Nintendo's Justification for Not Including Analog Triggers in Switch 2 Controllers
Nintendo explains the decision to use digital triggers instead of analog for the upcoming Switch 2’s controllers.
Summary
- Nintendo Switch 2 controllers will not feature analog triggers.
- The choice for digital triggers was made by Nintendo for the upcoming Switch 2.
- Some developers expressed a preference for digital triggers.
The upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 will see its controllers lacking analog triggers, a decision articulated by Nintendo’s leading hardware specialists. The new Joy-Con 2 controllers of the Switch 2 distinguish themselves from their predecessors, integrating magnetic attachments instead of the rail system of the original. A noteworthy addition is a new C Button designed for the GameChat feature, with Joy-Con 2 capable of being utilized sideways as a mouse.
For players favoring the conventional gaming feel, the new Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller was also introduced, offering enhancements over the original’s variant, including a 3.5mm audio jack for headphone support and customizable GL and GR buttons that users can map to their preference.
This move contrasts with the controllers of PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, which include analog triggers.
Nintendo believes that the rapid response of digital triggers suits the Switch 2 over the slight delay associated with analog triggers, as explained in a recent VentureBeat interview by producers Kouichi Kawamoto and Tetsuya Sasaki. They mentioned that the decision was influenced by feedback from some “very particular developers” who preferred digital input for its immediacy.
