Why the Nintendo Switch 2’s magnets are a potential failure point

Most gaming consoles have had at least one major point of failure, depending on how much money was spent researching and developing every part of the device. Who can forget the ‘red ring of death’ that plagued the early Xbox 360 consoles or the lesser-known yellow light that signaled the premature end of early PlayStation 3s? Nintendo consoles are no strangers to this phenomenon, and there’s already some concern regarding magnetized Joy-Cons for the Nintendo Switch 2.

To understand this apprehension about the build quality of Nintendo’s latest system, we must travel back in time to examine their first: the Nintendo Entertainment System, or NES. Because of the video game crash of 1983 in America, when consoles from companies such as Atari and Commodore were deemed old-fashioned and irrelevant, Nintendo had to redesign the Famicom for the US market. The Famicom went from a traditional cartridge-based device to the NES, which more closely resembled a cassette player.

This rushed redesign introduced a weakness in the console’s cartridge pins. These pins would bend over time, meaning the contact between the game and the device wasn’t the best. This had the side effect of giving rise to the playground rumor that blowing on the cartridge contacts made games work. However, this practice also introduces water particles, which lead to minor corrosion problems and a general grime buildup. A redesign would surface years later, known as the ‘NES top-loader,’ but this was a stripped-down device with no AV port.

These days, more care goes into researching and developing features for Nintendo consoles and the cartridges of the best Switch games. The patent for the Nintendo Switch 2 and its new Joy-Cons is now viewable on the WIPO website to enlighten us on how it’s all put together. However, the part I wish to bring your attention to is regarding Figure 10, an image showing how the Joy-Con 2 connects to the console using magnets.

@pockettactics

Do you like the Nintendo Switch 2’s new mouse controls, or do you think they’re gimmicky? Let us know! Check out tons more Switch 2 coverage on Pocket Tactics! #NintendoSwitch2 #Nintendo #Switch2

♬ original sound – Pocket Tactics

A technical explanation is available in the patent, which details how the connection works in granular detail. Thankfully, Nintendo also explained it in a recently published Ask the Developer article in simpler terms. Kouichi Kawamoto, producer at the Entertainment Planning and Development Department at Nintendo, explains that a button at the top of the Joy-Con releases the magnets, allowing even small children to pry apart the device from the console without damaging it.

Nintendo also wanted this connection type for the original Switch. According to the YouTube channel Kit & Krysta, the presenters, who both used to host the Nintendo Minute channel, interviewed Yoshiaki Koizumi about how the team initially experimented with using magnets to attach the Joy-Cons back in 2017 while developing the original Switch. This detail was expanded on during the Ask the Developer interview. Kawamoto says it was ultimately left out because “the Joy-Con controllers would wobble when attached to the console using magnets due to the weak connection.”

However, even if there has been an immense amount of care put into ensuring that people can’t break the connections, unforeseen circumstances can arise long after a console is discontinued by its manufacturer. We don’t have to look far for examples of these circumstances, as Nintendo’s console history tells us everything we need to know. The Super Nintendo (SNES) was nearly a perfectly designed machine.

However, the ABS plastic used in its shell’s construction was relatively cheap, leaving it prone to oxidation when exposed to brighter conditions. These days, the chance of finding a Super Nintendo that didn’t lose a tanning battle with the sun is extremely slim, as most are now yellowed. This is technically a fixable problem, but you’ll need access to specialist chemicals and know-how to revive your SNES to its former glory.

The Nintendo 64 was the first console to have an analog stick that players used to control the characters in their games through a 3D environment. However, because of the rudimentary design of the analog stick’s housing, this was prone to wear and tear over time, especially if you subjected the controller to any of the Mario Party minigames. It also had hard plastic rather than a rubberized finish, so you risk developing blisters on your thumbs or the palm of your hand.

Nintendo’s next console, the GameCube, didn’t have many technical problems during its initial release. However, a more recent phenomenon reported by enthusiasts with collections of retro games is that the half-sized discs now show signs of erosion unless carefully stored.

Speaking from personal experience, I bought a second-hand copy of Wario World, a relatively early GameCube game, that had its disc’s data layer stripped down to the point where the laser wouldn’t read it, instead causing the system to show an error message. There is also the issue of the optical disc drive’s potentiometer becoming misaligned over time. Thankfully, there are tutorials on how to fix this problem, provided you’re okay with a tiny bit of soldering.

Then there’s the Wii, slayer of LCD TVs everywhere. Because Nintendo didn’t initially come with the jacket that gives its controller much-needed added grip, those who didn’t use the included, albeit flimsy, strap would soon learn a very costly lesson. Cheaply made accessories that turned the Wii Remote into a tennis racket also ran the risk of slipping from its fixings, yeeting itself across the room and into your TV. As well as the jacket, revisions would include a strap with a locking mechanism to prevent you from flinging the remote.

While it seems that Nintendo has largely taken user error into account when it comes to the Switch 2 Joy-Cons, there’s one thing that it has overlooked: magnets can deteriorate. This largely depends on what kind is being used (neodymium, ferrite, or samarium cobalt).

Still, there are other factors to consider, such as whether or not the console’s reaching a high temperature for more intense games will cause it to lose magnetism, as well as if the vibration present in the Joy-Cons, using it as a mouse, or disconnecting and reconnecting the Joy-Cons to the console interferes with performance over time. Those factors are just based on the intended functionality of the console, as introducing liquid damage can also affect a magnet’s lifespan. Even then, magnets naturally lose a portion of their performance every century.

If you’re worried about this in any way, so long as you regularly maintain the console by ensuring it is well ventilated, keep liquid far away from your Joy-Cons, and generally take good care of your new Switch 2, the magnets shouldn’t lose much of their overall performance in your lifetime. However, if you are a gaming historian in the future and are wondering why the Joy-Cons aren’t staying attached to the console, you’ll need to find a way to dismantle and remagnetize the Joy-Cons.

There you have it, our thoughts on the Nintendo Switch 2’s magnetized Joy-Con 2 controllers. To check out what Nintendo’s new console is up against, be sure to check out our guides to the best handheld consoles and the best retro handhelds. Or, if you’re more of a PC gamer, see our guide to the best Steam Deck alternatives.