New Joy-Con Feature Revealed in Nintendo Switch 2 Trailer
About 1 minute and 15 seconds into the trailer, the new sleek black Joy-Cons can be seen gliding across the surface SL and SR buttons face-down, and with the thin wrist straps trailing behind them in the same way you might picture a mouse running with its long tail. See where I’m going with this?
Mouse-Like Functionality Confirmed
Basically, it’s been all but confirmed that the new Nintendo Switch Joy-Cons will have mouse-like functionality, with filed Nintendo patents surfacing online in the last few days that support this claim. The patents published by WIPO depict a series of diagrams and drawings (see below) that show how this mouse functionality will work for the Joy-Cons.
How it Works
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(Image credit: WIPO)
I have to say, this doesn’t look very comfortable to use or ergonomic from the images above. I can’t imagine using a Joy-Con sideways as a mouse, especially given how thin they typically are (at least the old style). Other than for PC-style gameplay and first-person shooter titles, I honestly can’t see this being a very popular or useful feature for Switch gamers (though I could be wrong).
Multi-Joy-Con Support
As far as I can tell from the patents, the mouse functionality won’t be limited to just one Joy-Con either, as both are shown being used at the same time, as well as one Joy-Con in the mouse position and the other held upright in one diagram.
New Accessories
The WIPO patents also hint at some other new Nintendo accessories that we could see for the Switch 2, including what looks like a more beefy Pro controller, and a new charging dock design suggests that Joy-Cons might charge face-down from now on. I really hope that more Joy-Con alternatives pop up for the Switch 2, as I prefer lightweight controllers with Hall Effect sticks personally.
Conclusion
The mouse-like functionality on the new Joy-Cons is an interesting development, but it remains to be seen how well it will be received by gamers. Only time will tell if this feature will be a hit or a miss.
FAQs
Q: Will the mouse functionality be limited to one Joy-Con?
A: No, according to the patents, the mouse functionality won’t be limited to just one Joy-Con, as both are shown being used at the same time.
Q: Will the mouse functionality be comfortable to use?
A: The images above suggest that the mouse functionality may not be very comfortable to use or ergonomic, especially given how thin the Joy-Cons typically are.
Q: Will the mouse functionality be useful for Switch gamers?
A: Other than for PC-style gameplay and first-person shooter titles, I honestly can’t see this being a very popular or useful feature for Switch gamers (though I could be wrong).
