Nintendo Switch 2 May Fix Drift Stick Issues Permanently, New Patent Suggests

The dreaded Joy-Con drift issue has stayed prevalent in the current Switch, but the next iteration could completely weed it out. One new patent out of many published by the giant conglomerate on the US Patent and Trademark Office talks about new magnetic Joy-Con replacement, commonly known as Hall Effect joysticks, to remove the physical wear and tear that results in stick drifting problems after consistent use. 

The legal document highlights that the Joy-Cons used with Nintendo Switch can be improved massively for a better feel and information processing. It talks about a joystick that uses a magnetic field to communicate without any physical touch with the console. In other words, the joystick can send feedback to the system using the magnetic field without any physical contact, nullifying the stick drifting that happens over time.

The normal potentiometer joysticks are still often used in many consoles, including the Switch. It utilizes electrical contacts to generate and send feedback through the console. It has been cheaper to produce and replace all these years, so only a few manufacturers have replaced joysticks with Hall Effect ones. But the magnetic field can easily handle the imposed burden for years without needing to be replaced every few months a year.

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The major dilemma haunting Nintendo Switch users has long been the Joy-Con drift issue. Nintendo never provided a solid solution for the matter, but the upcoming console might use different tech entirely to appease gamers. Previously, the company even had to resort to giving free repairs to curb the intensifying backlash by gamers over the Joy-Con stick drift issues. 

It is possible that these Hall Effect joysticks come with the Nintendo Switch 2 or may launch for the current Switch —which seems unlikely because Nintendo could have done it sooner into its lifespan.

The portable has continued selling into the millions in recent years despite hitting over half a decade. It recently set a sales record in the US that no other console has done in the last 30 years. Additionally, the company generated a massive $11347 billion from the Nintendo Switch in the last fiscal year. And it has shipped over 994 million games since 2017. However, the handheld is also slowing down in sales, reducing by 20% from last year. 

The upcoming console by Nintendo has been rumored to come out next year or early 2025. It will likely start production this year, as per rumors. A different wave of buzz suggested that the giant conglomerate may have already started engaging in talks with suppliers for the production of the next console. The dev kits for the next handheld are seemingly already rolling out, with an unnamed Spanish team obtaining it a few months ago.

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