Featured Image Credit: Nintendo
The Nintendo Switch is undoubtedly one of the most successful game consoles ever released, yet if you ask most people who own it they're almost guaranteed to point out the exact same flaw.
By far the biggest selling point of the Switch compared to its PlayStation and Xbox rivals is its portability, as you're able to play it equally handheld wherever you want or docked up to your living room TV.
Key to this is the detachable joycon controllers on either side of the screen, as you're able to use them to control your games on the go or clip them off to allow you to play away from the console itself.
While some didn't love their small size, by far the biggest problem they consistently fell victim to was what's known as 'stick drift' - where the analog joystick on either controller starts to have a 'mind of its own'.
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You'll know that you have stick drift when your movement or camera control starts veering in an unintended direction, and the design of the Switch's joycons means that it's a matter of 'when' you'll encounter it instead of 'if'.
Getting stick drift makes playing games incredibly challenging, and you'll likely have to fork out another $70 for a new set of replacement joycons - which then are also equally at risk of developing drift over time.
Many Nintendo fans have been eagerly anticipating the full reveal of the Switch 2 then, as there's somewhat of an expectation that the stick drift issue will be resolved in the upcoming console, but radio silence has began to worry many.
Despite going over the increased size, new buttons, and mouse capabilities of the Switch 2 joycons, there wasn't a single mention of improvements to the joysticks in order to combat drift.
My first question to ask the Switch 2 devs will definitely be HOW improved are the joysticks.
— Sippin'HotCocoa ☕Thank You Toriyama-Sensei (@Sippin_Cocoa) April 2, 2025
I get they're larger but I want to know if they've made them more durable because Joycon Drift whether you like it or not was a significant problem with the original. pic.twitter.com/hJOHYwJm2A
"My first question to ask the Switch 2 devs will definitely be HOW improved are the joysticks," writes one concerned fan on X. "I get they're larger but I want to know if they've made them more durable because joycon drift whether you like it or not was a significant problem with the original.
"Nintendo, if the Switch 2 joycons also have drift problems count your f***ing days cause these motherf***ers are about to be $100," adds another.
It's certainly not a problem that's exclusive to Nintendo, as official controllers from both PlayStation and Xbox are also prone to experiencing stick drift, but it has become somewhat of a defining feature of the last console generation for the Switch, and many are disappointed to not see a focus placed on amending the long-standing issue.
