New Nintendo Switch 2 Patents Reveal Magnetic Joy-Cons and Mouse Functionality
While Nintendo remains tight-lipped about the Switch 2's official specs, recently surfaced patents paint a clearer picture of its innovative Joy-Con design. Reports suggesting magnetic attachment and mouse functionality are now strongly supported by these filings.
The patents describe a game controller with magnetic attachment to the console. Specifically, "This game controller is detachably mounted to a body device that has a recess, that comprises a first magnet and a second magnet at the bottom of the recess, and that can execute game processing." Two buttons, aligned longitudinally on the Joy-Con's top, are required for detachment, each magnetically interacting with a corresponding magnet in the console.
Furthermore, the patents illustrate a novel mouse-like functionality. Holding the Joy-Con sideways, the R1 and R2 buttons mimic left and right mouse clicks, with joystick movements potentially providing scrolling capabilities. Illustrations depict both dual-mouse and single-mouse (one Joy-Con as mouse, the other as a standard controller) configurations.
The magnetic attachment was an early leak, but the mouse function is a more recent revelation, although hinted at in a January teaser showing Joy-Cons smoothly gliding across a surface.
For a comprehensive overview of current Switch 2 information, see our detailed breakdown. Mark your calendars: a Nintendo Switch 2 Direct is scheduled for April 2, 2025, promising official confirmation of these and other features.
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
