A new patent application shows Nintendo’s R&D in improving the D-pad pivoting. This is achieved by affixing a spherical ball (#33 in images below) below the directional pad (31); the ball goes through a “restricting portion” (64) that regulates pivoting, and sits on a concave support (54).
Unlike the conventional D-pad that relies on an elastic membrane to facilitate pivoting, this invention can maintain the center point of pivot and consistent feel in all directions, even as the membrane softens or compresses—unevenly—with age.
[Originally posted on 2026-07-12 Pacific Time]
