Nintendo Switch 2: Patent details innovative Joy-Con feature
At first glance, the follow-up to the Nintendo Switch (approx. $280 on Amazon) doesn't seem to offer too many design changes. However, beyond being larger and attaching magnetically, the new Joy-Con controllers are set to introduce a notable new feature. There were already rumours back in early January suggesting that the next-gen Joy-Con might offer mouse-like functionality.
During the console’s announcement, Nintendo finally hinted at such a feature. As clearly seen in the embedded video below, Nintendo will offer an attachment for the Joy-Con, allowing them to “glide” on a surface much like a mouse. That said, Nintendo hasn’t officially confirmed whether this is an actual feature.
Solid evidence pointing to such a feature has finally emerged. A new patent was published today by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) for an application submitted by Nintendo on 8 January 2023. This document contains a series of images showing how both Joy-Con could be held like computer mice, with their shoulder buttons functioning as the left and right mouse buttons.
In the accompanying text, Nintendo describes employing a laser to determine the Joy-Con’s movement over a surface and mentions using the controllers for mouse applications. When a Joy-Con is held like a mouse, the thumb remains on the analogue stick, indicating that it could also be usable in mouse mode. If a cursor can indeed be controlled this way, the feature would be beneficial not just for shooters but also for games requiring precise pointing, such as Civilization VII and Super Mario Maker. More information on this feature is expected to be revealed at the Nintendo Switch 2’s official launch event on 2 April.
