I'm a little tired of the fearmongering from people who seem to be racing to the assumption that JoyCon 2s will definitely be as brittle as JoyCon 1s. We don't know that yet. Yes, we know it's not Hall Effect, but that's been true of the majority of video game controllers for a long time. JoyCon 1s were just anomalously defective in a way specific to that controller, and I highly doubt they haven't considered this with the 2. Until we actually start seeing a failure rate comparable to JoyCon 1s, can people just... wait and chill for a sec?
While I agree with the overall message, I’d say this is on Nintendo for not doing proper communication on the topic. They must know this is a major concern for most people who had a Switch.
Yes, I get they don’t want to acknowledge the drift problem publicly, but surely someone on their marketing team can still come up with a way to discuss the improvements they made and alleviate fears.
Given the casual nature of the target audience, I doubt it’s a major concern for most owners. For enthusiasts, yes absolutely, but if you went around to random Switch owners, I doubt they’d even know what you’re talking about. Most of my friends haven’t had significant issues.
I remember during the initial console reveal, basically the only thing they had to say was that the sticks are larger and smoother (in motion, not the caps themselves).
I don’t know if they mentioned much else later, but they were very tacit about their durability/longevity. I don’t have much hope that things will be better, at any rate. I still bought a Switch 2, because I know it will still bring me joy to play, but as much as I enjoyed the comfort of playing with a Joycon in each hand, I’ve learned from the original Switch to avoid using the Joycons where possible and opt for a separate controller when playing docked (I’m just using the Pro Controllers I have left over from my original Switch).
I think the reason the connectors are magnetic is because it is something nintendo’s designers always wanted to do. So once their engineers figured out how to do it (after the launch of the original switch) they designed the switch 2 around the magnetic connectors. I think it’s incredibly stupid when one of the most important things to do for a sequel to the switch is fixing the drift but it’s a reason at least I guess?
Did iwata ever say they were a bad idea? I thought it was that they had no idea how to make them secure but easy to remove, not because iwata said it was stupid.
I wil say that the gen 1 slides were clumsy and early units could be broken by forcing them in backwards. It always felt like the part which was the least well designed. I like the new magnetic interface but I agree it's kind of an odd thing to have a minor quality of life update be the top line.
Lack of innovation: checked. Locking users into their ecosystem: checked. Chasing only shareholder value : checked.
The only thing diferentianting them from Apple now is the pricing, which hasn’t reached outrageous levels ( yet ).
I used to respect them for doing their own thing - sometimes winning, sometimes losing, but in the end still innovating. Apparently not the case anymore.
Honestly, I don’t mind if Nintendo didn’t innovate. I have just wanted a “normal” console from them in a while like a return to their SNES/N64/GameCube days. When they still actually tried to remain competitive, and in the case of the SNES and N64, were technologically ahead of the competition. Sure there were some innovations, but in comparison to the Wii, Wii U, and Switch, their older consoles were more “normal” for their time.
Nowadays they just make underpowered hardware that only truly sells because its usually the cheapest console available and has the Nintendo logo on it. Except Switch 2, which started charging cutting edge tech prices for tech that was cutting edge like 10 years ago. All of the pricing of a better Switch without any of the real improvements except a newer processing unit and slightly bigger screen.
Give me a Switch without a screen. No battery. No detachable controllers. Just a brick that plugs into the wall and the TV, compatible with a Pro controller. Probably could even sell that at a reduced price too. Maybe even overclock it and give it a bigger cooling solution to get better performance. Maybe Nintendo’s newer games can actually run at a stable 60 fps on their own hardware finally.
Give me a Switch without a screen. No battery. No detachable controllers. Just a brick that plugs into the wall and the TV, compatible with a Pro controller. Probably could even sell that at a reduced price too. Maybe even overclock it and give it a bigger cooling solution to get better performance. Maybe Nintendo’s newer games can actually run at a stable 60 fps on their own hardware finally.
I’m actually in the same boat. I hardly ever play the switch in handheld mode. It is incredibly uncomfortable for anyone over the age and/or hand size of a 12 year old. The form factor is terrible for mobile use IMO. Even when we don’t play the switch docked on the TV, we have taken to playing it plugged into a small USB-C monitor on a side table in front of the couch.
I really wish Nintendo would offer a different option like you’re saying here. The only thing that’s nice about the Switch form factor is the size for portability IMO. Scrap the screen (and probably even the battery) and offer an option that’s as small as (or even smaller than) one of those NUC-looking mini PCs that are all the rage nowadays.
I mean, realistically its still Nintendo so I still won’t buy it. I disagree with their business practices ever since Iwata died. Nintendo has gone way downhill, and I don’t want to give them any of my money anymore. It sucks since I really like the old Zelda and Metroid games, but theyre only games. Its not the end of the world. Plus, emulation fixes Nintendos problems anyway.
Yeah I’m not a huge fan of their recent “direction” either, but it actually would’ve been a lot more innovative for Nintendo to offer a headless switch in a tiny form factor. Maybe that’s just the old, highly innovative ways of Nintendo going by the wayside.
It’s a shame because Nintendo is a lot more accessible from a “casual gamer” perspective. I’ve even gotten my parents to play switch and wii games over the years. I don’t think they’d ever touch an xbox or ps.
That’s wishful thinking, I’m afraid. Nintendo owns the handheld market and now that they’ve made a handheld their only platform there’s no way they’re going back to traditional consoles, especially not after the original Switch sold a gazilion units with the same form-factor as the new one but with a hardware 10x weaker. The higher prices are a risky gamble but their profit margins have never been this high so they probaby don’t even care if the Switch 2 doesn’t sell nearly as much as its predecessor.
My wife loves the switch but has gone through 3 or 4 different sets of controllers. I tried my hand at repairing one of them and it was not fun – to put it mildly – and I do not savor repeating the experience. I honestly did not know there were hall effect replacements for the original joycon sticks, and wish I had known that when I replaced the one I did.
I like that ifixit are specifically explaining the fundamental problem with pot based analog sticks because this IS an issue with every (pot based) controller.
That said: I still firmly believe the reason joycons last like a month and my XBONE controller is still going is because of the flap. Like… I’ll always remember that the god damned PCB on my DS3 failed before the stick (you try platinuming Dark Souls 2 when pushing R3 triggers random buttons on the entire gamepad…).
For the “real” console sticks? The analog stick is a big plastic dome and you have to disassemble the entire gamepad to clean it out. For the joycons (not sure on pro controller)? It is a rubber flap that you lift up with a pair of tweezers… or just shove the nozzle of the electronic contact cleaner spray can through to clean. The former keeps both you and dirt out while the latter lets everything in and gets those specs trapped between the contacts a lot faster.
Don’t get me wrong. If I am buying a third party controller (the gamesirs look shockingly good these days…) it better have hall effect or the other one. But potentiometers are fine IF you protect them. Like, the vast majority of knobs and the like are pots and people STILL use stereos and the like from the 80s with no issues.
My first takeaway opening the box was WTF is going on with the speaker grille/fan intake?
Every phone/tablet has dust/waterproofing mesh, it’s standard. Everyone puts in on the inside layer of the device with the meatier grille outside it, so the mesh doesn’t get scuffed up or cut.
Nintendo had to think different and put the mesh on the outside. Good luck to the handheld players, luckily mine will live in a dock for eternity.
ifixit.com
Aktywne