It looks like Switch 2 gamers can start buying 3rd party Joy-Cons now – if they dare.
To quote Nintendo Patents Watch on Bluesky:
3rd party Joy-Cons for Switch 2 are now for sale in China.
Pros: Support both Bluetooth and *direct* connection, Hall effect sticks, functional C button (img 2) and motion control
Cons: No mouse sensor or NFC, non-HD rumble
…These Joy-Cons supposedly feature 9-axis motion and orientation sensing.
Are These Even Legitimate?
The Nintendo Switch received a lot of Joy-Con alternatives. Hori’s Split Pad Pros, NYXI’s Hyperion 2 and Nyko’s Dualies replicate Joy-Cons functionalities with some unique qualities of their own.
Not all those controllers were licensed, but controller companies had sufficient time to make these Joy-Con alternatives right.
It’s highly suspect that these Switch 2 3rd party Joy-Cons will be as good as the real thing.
To be clear, we aren’t reporting on these controllers as an endorsement or recommendation. It is interesting to see that some companies have jumped on to make their own controllers this early.
But if you’re a Switch 2 user, we recommend you stick to your Switch 3rd party Joy-Cons for now. Hopefully, the likes of Hori and 8bitdo release their Switch 2 3rd party Joy-Cons soon enough.