One of the disappointments to come from the recent avalanche of Switch 2 information was the confirmation that the new Joy-Con 2 controllers would not use Hall Effect magnet technology. Of course, it does make sense, in a way, since the Switch 2 is already utilising magnets to attach the Joy-Con to the console, so although it would be possible, Nintendo might not want to cram too many in and potentially cause some unsavoury issues.
But after so much grief over Joy-Con drift issues over the years, many of us had assumed that Nintendo would be eager to implement a tried-and-true technology known to help eliminate stick drift.
Alas, it wasn't to be. Instead, developer interviews revealed that the company has apparently revamped the new sticks from the ground up, both in the Joy-Con and the new Pro Controller. Nintendo was particularly keen to note how quiet they were; something that personally made a few of us scrunch up our noses and exclaim, "Yeah, okay, but was noise ever the problem?"
None of these assurances do much to convince that stick drift is now 100% a thing of a past, but after going hands on with the Switch 2 recently...we have to admit that we're right there with Nintendo in regards to how good the new sticks feel. They're quiet, sure, but they're also incredibly smooth. Like, smoother than smooth.
Alex goes into this in more depth in the below video (and before you watch, just quickly grab an empty water bottle, some vegetable oil, and a spoon – trust us, it'll make sense) in which he describes how the new sticks feel, and after testing his method of replicating the feel, we have to say that he's pretty darn close to the real deal.
If you're unable to replicate the feel for yourself at home, then at least grab your current Joy-Con or Pro Controller. Give the sticks a good waggle and really get a feel for the kind of feedback they're producing. Chances are you can probably feel a subtle 'clicking' effect as you rotate the sticks around the edge, and maybe you can even hear it, too. It's nothing egregious, of course (and we daresay it feels much smoother than, say, the Xbox Series X|S controller), but there's definitely a very subtle 'roughness' to it all.
Okay, now imagine that all of that feedback is gone. Imagine rotating the stick around and it's just smooth as silk, with not a single blemish to potentially hamper your haptics. Honestly, we don't know what Nintendo's done to these things (and we can't wait to tear one down), but it's absolute witchcraft.
Time will be the true test, of course. We'll be keeping a close eye on stick drift issues in the coming months and years, along with just how durable the sticks are in general. We don't know about you, but we've practically rubbed the outer edge of the Joy-Con sticks away completely through general day-to-day use, so our hope is that Nintendo has upgraded everything here to ensure top-end, premium longevity.
Based on initial impressions, though, whatever's in there, this might be a new benchmark in analogue stick design.