While the Nintendo Switch is one of my favorite consoles ever made, one thing has plagued my console of choice for many years: Joycon Drift. While I’m lucky enough to know how to rip my Joycons apart to replace the Joysticks, it’s something I’ve had to do more times than I’d like to admit. While the Switch is a great system, I shouldn’t need to purchase new controllers or parts every year to keep it running.
Originally reported by Dylan Horetski at Dexerto, a new patent has been discovered within the databases to show that Nintendo is taking Joy-Con drift a little more seriously than it has in the past. By bringing Hall Effect Sensors to its next-generation console, players may no longer need to worry about the most obnoxious part of their current-gen system.
That’s what makes this rumored addition to the upcoming Switch 2 (we all know it’s happening, the question is “when?”) so exciting. For the first time since the Sega Dreamcast, a home console may be launching with Hall Effect Joysticks to help eliminate drift from ever coming back. In a surprisingly pro-consumer move, the addition of these sticks will help them from wearing down over time or experiencing drift, so you can keep your stick still without Link jumping off the side of a cliff without your command.
There are a variety of patents that Nintendo files every year, but the addition of Hall Effect joysticks in their controllers could give them a stiff leg up against their competition. Even in their higher priced, more “pro” variety controllers, neither Microsoft nor Sony include Hall Effect Joysticks in their controllers, meaning that they’re more likely to break down over time.
What, exactly, makes a Hall Effect Joystick different than a standard Joystick like we would find in our regular controllers? Magnets. And you don’t need to be a member of the ICP to wonder how that works, because we’ve got a simple breakdown for you here:
- Hall Effect Joysticks
- A combination of Electrical Conductors and Magnets to measure distance
- Standard Joysticks
- A device that uses electrical connectors and potentiometers (small objects to measure distance) to move your character
So, to sum it up: Joy-Con drift should no longer be an issue, especially with the love and care that Nintendo normally puts into its controllers. While the Joy-Cons overall may have felt like a bit of a step backward from the normal “Nintendium” quality we are used to, this patent could make the successor some of the best pads on the market.
If you’re looking to experience the difference in quality now, you can always purchase a set of Hall Effect Sensors for your Joy-Cons from Amazon. Gulikit has been making these versions for a while now, but be ready to tear your controllers apart at your own risk.
