Nintendo Switch 2 Joy-Con won't use Hall Effect sticks – and that's a real concern
Nintendo has confirmed its next generation Joy-Con 2 controllers won't use Hall Effect sensors
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😢 Nintendo has confirmed the Joy-Con 2 will not use Hall Effect sticks, raising concerns about stick drift
👍 Hall Effect sticks are more durable and less prone to drift, and have been adopted by many third-party manufacturers
🧑⚖️ Nintendo faced lawsuits over stick drift with the original Switch and offered free repairs
😬 The Joy-Con 2 and possibly the Switch 2 Pro Controller will use new designs, but stick drift concerns remain
The Nintendo Switch 2 is shaping up to be superior to the Switch in almost every way – but one issue that could remain is the Joy-Con controller's dreaded stick drift.
Nintendo has confirmed that its upcoming Joy-Con 2 controllers will not use Hall Effect sticks, which may have some fans shaking their heads in disbelief.
After all, Nintendo faced several lawsuits as a result of the issue, and even offered free worldwide repairs to those affected. Hall Effect sticks are also far less prone to drift and more durable, and have been adopted by the majority of third-party controller manufacturers.
However, speaking to Nintendo Life, Nintendo of America's Nate Bihldorff confirmed that the Joy-Con 2 controller – and possibly the Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller – will not use Hall Effect sticks.
When asked whether the Joy-Con 2 will use a Hall Effect stick, Bihldorff said:
"Well, the Joy-Con 2's controllers have been designed from the ground up. They're not Hall Effect sticks, but they feel really good."
Bihldorff went on to praise the sticks on the Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller, but didn't confirm if it used Hall Effect sensors.
"The first time I grabbed it, I was like, 'this feels like a GameCube controller.' I was a GameCube guy. Something about it felt so familiar, but the stick on that especially. I tried to spend a lot of time making sure that it was quiet," Bihldorff said. "I don't know if you tried really whacking the stick around but it really is [quiet]. I'm thinking back to my Smash Brothers days, where you just whack it. [The Switch 2 Pro Controller] is one of the quietest controllers I've ever played."
Nintendo will be well aware that stick drift was a major design flaw with the original Switch and will have no doubt worked hard to correct the issue. It may have found that Hall Effect sticks weren't suitable, and found an internal solution that it was happy with.
However, it's obviously a concern for those who suffered from Joy-Con stick drift, especially as Hall Effect sticks have proven to be a much more durable and reliable alternative to the potentiometer sensors used by Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo in recent first-party controllers.
The Joy-Con 2 feature several improvements over the original Joy-Con. They’re much larger, with bigger buttons and sticks, and both the left and right Joy-Con can also be used as a mouse. The Joy-Con 2 also have improved HD Rumble and attach to the console magnetically.
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Adam Vjestica is The Shortcut’s Senior Editor. Formerly TechRadar’s Gaming Hardware Editor, Adam has also worked at Nintendo of Europe as a Content Marketing Editor, where he helped launch the Nintendo Switch. Follow him on X @ItsMrProducts.
