GuliKit sells $20 Joy‑Con 2 stick replacements

GuliKit has begun selling replacement thumbsticks for Nintendo Switch 2 Joy-Con 2 controllers at $20, according to a May 15 report from Pocket Tactics. The new parts are aimed at players who want a lower-cost repair option if their controllers develop stick drift, a problem that affected the original Switch generation. Nintendo’s own U.S. store lists a pair of Joy-Con 2 controllers at $99.99, while individual left and right units are listed at $54.99 each. Pocket Tactics reported that the GuliKit parts use TMR, or tunneling magnetoresistance, sensors rather than conventional potentiometer-based sticks. GuliKit’s product page says its Joy-Con replacement joystick uses a “contactless mechanism” designed to avoid wear and tear and reduce drift risk. Gizmodo, in a separate report this week, also described the new GuliKit Switch 2 stick replacements as TMR-based. (pockettactics.com) ### How much cheaper is the repair than buying new controllers? Nintendo’s U.S. store lists the Joy-Con 2 (L)/(R) pair at $99.99, making GuliKit’s $20 replacement set roughly one-fifth of the price of buying a new pair. The same Nintendo store page lists single left and right Joy-Con 2 controllers at $54.99 each. BGR’s roundup of third-party Switch 2 controllers, republished by MSN on May 16, framed the $99 Joy-Con 2 price as a reason buyers may look elsewhere. (pockettactics.com) That article highlighted five alternatives priced below Nintendo’s official controller pair and said some include Hall-effect sticks and support for multiple platforms. ### What exactly is GuliKit selling? (nintendo.com) GuliKit is not selling a full replacement controller in this case. Pocket Tactics described the product as replacement thumbsticks for Joy-Con 2 units, intended for owners willing to swap the internal stick modules rather than replace the entire controller. GuliKit’s own site says its joystick module is a “perfect replacement” and a “drop in” part for Joy-Con hardware. (msn.com) The company says the sticks use a TMR electromagnetic sensor and a contactless design, which it says improves durability. ### Why are drift-resistant sticks part of the pitch? The original Nintendo Switch became closely associated with stick drift complaints over several years, and accessory makers have continued to market replacement parts around that concern. (pockettactics.com) Pocket Tactics said the Switch 2 has not yet shown major drift issues, but presented the GuliKit parts as a preventive upgrade for worried owners. (gulikit.com) Gizmodo wrote this week that TMR designs have fewer moving parts that can fail than conventional stick assemblies. That characterization was Gizmodo’s, not Nintendo’s, and Nintendo’s current Joy-Con 2 store pages do not make a drift-resistance claim for the official controllers. ### Where does this fit in the wider Switch 2 accessory market? Nintendo’s current Switch 2 accessories page shows a growing lineup of official and licensed add-ons, including Joy-Con 2 controllers, a Pro Controller, cameras, grips and third-party pads from PowerA, PDP and Hori. (pockettactics.com) The official Joy-Con 2 pair remains one of the higher-priced basic controller options on that page at $99.99. (gizmodo.com) MSN’s version of the BGR roundup listed third-party options from established accessory brands as lower-cost alternatives for buyers who do not need detachable Joy-Con hardware. Those products are a different category from GuliKit’s internal replacement parts, but both address the same price gap between repairing or replacing a controller and buying Nintendo’s official pair. (nintendo.com) ### Where can buyers find the parts now? Pocket Tactics linked to the new replacement sticks in its May 15 report, and GuliKit’s website now lists Joy-Con joystick replacements with TMR sensors. Nintendo’s U.S. store continues to sell Joy-Con 2 controller pairs for $99.99 and individual left or right controllers for $54.99, giving Switch 2 owners three current paths: replace the stick modules, buy a third-party pad, or purchase new official controllers. (msn.com) (pockettactics.com)