Support NeoGAF

[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

A patent filed by Nintendo suggests that they’re working on Hall Effect style joysticks for the Switch 2 that would eliminate stick drift almost entirely.

Years after the release of the Nintendo Switch, more rumors of a successor to the popular handheld came to light on September 7, 2023.

On that same day, Nintendo received a series of patents in the US detailing various aspects of the new console, and one in particular stands out the most.

In one filing, Nintendo’s patent details a joystick that uses a magnetic field to send its movement through the controller, which is almost definitely a hall effect joystick.

Hall Effect joysticks prevent Switch 2 Joycon drift​

In one of the various patents from Nintendo on September 7, 2023, it goes over a joystick that uses a magnetic field.

Compared to normal potentiometer joysticks like we see in the original Switch that use physical electric contacts to send a signal through the board, Hall effect joysticks use a magnetic field that lacks the ability to physically wear down.

In the listing, they describe a joystick that sends a signal to the console based on how strong the magnetic pull is from the closest sensor.

By far the biggest issue with the joycons on the original Nintendo Switch is that they were quite prone to experience issues with drift, making your character in the latest hit game walk on its own.

It became such an issue that Nintendo even began offering free repair for the controllers. One of the more permanent ways to fix the issue is to swap the joycons over to hall effect magnetic joysticks in the Switch 2.

We’ll, of course, have to wait to see how Nintendo is implementing the magnetic joystick as it could be a standalone set of joycons for the existing Switch, an upgrade to the Switch Pro controller, or even what’s going to be used in the upcoming Switch 2.

New Nintendo patent suggests Switch 2 may solve joycon drift - Dexerto

A patent from Nintendo suggests that they're working on a magnetic joystick system, aka hall effect joysticks, which would solve stick drift.

www.dexerto.com

 

[AREYOUOKAY?]

 

[Bernoulli]

Now we'll have joycons powersliding

 

[NeoIkaruGAF]

OK, we're either looking forward to a $699 system here, or someone let loose a lot of bulls in the streets.
What's gonna be tomorrow's rumor? GC games day one, free for early adopters? A glassless Virtual Boy mode?

 

[GymWolf]

OK, we're either looking forward to a $699 system here, or someone let loose a lot of bulls in the streets.
What's gonna be tomorrow's rumor? GC games day one, free for early adopters? A glassless Virtual Boy mode?

My money on the second option, i can almost smell paella when i enter a switch 2 topic...

 

[rofif]

in before we find out some other fatal flaw with hall joystics that's on par with drift

 

[The Skull]

Not that hard to believe. Should be a standard in all standard controllers. The fucking Dreamcast had them. No excuse for them not be included at this point.

 

[Robb]

Sounds good, I guess they got tired of having to repair the current ones for free.

 

[cireza]

People trying to solve in 2023 problems that were already solved in the 2000s on Dreamcast or Xbox to name only these two consoles.

 

[THE DUCK]

I hope that's not an actual picture of the new sticks, crappy little nubs same as switch need to go............

 

[Robb]

I hope that's not an actual picture of the new sticks, crappy little nubs same as switch need to go............

I personally wouldn’t expect regular size sticks on the next ones. They’ll just release another Pro Controller for that.

Would love to be wrong though.

 

[Beer Baelly]

Just make two d-pads

 

[nightmare-slain]

Can't say I've ever had drifting and I've had a Switch since launch. Are people being too aggressive with their sticks? Only controllers I've had drift are PS4 and Xbox One.

If true then it's good they are going with higher quality components.

 

[BlackTron]

This would be much appreciated and an area the competition would need to catch up to Nintendo (and Sega)

 

[vaibhavpisal]

MS/ Sony will be forced to jump in if true.

 

[John Bilbo]

 

[DenchDeckard]

MS/ Sony will be forced to jump in if true.

I think it's on the cards no matter what, but it wouldn't be the first time Nintendo rolls tech out to the mainstream.

 

[Hudo]

Are people being too aggressive with their sticks?

I have a friend who works as a industrial designer for consumer electronics. And he said that I wouldn't believe what people do with their devices. I was curious and asked about it...

Let's say that people being aggressive and/or exerting too much force when handling their electronics is the least weird thing.

 

[Skifi28]

A glassless Virtual Boy mode?

Day one baby.

 

[Banjo64]

MS/ Sony will be forced to jump in if true.

I’m not sure. IMO, this is clearly a reaction to the lawsuits and being forced to offer free lifetime stick repairs in the EU (and US I think?)

I don’t know if Sony/MS have had the same issues.

 

[ADiTAR]

More excited for a good electronics built, because I have like 10 joycons and they all suck, than 12GB of RAM.

 

[FloatingIslands]

https://www.gulikit.com/productinfo/945307.html

I mean, they exist already.

 

[SF Kosmo]

Rumor is that Switch 2 won't have detachable joycons anymore so it's probably a really big priority for them to address this.

 

[vaibhavpisal]

I’m not sure. IMO, this is clearly a reaction to the lawsuits and being forced to offer free lifetime stick repairs in the EU (and US I think?)

I don’t know if Sony/MS have had the same issues.

Whoever won't do this will be raked on coals i am assuming.

 

[roxya]

Can't say I've ever had drifting and I've had a Switch since launch. Are people being too aggressive with their sticks?

Are you suggesting that because you, a single person, did not have an issue, everyone else must be doing something wrong?

 

[Robb]

Rumor is that Switch 2 won't have detachable joycons anymore

That’d be very surprising to me, and a big mistake if true imo. Getting two controllers out of the box when you buy a Switch is great value, especially if you have kids.

 

[SF Kosmo]

That’d be very surprising to me, and a big mistake if true imo. Getting two controllers out of the box when you buy a Switch is great value, especially if you have kids.

