Updated Nintendo patent for potential Switch 2 second screen excites fans of 3DS games

Prior to the handheld’s release date, several Nintendo patents predicted Switch 2 specs, including a mouse mode for its Joy-Cons. The current version of the console doesn't showcase all these ideas. Even so, there is hope that another filing will lead to a new accessory. Mike Odyssey on social media noticed an updated patent for a possible additional Switch 2 screen.

The USPTO website updated the patent on August 14th. 3DS loyalists have taken an interest in the illustrations, which shows a clamshell design. A display attaches to a device below it, which could be the Switch 2. The original records also suggest that one-half of the contraption would contain an integrated touchscreen.

In the latest pictures, there are at least eight buttons scattered across the connected components. It’s unclear whether these would be used to input commands during games or to detach the screens.

Nintendo tried to replicate the second-screen experience with the Wii U. However, the idea of having to peek at a controller and a TV simultaneously fell flat. That has left fans hoping for a more authentic way to play 3DS games. A screen in the Nintendo patent could display information during gameplay without distracting players.

With the popularity of the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack, gamers are eager to stream their favorite 3DS games. Even so, without an accessory, it will be difficult to replicate the experience of the discontinued handheld. The manufacturer already debuted a modernized GameCube controller, with Nintendo Classics in mind.

A second Switch 2 screen would likely be more expensive than a controller. Still, it could also have more uses with more modern titles. Of course, it’s also possible that the creation will either never surface or appear with a future Nintendo console.