Nintendo VP Confirms Switch 2 Joy-Cons Will Lack Hall Effect Sticks

Nintendo of America has revealed some details about their much-anticipated Nintendo Switch 2, confirming it won’t feature Hall effect sensors in the analog sticks of its Joy-Cons or Pro Controllers. In a recent chat with Nintendo Life, Nate Bihldorff, who is the Senior Vice President of Product Development & Publishing at Nintendo of America, assured fans that the new console’s analog sticks have been crafted with longevity at the forefront.

Bihldorff emphasized, “The Joy-Con 2 controllers aren’t using Hall Effect sticks, but believe me, the feel is exceptional. With every piece of hardware we release, Nintendo aims to enhance user experience from every angle, whether it’s how the Joy-Cons interact with your game or their overall durability.”

You might remember that the original Nintendo Switch had its fair share of problems with stick drift, an issue where the analog stick would move slightly on its own even without pressure. This led to a series of class-action lawsuits, compelling Nintendo to apologize and provide free stick replacements.

Now, let’s talk about “Hall effect” sticks, which take a modern approach to detect joystick movement, different from the traditional potentiometers you might be familiar with. Unlike the standard sticks, which rely on contact pads, Hall effect sticks use magnets to track movement. The traditional ones can wear out over time, leading to stick drift. Hall effect joysticks, on the other hand, are popular among third-party controllers and magnetic PC keyboards, making Nintendo’s decision to skip this tech quite perplexing.

Durability was a top priority for Nintendo as they set out to design new sticks for the Switch 2, as Bihldorff highlighted during a recent developer roundtable. Kouichi Kawamoto, the Switch 2 producer, pointed out that while the new Pro Controller may initially seem similar to its predecessor, it has been completely revamped.

Adding to this, Tetsuya Sasaki, who heads hardware development, discussed Nintendo’s enduring mission to create the ultimate controller. While he didn’t explicitly state whether they had achieved this with the Switch 2, the introduction of “smooth-gliding switches” certainly seems to be a feather in Nintendo’s cap.

We’ll have to wait and see if Nintendo successfully tackles the bothersome stick drift issue with the Switch 2. Given that stick drift on the Joy-Cons has historically shown up as soon as six months in, the real test will likely come before 2026 unless they decide to adopt Hall effect technology. For more insights on Nintendo’s newest hardware, including discussions on DLSS and ray tracing capabilities, keep an eye on our ongoing Switch 2 coverage.