What I heard was that it would include a pro controller for docked play. But yeah easy two player for some games was a perk of the joycons.

 

[Robb]

What I heard was that it would include a pro controller for docked play. But yeah easy two player for some games was a perk of the joycons.

Interesting, although hard to believe since having built-in controllers in addition to a standalone controller in the same package would up the price a fair bit, which isn’t very Nintendo-like. But I guess they could have multiple SKU’s.

Would also be surprised to see Nintendo move away from motion controls.

 

[Flutta]

One thing is for sure. Nintendo made bank if you get my drift.

 

[Synless]

The bigger issue for me with joycons is the disconnection issue. it’s literally crippling and every single pair I own across three switch’s has the issue.

 

[zeomax]

This patent is not about hall effect sensors for the sticks it is about adaptive resistance for the analoge sticks. So basically like the adaptive triggers on the PS5 but for the joysticks. The bad part is, the analoge sticks are still using regular resistors for the detection of the movement. The mentioned magnetic field is for changing the viscosity of the fluid inside the joystick to adjust the resisting force for the sticks.

 

[lh032]

good if true, it may force sony and microsoft to follow as well

 

[Hugare]

There are $50 chinese consoles with Hall joysticks

I wouldnt expect anything less from the Switch 2. Nintendo, I swear to God, if you cheap out ...

 

[NeoIkaruGAF]

Day one baby.

I mean, yeah.
But the way rumors are escalating, Switch 2 will be rumored to have negative energy consumption before Sunday is over.

Rumor is that Switch 2 won't have detachable joycons anymore so it's probably a really big priority for them to address this.

Please NO.
Playing Metroid Prime with separate Joycons is one of the joys of life. The game just doesn’t work as a dual-stick shooter for me.

 

[Bernardougf]

Yes ! Nintendo of all of them is going to launch a powerfull console to run the matrix demo and ffvir with ps5 quality and will invest in rnd hardware to solve past consoles problems like console drift. And Sell this thing with a good profit from the get go.

Yes.. nintendo will do all of this...believe

 

[ChoosableOne]

Legion go uses some kind of magnetic tech too, am I right?

 

[dave_d]

People trying to solve in 2023 problems that were already solved in the 2000s on Dreamcast or Xbox to name only these two consoles.

And Saturn. And come to think of it the N64.(Which was actually not analog.)

 

[RoboFu]

Nintendo solving the world’s problems? I’m not surprised

 

[drotahorror]

Just make two d-pads

Or 2 mini hitbox layouts. Very intuitive...

Imagine 2 sets of these buttons for thumbsticks:

Never have to worry about drift that's for sure. Or even playing games for that matter.

 

[Tams]

Can't say I've ever had drifting and I've had a Switch since launch. Are people being too aggressive with their sticks? Only controllers I've had drift are PS4 and Xbox One.

If true then it's good they are going with higher quality components.

I used think the same, but then I ended up using my Switch portably a lot more and now four JoyCons have severe drift. To the point of them being unusable.

 

[Lokaum D+]

ps5 quality portable with no joycon drift, that shit ll be expensive

 

[SmokedMeat]

People trying to solve in 2023 problems that were already solved in the 2000s on Dreamcast or Xbox to name only these two consoles.

Didn’t Saturn’s Analog controller have a Hall Effect stick?

 

[Davevil]

that joycon shit again?

 

[Tams]

This patent is not about hall effect sensors for the sticks it is about adaptive resistance for the analoge sticks. So basically like the adaptive triggers on the PS5 but for the joysticks. The bad part is, the analoge sticks are still using regular resistors for the detection of the movement. The mentioned magnetic field is for changing the viscosity of the fluid inside the joystick to adjust the resisting force for the sticks.

Look.

Do you expect us to actual read the article, let alone the patent?! And then understand it?!

 

[KungFucius]

Are you suggesting that because you, a single person, did not have an issue, everyone else must be doing something wrong?

Are you suggesting that because you experienced something that does not happen to every person, that it must be a serious problem?

Sometimes failures are rare and cannot be identified in initial testing because the frequency of occurrence is too low to have the marginal parts in your test batches. The point is, these things are statistical and many / most don't experience the issue and it makes no sense to attribute some paranoid finger pointing to anyone who happened to not be unlucky.

 

[Hudo]

Are you suggesting that because you, a single person, did not have an issue, everyone else must be doing something wrong?

Are you suggesting that because you experienced something that does not happen to every person, that it must be a serious problem?

Sometimes failures are rare and cannot be identified in initial testing because the frequency of occurrence is too low to have the marginal parts in your test batches. The point is, these things are statistical and many / most don't experience the issue and it makes no sense to attribute some paranoid finger pointing to anyone who happened to not be unlucky.

Alright, you two tonight, 1 am, behind Arby's. You're fighting each other to the death with Joycons. Winner gets a Wikipedia entry.

 

[cireza]

Didn’t Saturn’s Analog controller have a Hall Effect stick?

Possibly. Making a complete list was not my intention.

 

[Raploz]

This patent is not about hall effect sensors for the sticks it is about adaptive resistance for the analoge sticks. So basically like the adaptive triggers on the PS5 but for the joysticks. The bad part is, the analoge sticks are still using regular resistors for the detection of the movement. The mentioned magnetic field is for changing the viscosity of the fluid inside the joystick to adjust the resisting force for the sticks.

Exactly. This article is completely misleading. Also, patents aren't confirmation they will use it.

 

[Mister Wolf]

The need to just price the system at $500 and go all in on tech and performance.

 

[Dorfdad]

Don’t see it happening with any of the first party controllers that is such a money train for them having sticks that don’t break would be a huge financial loss. Especially Nintendo