Nintendo Switch 2 will not use Hall Effect joysticks
Nintendo confirms they will not be using Hall Effect joysticks for the Switch 2. This seemed like an easy solution to Joy-Con drift, so is this cause for alarm?
Today, news came out that the new Nintendo Switch 2 Joy-Cons will not have Hall Effect joysticks. For a long time, this was a theory as to how Nintendo would combat its persistent Joy-Con drift issue, which resulted in several lawsuits against the gaming company. When rumors spread about Joy-Cons connecting to the new console via magnets (a rumor that turned out to be true), many speculated that the joysticks would use magnets too.
Nintendo confirms its Joy-Cons do not use Hall Effect joysticks
If you’re not familiar with the concept of Hall Effect, they are a type of joystick that uses magnets. As explained by Windows Central: “Hall Effect joysticks are a type of joysticks that use magnets and electrical conductors to measure their position, distance, and movement when in use.” The joysticks are designed to not make physical , something that causes wear and tear on normal joysticks, which leads to stick drift. Stick drift being when a joystick is worn down enough that it causes unwanted or unpredictable movement in-game. Anyone who bought a Nintendo Switch years ago likely has experienced this to some degree.
In an interview with Nintendo Life, Nintendo’s Senior Vice President of Product Development & Publishing, Nate Bihldorff, said: “…the Joy-Con 2’s controllers have been designed from the ground up. They’re not Hall Effect sticks, but they feel really good.” At first, this is cause for alarm. Does this mean the Nintendo Switch 2 Joy-Cons will have the same drift issues? Since they aren’t using Hall Effect joysticks, we don’t know. But, Bihldorff’s words are encouraging. “Really, every time we put out a new hardware, whether it’s a new system or an accessory, [Nintendo is] deg from the ground up to be the best possible experience for our customers, whether it’s the immediate effect of the Joy-Cons that you’re playing, how they’re interacting with the game, or durability.”
So, yes, it is concerning that we don’t know exactly what Nintendo is doing with their new console to combat stick drift. However, it would be shocking if they didn’t come up with some kind of solution when building this new console. Joy-Con drift has been a major issue for the Switch 1. Not only did it create a few lawsuits, it also forced Nintendo’s hand. Nintendo’s CEO apologized in 2020 for problems with the Joy-Con controllers, offering to fix effected controllers at no cost. Nintendo does not want to go through that again. So, while we know they are not using Hall Effect joysticks, it would be surprising if they didn’t reveal some other technical change to help prevent this in the future.
Ultimately, we will likely have to wait until consumers get their hands on the Switch 2 to see how durable it and its new joysticks are. With everyone using them as a mouse, it will be interesting to see what effect that has on the controllers. Plus, with a $90 price tag for new controllers, it won’t be easy to replace them. Especially with how more than expected, Nintendo can’t afford to mess this up.
