The Switch 2’s Joy-Con 2 is filled with additional performance, from upgraded gyros to the slick mouse mode, however typically you simply want a extra conventional gamepad to play your video games. The larger challenge customers are experiencing this go-around is connecting all their outdated gadgets to the Nintendo’s new handheld. Gamers rapidly realized final week their authentic Professional controllers gained’t wake the console, and that could be attributable to Nintendo altering up the connection protocols, leaving third-party gadgets to fall behind the Change maker’s first-party controller choices.
Whereas a Change 2 Professional controller prices $85, third-party gadgets are sometimes far more inexpensive. Gizmodo acquired a bounty of controllers from a number of producers for assessment, together with a number of gadgets from 8BitDo and Gulikit particularly to check them on the Change 2. For the reason that Switch 2 launch final Thursday, we’ve discovered nearly all of our gadgets take additional effort and time to pair with the brand new console. Connecting them to an authentic Change is much extra seamless.
8BitDo’s controllers particularly merely refuse to speak with the Change 2. On Friday, the corporate launched new firmware for its Final and Final 2 controllers alongside the Professional 2 and SN30 controllers, in addition to the corporate’s USB Wi-fi Adapters. If you wish to hold utilizing 8BitDo’s top-end gamepads, you’ll have to obtain the corporate’s Final or Replace Instrument software program to your Mac or PC after which put the controller into improve mode by hitting R1+L1+Begin on the identical time.
Gulikit—the makers of Hall effect joystick replacements and third-party controllers—additionally launched related firmware patches final week. In an e mail to Gizmodo, Gulikit reps stated that of their assessments, the Change 2 now makes use of a special communication protocol than the unique Change. This implies the console wouldn’t be capable to pair the identical means it had with earlier controllers used for the unique Change.
We reached out to Nintendo for remark, however we didn’t instantly hear again. Whereas attempting to troubleshoot our connection points, we discovered going into System Settings, then to Controllers & Settings and flipping on “Nintendo Change Professional Controller Wired Communication” helps join some wired controllers, although we nonetheless can’t verify if that setting additionally helps you join with Bluetooth gadgets.
There are nonetheless points connecting some third-party controllers. I nonetheless can’t pair an 8BitDo Micro controller with the Change 2, although the corporate informed us that extra compatibility updates might be coming within the close to future. The Change 2 Pleasure-Con 2 and the remainder of Nintendo’s equipment, all the way down to the revised GameCube controller, all have a “C” button to attach with GameChat, which can have necessitated a special communication protocol. Nevertheless, the shortage of clarification isn’t serving to common customers transition to Nintendo’s new handheld.
Third-party controllers are sometimes cheaper, however variety of them additionally sport joysticks that could be extra interesting than what comes with Change 2. The $95 Pleasure-Con 2s don’t embrace Corridor impact sticks, which might assist them higher keep away from the stick drift problems with the unique Change. In its teardown of the Change 2, iFixit wrote that the brand new Pleasure-Con 2 joysticks are nonetheless liable to float points, although that will rely on how nicely the border across the sticks can hold out filth and particles. The restore gurus additional suspected the shortage of Corridor impact could also be as a result of controller’s magnetic attachment factors, which might probably disrupt the Corridor impact methodology to trace stick orientation—which depends on magnetic fields. Nintendo has not made a peep about its determination to maintain with what is actually the identical management mechanism as the unique Change.
Nintendo will exchange drifting Pleasure-Con 2 controllers without spending a dime pic.twitter.com/BLrTI3j8dZ
— Nintendeal (@Nintendeal) June 6, 2025
On the very least, if you happen to purchase a Change 2 Pleasure-Con 2, you may count on Nintendo gained’t utterly depart you hanging. Final week, Nintendeal noticed that Nintendo will provide free replacements for U.S. clients experiencing Pleasure-Con 2 stick drift or a number of different points. If you happen to’re going to spend near $100 on a pair of controllers, on the very least you must hope you’ll be capable to use them lengthy into the Change 2’s life cycle.
