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Nintendo has filed a patent for ‘smart fluid’ joysticks, perhaps to eliminate drift | VGC (www.videogameschronicle.com)
submitted 2 years ago by [M] to c/nintendo@lemmy.world
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Let's hope this isn't just a random patent, and we actually get better sticks next generation.

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[–] 7 points 2 years ago (2 children)

Using the larger, potentially more durable, joysticks would mean a larger potentially less portable Switch. Given that portability is the core feature of the Switch I can understand Nintendo's reluctance to implement them. Especially when other companies are experiencing similar issues with their sticks. In my opinion a novel approach is the way to go here. Hall effect is nice, but it is costly and could potentially present some legal challenges at the moment.

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  • [–] 2 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    @JonDorfman, what legal challenges?

    @Cicraft

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  • [–] 2 points 2 years ago (2 children)

    A company already makes hall effect joysticks that are JoyCon sized and they claim to hold a patent for them. I haven’t taken the time to verify, but even if they don’t have a leg to stand on they could still take Nintendo to court.

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  • [–] 1 point 2 years ago (1 child)

    @JonDorfman I wonder how they would do that while also not violating patents on JoyCons that I suppose Nintendo has.

    I have not checked, but would be surprised if they do not.

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  • [–] 1 point 2 years ago (1 child)

    Nintendo doesn’t hold a patent on the JoyCon joysticks. As far as I am aware they are an off the shelf component.

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  • [–] 1 point 2 years ago (1 child)

    @JonDorfman, I did a quick online search for Nintendo’s JoyCon patents, and interestingly found a US one from 2023 (2020 in Japan) about what looks Hall effect analogue sticks:
    https://patents.google.com/patent/US20230280850A1/

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  • [–] 0 points 2 years ago

    To be fair I hope anybody and everybody that has a leg to stand on in court does so and wastes their time and money there.

    Nintendo consistently uses it's legal might in anyi-consumet ways to harm its biggest fans. As somebody that loves Nintendo games, fuck Nintendo.

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  • [–] -4 points 2 years ago (2 children)

    the problem with the current switch is that the joycona are unusablely small

    Increasing the size neard the size of the steam deck really won't decrease the portivility as your gonna carry a power adapter and a case with it anyways

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  • [–] 5 points 2 years ago

    I find that the JoyCons work fine for most games, granted I have small hands. As for power adapters and carrying cases, I don’t carry an adapter and the case I use is very slim. Just enough to protect from drops really.

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  • [–] 5 points 2 years ago

    I use both frequently, and the size of the switch is a big feature for me. I carry a low profile case and no power adapter. Increasing the size would be a big mistake in my opinion- it would just be a worse steam deck without some really killer new features. In my opinion they should just offer larger joycons for people who want them!

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