improved,” he shared. “Every time Nintendo releases new hardware, our goal is to create the best possible experience for our players, whether it’s about how the Joy-Cons interact with the game or their longevity.”

Stick drift has been a notorious issue haunting the original Nintendo Switch throughout its lifespan. This problem caused analog sticks to move in undesired directions without any external force, leading to several class-action lawsuits over these persistent faults. Both Nintendo and its U.S. arm made apologies for these troubles and offered free stick replacement programs.

The term “Hall effect” refers to a modern methodology for tracking joystick movements, which differs from traditional potentiometers. In conventional analog sticks, a wiper system interfacing with contact pads alters voltage to pinpoint stick location. However, Hall effect switches employ magnets to gauge movement, sidestepping the wear and tear issues plaguing potentiometer-based sticks that contribute to drift over time. Hall effect joysticks are increasingly popular in third-party controllers and magnetic PC keyboards, making Nintendo’s choice not to adopt this well-regarded technology somewhat surprising.

Bihldorff emphasized that durability was at the forefront of Nintendo’s mind while designing the next generation of controllers. This sentiment was echoed during a developer roundtable featuring the Switch 2’s product leads. Kouichi Kawamoto, the Switch 2 producer, noted that although the device’s Pro Controller may resemble its predecessor at a glance, it has been re-engineered from scratch as well.

Adding to the conversation, Tetsuya Sasaki, who leads hardware development, discussed Nintendo’s extensive aspirations for controller innovation. “At Nintendo, there’s an ongoing project aimed at creating the ‘ultimate controller,'” explained Sasaki. While he didn’t confirm if they achieved this lofty goal with the Switch 2, the new “smooth-gliding switches” are a source of pride for their engineering team.

Ultimately, we’ll need to wait to see if the Switch 2 successfully tackles the infamous stick drift issue early in its lifespan. Stick drift has historically impacted Joy-Cons within the first six months of use, so if the trouble persists, we might hear about it by 2026 unless a reliable solution is implemented. Stay tuned to our Switch 2 coverage—it includes details on other exciting features like DLSS and ray tracing.