Cliff Notes – Nintendo Switch 2 videos show exactly how strong the magnetic Joy-Cons are
- The Switch 2’s magnetic Joy-Cons can be detached with force, but they remain securely attached during normal use, even when the console is dangled by a single controller.
- The new design aims to improve durability for children, addressing previous issues with Joy-Con drift and attachment stability seen in the original Switch.
- Concerns remain about the long-term strength of the magnetic connection, which could affect gameplay reliability in handheld mode during intense gaming sessions.
Nintendo Switch 2 videos show exactly how strong the magnetic Joy-Cons are
Is the force strong with this one? (Nintendo)
The strength of the Switch 2 Joy-Cons have been tested and it is possible to pull them off the console with enough force.
As a hybrid device designed for children, the Nintendo Switch is more vulnerable to wear and tear than your average console.
The design of the original Switch wasn’t entirely successful as a child-proof piece of kit, with the console subject to Joy-Con drift and occasional mishaps with the slide-on rails.
The Switch 2 is hoping to address the latter through its new magnetic Joy-Cons, and with many people getting to go hands-on with the console at the Switch 2 Experience events around the world, several videos have shown off exactly how strong they are.
One video shows how the Joy-Cons remain attached even when the console is dangled by a single controller, so it won’t easily slide off if you decide to sling it across the room.
While you’re supposed to detach the controllers by first pressing buttons on the rear of the Joy-Con, a video on MinnMax shows you can pull them off through pure force if you want. It appears to take some pulling though, so it’s not just going to fall off at random.
The big question is whether these magnetic connections will lose strength over time, which might make playing in handheld mode slightly unreliable, if they can be easily pulled off in the heat of a boss battle.
As revealed earlier this month in a Q&A, the magnetic Joy-Cons were first proposed for the original Switch, but the late Nintendo president Satoru Iwata rejected the idea.
Speaking about the origins of the Switch 2’s Joy-Cons, the console’s producer Kouichi Kawamoto said: ‘Originally when we were developing Switch, there was the idea to attach the Joy-Con controllers to the console with magnets. Using magnets, you’d be able to attach and detach the Joy-Con controllers right away, making it easier to share them.’
He added: ‘I took the prototypes to Iwata-san, the company’s president at the time, for feedback. But unfortunately, the Joy-Con controllers would wobble when attached to the console using magnets due to the weak connection.
‘We decided to scrap the idea as we were concerned it would make customers uneasy about using the console. Instead, we adopted the rail system for Switch, which allowed for a more stable attachment. But we always wished we could make it easier to attach and detach the controllers.’
The decision to implement them for the Switch 2 came after ‘a lot of trial and error’ with the Technology Development Department, adding: ‘And we were finally able to attach it firmly and remove it easily with just a light press of the release button.’
The Switch 2 is set to launch on June 5, 2025, alongside Mario Kart World. UK pre-orders are already live, but pre-orders in the US and Canada have been delayed due to the recently announced tariffs.
It isn’t an easy pull (Nintendo)
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