Gulikit has revealed that the company is working on a Hall effect sensor joystick replacement for the PlayStation DualSense Edge controller. The DualSense Edge features modular analog sticks that make them swappable, making them a prime candidate for Gulikit to work on next.
Will do first for Dual Sense Edge because that is easier for its modular design. https://t.co/OTYoD25yAI
— GuliKit (@GuliKitDesign) January 23, 2023
For those not in the know, Hall effect sensor joysticks, which were, oddly enough, used for the Sega Saturn Nights into Dreams and Dreamcast controllers, are superior to what is being used in PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, and various other analog controllers as they don’t depend on potentiometers, which use arms that rely on contract as they move around. As the arms move, they wear out, and the once-tight contact has been reduced to pieces of plastic, causing your analog stick to have a mind of its own.
Hall effect sensors don’t use those and depend on magnets and a magnetic field to accomplish the same tasks. The result is that joystick drift becomes a thing of the past. Anyone who’s ever owned a Dreamcast and has played the hell out of the controllers, only to realize they still work to this day, should appreciate this. That’s not to say that Hall effect sensors will never decay; it just takes them considerably longer. In the case of the Sega Saturn NiGHTS and Dreamcast controllers, they’re still kicking after 25+ years.
This isn’t the first time Gulikit has attempted to integrate Hall joysticks into a gaming controller. Outside of producing its own Gulikit KingKong 2 Pro Wireless controller, the company has also created joysticks for the Nintendo Switch, and the Steam Deck. They’re not precisely swappable, as you’ll need to be a pro with a soldering iron or have the work done at an electronics shop.
It is quite possible that Sony could request Gulikit to cease production of these, as the modular design is patented. Though, if I were Sony, I’d either leave this be or possibly work alongside Gulikit, and make these official PlayStation products. But we’ve seen what happened when another company designed it was going to produce their own PlayStation 5 swappable plates without Sony’s blessing.
I’m looking forward to seeing how soon Gulikit gets these DualSense Edge Hall effect Sensor replacement kits available for the DualSense Edge. Meanwhile, I’m waiting for my Steam Deck Gulikit replacements, so I can also get those swapped out.
The PlayStation DualSense Edge will officially be released on January 26th, 2023. Once we’ve received ours and put it through the paces, you can expect to see our review.