Nintendo VP Confirms Switch 2 Joy-Cons Will Not Use Hall Effect Sticks

Nintendo of America recently announced that their forthcoming Nintendo Switch 2 will not incorporate Hall effect sensors in its Joy-Cons or Pro Controllers. Nate Bihldorff, Nintendo of America’s Senior Vice President of Product Development & Publishing, shared this news in a conversation with Nintendo Life. He emphasized that, despite this choice, the analog sticks are crafted with a strong focus on durability.

Bihldorff explained, “We’ve completely revamped the Joy-Con 2’s controllers. They’re not using Hall Effect sticks, but their feel is impressive. With every new hardware release, Nintendo aims to provide the ultimate experience, whether through the immediate feedback of the Joy-Cons, their interaction with the game, or their lasting durability.”

The original Nintendo Switch faced persistent issues with stick drift, which caused the analog sticks to drift in random directions without being touched. This led to numerous class-action lawsuits challenging Nintendo over these defects, followed by apologies from the company’s leadership. They also introduced a free analog-stick replacement program to address consumer grievances.

The technology known as “Hall effect” involves magnets to detect joystick movement, a method that differs from traditional potentiometers which alter voltage based on the position of the wiper against contact pads. The conventional setup can lead to wear and tear, resulting in stick drift, whereas Hall effect joysticks, common in third-party and PC controllers, do not face this issue. Thus, Nintendo’s decision to forego this technology raises questions.

Durability was a key focus for Nintendo’s engineers in developing new controllers, a point emphasized during a recent developer roundtable. Switch 2 producer Kouichi Kawamoto pointed out that while the new Pro Controller might look similar to its predecessor, it has been completely redesigned. Tetsuya Sasaki, a leader in hardware development, contributed by discussing Nintendo’s ongoing commitment to creating the ‘pinnacle of all controllers.’ He expressed pride in the “smooth-gliding switches,” though he refrained from confirming if this goal was met with the Switch 2.

The effectiveness of Nintendo’s approach in combating stick drift with the Switch 2 remains to be seen. Considering that stick drift issues appeared within six months for some Joy-Cons, initial reports of similar issues may surface by 2026 if the problem persists without adopting Hall effect technology. For more insights about the new hardware, including its innovations like DLSS and ray tracing, don’t forget to check out our other Switch 2 features.