It seems like the Switch 2 will have way more features and ways to be used...
About a month ago, rumors began circulating that the Switch 2’s new Joy-Cons might function like a computer mouse by gliding across a flat surface – especially after we saw the controllers sliding and drifting (no, not THAT kind of drifting...) in the first trailer for Nintendo's new console.
Now, a recently published patent appears to confirm this feature and provides details on how it works.
A Computer Mouse – And Beyond
Originally filed with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in January 2023, the international patent was only made public on WIPO's website this past Thursday.
Written in Japanese, the patent includes illustrations that align perfectly with previous leaks of the Switch 2 Joy-Cons. An accompanying English abstract describes "a sensor for mouse operation" capable of "detecting reflected light from a surface, with the light changing as it moves over it"—a mechanism similar to that of an optical mouse. The schematics further reveal how a built-in lens, light source, and sensor are integrated within the Joy-Con to enable this functionality.
A machine translation of the full patent text describes the controller as "a novel input device that can be used as a mouse and for purposes beyond a mouse." In mouse mode, as outlined in the patent, the user grips the outer edge of the controller with their palm while resting the inner edge "on a desk or a similar surface," allowing for smooth movement and control.
Use The Joy-Cons Together Or Independently Of Each Other
According to the patent, two Joy-Cons can be used simultaneously as mice—one in each hand—or alternatively, one can function as a mouse while the other is held vertically like a traditional Switch Joy-Con. Interestingly, the patent also suggests that mouse mode might remain functional even when the controller hovers up to 1 cm above the surface, which is notably on the higher end of the lift-off distances seen in high-end PC gaming mice.
While the other details of the Joy-Cons and gaming device described in the patent closely align with what we know about the Switch 2, it’s important to remember that the final hardware may differ from these early patent descriptions.
Notably, the patent does not mention the stabilizing mounts that were seen clicking onto the edge of the Joy-Con before the mouse-like sliding section was showcased in last month’s first-look trailer.
Are you excited for the Switch 2? What other functions would you like the console to have?