One of the biggest points of failure on the Nintendo Switch console since its inception has been the joystick on the Joy-Con controllers. The flattened design for the analog sticks’ control mechanism has continued to give players issues that involve registering inputs into the console without any actual interactions (stick drift). While many had hoped Nintendo would opt for using Hall Effect sensors for the next generation Joy-Cons for the Switch 2, the company has confirmed otherwise.
Speaking to Nintendo Life, Nintendo of America’s Nate Bihldorff has revealed that while the new controller sticks have been «designed from the ground up,» they do not actually feature Hall Effect sensors.
«Well, the Joy-Con 2’s controllers have been designed from the ground up,» says Bihldorff while responding to a question regarding the new Joy-Con sticks feeling different from the original Switch’s analog sticks. «They’re not Hall Effect sticks, but they feel really good.»
It also doesn’t look like the Switch 2 Pro Controller will have Hall Effect sticks either, with Bihldorff seemingly changing the topic quickly when asked.
Game controller sticks using Hall Effect sensors are said to be much more durable than standard designs, thanks to their use of magnetic sensors for detecting movement. This can result in almost zero dead zones, smoother and more precise controls, controllers that last longer, and the elimination of stick drift.
The Nintendo Switch 2 releases on June 5, 2025. Fans will have to wait until more information comes out from third-party sources to make sure if the new Joy-Cons will suffer the same stick-drift fate as before.
It’s not just Nintendo controllers, either. Stick drift has been a problem across all controllers from console makers like Sony and Microsoft. The popularity of Hall Effect sensors has been growing in third-party controllers, though, and some users even replace the standard potentiometer sensors in official controllers with Hall Effect ones manually.
