Nintendo VP Confirms Joy-Con Sticks for Switch 2 Won’t Include Hall Effect Technology

Nintendo of America recently shared some intriguing details about the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2, notably that Hall effect sensors won’t be used in its Joy-Con or Pro Controller analog sticks. This was confirmed by Nate Bihldorff, the Senior Vice President of Product Development & Publishing, during a chat with Nintendo Life. He assured fans that even though the new controllers won’t sport Hall effect technology, they’re crafted with a strong focus on durability.

Bihldorff highlighted, “The Joy-Con 2 controllers have been meticulously designed from scratch. Although they’re not using Hall effect sticks, the feel is impressive. With every hardware release, Nintendo aims to create the ultimate experience for our users, focusing on immediate interaction and longevity.”

The original Nintendo Switch had its fair share of troubles with stick drift, a bothersome issue where the analog sticks move on their own without any input, leading to various class-action lawsuits. Both Nintendo and Nintendo of America’s top executives have publicly apologized and even offered free repair programs to address the situation.

For those unfamiliar, “Hall effect” sticks employ a modern method to gauge joystick movement compared to traditional potentiometers. The standard model relies on physical contact with pads, altering voltage to determine stick positioning. In contrast, Hall effect switches use magnets for movement detection, drastically reducing the wear and tear associated with potentiometers. Given how third-party controllers and magnetic PC keyboards have embraced this technology, many are puzzled by Nintendo’s decision to stick with more traditional methods.

Bihldorff reassured that Nintendo has prioritized durability while creating fresh controllers for the Switch 2. This was echoed by a developer roundtable, where product leads fleshed out their vision. Switch 2 producer Kouichi Kawamoto pointed out that while the new Pro Controller might seem familiar at first, it has been thoroughly revamped.

Tetsuya Sasaki, the hardware guru, gave more insight into Nintendo’s ambitions for controllers. He mentioned a longstanding project at Nintendo aimed at crafting the ultimate controller. Whether they’ve hit that target with the Switch 2 remains to be seen, but the introduction of “smooth-gliding switches” certainly seems to be a source of pride for Nintendo’s engineers.

Only time will determine if Nintendo has achieved a solution to prolong the analog sticks’ lifespan beyond the initial six-month mark, known for causing Joy-Con issues. If the stick drift isn’t eradicated with these new controllers, we might expect to hear about it again before 2026, unless Nintendo considers embracing the Hall effect tech. For further updates, including details on DLSS and ray tracing capabilities, stay tuned for more comprehensive Switch 2 coverage.