Nintendo Addresses Joy-Con Drift on the Switch 2
Posted on April 07 2025 by Rod Lloyd
One of the Nintendo Switch’s biggest and most persistent flaws has been the phenomenon known as “Joy-Con Drift,” where a Joy-Con controller’s analog stick registers incorrect or unintended inputs to the console, even if it isn’t physically moved. The issue has been so pervasive that Nintendo updated its repair policies in 2019, offering to fix faulty Joy-Con for free, all while facing multiple class-action lawsuits and consumer inquiries.
With Nintendo finally lifting the veil on the Switch 2 last week, the company faced questions on whether or not the new system — and its new Joy-Con 2 controllers — addressed the drifting issues. During a press conference following the Switch 2 showcase, Nintendo representatives offered reassurances that the Joy-Con 2 were built to improve on the original controllers.
According to Switch 2 Hardware Design Lead Tetsuya Sasaki, “The new Joy-Con 2 controllers for the Nintendo Switch 2 have been really designed from the ground up from scratch, and they have been designed to have bigger movement and smoother movement.”
The idea that Nintendo rebuilt the Joy-Con “from the ground up” for the Switch 2 came up again in an interview with Nintendo of America Senior Vice President of Product Development & Publishing Nate Bihldorff, conducted by Nintendo Life:
“Really, every time we put out a new hardware, whether it’s a new system or an accessory, [Nintendo is] designing from the ground up to be the best possible experience for our consumers, whether it’s the immediate effect of the Joy-Cons that you’re playing, how they’re interacting with the game, or durability. They take it and rebuild it so that we can give the best possible experience.”
Bihldorff did confirm that the Joy-Con 2’s control sticks are “not Hall Effect sticks, but they feel really good.” Hall Effect sticks use magnets, rather than direct points of contact, in order to increase controller accuracy and eliminate drifting caused by wear-down.
While these statements are far from guarantees that the Joy-Con 2 have solved the drifting issues, Nintendo seems confident that the improved controllers will be more durable and offer a better experience to players.
The Nintendo Switch 2 is set to release on June 5th, 2025.
Do these statements inspire confidence for you? What do you think of the Switch 2 thus far? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Source: Gamesradar, Nintendo Life
Editor’s Note: This article has been updated to include an additional quote about Hall Effect sticks.
Rod Lloyd is the Editor-In-Chief at Zelda Dungeon, overseeing the news and feature content for the site. Rod is considered the veteran of the writing team, having started writing for Zelda Informer in 2014 as a Junior Editor. After ZD and ZI officially merged in 2017, he stepped into the Managing Editor role and has helped steer the ship ever since. He stepped up to lead the writing team as Editor-In-Chief in 2023.
You can reach Rod at: rod.lloyd@zeldadungeon.net
