New Nintendo Switch 2 Joy-Con Patents Reveal Magnetic Attachment and Mouse Functionality
While Nintendo remains tight-lipped about the Switch 2's specifics, recently surfaced patents strongly suggest significant Joy-Con upgrades. Reports of magnetic attachment and mouse-like functionality are now largely confirmed by these filings.
A Nintendo patent describes a game controller with magnetic mounting: "This game controller is detachably mounted to a body device...comprising a first magnet and a second magnet...that can execute game processing." The patent further clarifies that two buttons must be pressed simultaneously for detachment, each magnetically linked to a corresponding magnet in the Switch 2 console.
The patent illustrations reveal a novel mouse-like function. Holding the Joy-Con sideways, the R1 and R2 buttons function as left and right mouse clicks, with joystick movements potentially providing scrolling capabilities. The patent depicts both dual-mouse and single-mouse (one Joy-Con as mouse, the other as standard controller) configurations.
The magnetic Joy-Con attachment was an early Switch 2 leak, while the mouse functionality emerged later. However, a January teaser subtly hinted at this feature, showcasing Joy-Cons smoothly moving across a surface.
For a comprehensive overview of current Switch 2 information, consult our detailed analysis. Mark your calendars for April 2nd, 2025, when Nintendo's Switch 2 Direct will officially unveil all the details.
Nintendo Switch 2 Joy-Con patent includes illustrations for the mouse functionality. More images in the link https://t.co/13ZNQtOMqF pic.twitter.com/ey3ufRUWZE
— Wario64 (@Wario64) February 6, 2025