Switch OLED Joy-Con
Image: Nintendo

Alongside the launch of the Switch OLED model, Nintendo has released a new 'Ask the Developer' discussion on its official website. While it touches on all sorts of details about the new system, towards the end there's some conversation about the Joy-Con controllers.

The Joy-Con controllers have been subject to intense scrutiny over the past few years due to reports from consumers that the sticks 'drift' over time and register input even when the user isn't touching them. Nintendo has been involved in lawsuits about the issue, and this week, consumer advocacy group Euroconsumers called out the Japanese firm over the problem.

Toru Yamashita from Nintendo's Technology Development Division explains how the Japanese company has been continuously making improvements to the Joy-Con controllers since the launch of the original model and noted how the Switch OLED Joy-Con is the "latest version" with all the improvements so far.

We mentioned that the Joy-Con controller specifications hadn’t changed in the sense that we didn’t add new features such as new buttons, but the analog sticks in the Joy-Con controllers included with Nintendo Switch – OLED Model are the latest version with all the improvements. Needless to say, so are the analog sticks included in Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch Lite, separately sold Joy-Con controllers, and the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller that are currently being shipped.

Although Nintendo didn't specifically state what has been improved inside the controller over time, more generally, it's focused on enhancing the resistance, durability and reliability of the analog sticks.

The analog stick at first release cleared the Nintendo reliability test using the method of rotating the stick while continually applying a load to it, with the same criteria as the Wii U GamePad’s analog stick. As we have always been trying to improve it as well, we have investigated the Joy-Con controllers used by the customers and repeatedly improved the wear resistance and durability.

However, Ko Shiota, who was also involved with this interview, admits that wear is "unavoidable":

Do you mean that, basically, wear is unavoidable as long as the parts are physically in contact?

Yes, for example, car tires wear out as the car moves, as they are in constant friction with the ground to rotate. So with that same premise, we asked ourselves how we can improve durability, and not only that, but how can both operability and durability coexist? It’s something we are continuously tackling.

Yamashita adds:

The degree of wear depends on factors like the combination of the materials and forms, so we continue to make improvements by researching which combinations are less likely to wear. We mentioned that the Joy-Con controller specifications hadn’t changed in the sense that we didn’t add new features such as new buttons, but the analog sticks in the Joy-Con controllers included with Nintendo Switch – OLED Model are the latest version with all the improvements. Needless to say, so are the analog sticks included in Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch Lite, separately sold Joy-Con controllers, and the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller that are currently being shipped.

What do you think about Nintendo's ongoing efforts to improve its Joy-Con controllers and reduce the problem of drift? Do you think Joy-Con reliability has improved over time? Leave your own comments down below.

[source nintendo.com]