Are Splatoon 2 Controls Fixed?

Nope.



Last tested with version 3.1.0 on July 1, 2018

Note: This is my final test for Splatoon 2 as it is unlikely results will change.

(Initial tests found Joy Cons to have similar latency and wired mode to be slower.)

Background

Splatoon for Wii U revolutionized console shooters with its innovative and incredibly responsive motion controls. In Splatoon 2, the overall input to output latency was doubled from around 1/20th of a second to 1/10th of a second. This is shocking because it is known that the development team of Splatoon for Wii U worked very hard to make the controls feel just right and took pride in their accomplishment.

Satoru Iwata: Now for my last question. I’d like for each of you to tell us why you recommend Splatoon. I would recommend it for the controls. We really polished them to a point that I feel really confident about them, so I would like people to try them out and see for themselves. — Tsubasa Sakaguchi, Co-Director, Splatoon for Wii U [source]

Why Responsiveness and Game Feel are Important

Game feel is a crucial part of any action game – but is often only perceived at a subconscious level. Responsiveness, which includes the time from player input to the resulting output, is a key part of game feel.

A fast responsiveness will allow the player's mind to create a direct link between their actions and the results in the game. A responsive game becomes an extension of the player's body. Any slight delay can break the link between the player's mind and the game. This can substantially, yet subtly, decrease the enjoyment of playing a game.

Switch Input Lag Comparison

What initially hooked me on Splatoon was the concept, but what kept me playing for over 900 hours was the game feel that hinged on its incredibly responsive motion controls.

Nintendo: Please fix this in Splatoon 3.

- Allen Pestaluky くコ:彡