Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour reveals the secret of Aerial Stick in Pro Controller 2:
When the user circles the analog stick around the circumference, instead of hitting the front shell opening, the stick is gliding around a base ring hidden below. The ring is low friction and wear resistant to facilitate smooth and quiet operations. In addition, pressing down the tilted stick for the L3/R3 button is easier than before, also because of the base ring.
The design is based on patent WO2024161461, filed on 2023-01-30. The drawings below illustrated how the stick’s skirt comes in contact with the slope of base ring when tilted.
It’s easy to appreciate how uncomplicated the solution is by looking at this teardown photo from a Japanese modder (18+ account so I’m not linking). Simple and elegant, the best sort of design.
[Originally posted on 2025-06-06 Pacific Time]
