Nintendo VP Confirms Joy-Con Sticks for Switch 2 Will Not Use Hall Effect Technology

Nintendo of America recently announced that the new Nintendo Switch 2 controllers will not feature Hall effect sensors in their analog sticks. In a conversation with Nintendo Life, Nate Bihldorff, Senior Vice President of Product Development & Publishing, shared that durability has been a core focus in designing the new controllers. Although they are not built with Hall Effect technology, Bihldorff assured gamers that they would still provide an exceptional feel.

The original Nintendo Switch has had its fair share of complaints about “stick drift” problems, where the analog sticks would register movements without any input over time. This issue led to several class-action lawsuits and a commitment from Nintendo to offer free replacements for affected controllers.

Unlike traditional analog sticks that rely on physical contact to determine movement, Hall effect sensors use magnets to detect position changes, minimizing wear and tear. Despite growing popularity in third-party devices and the benefits it offers, Nintendo opted for a different path with its latest console.

The commitment to refining durability is a priority for Nintendo, as explained by Bihldorff and highlighted during a developer roundtable featuring key individuals like Kouichi Kawamoto, the Switch 2’s producer. Kawamoto mentioned that while the new Pro Controller might look similar to its predecessor at first glance, it boasts a complete redesign.

Tetsuya Sasaki, one of the hardware leads, spoke about Nintendo’s vision of creating the ultimate gaming controller. Although Sasaki didn’t confirm if the ideal controller had been achieved, the team takes pride in the new “smooth-gliding switches” that have been developed.

Whether these efforts help overcome the stick drift issues remains to be seen, especially since reports began cropping up within the first six months of the original Joy-Cons being in use. Fans will have to wait until closer to 2026 to see if similar problems arise with the Switch 2’s controllers. Stay updated on more details about this upcoming console, including its technical features like DLSS and ray tracing support.