Switch 2 Joy-Con Patent Hints at a Game-Changing Feature—Literally

Nintendo’s latest patent suggests the Switch 2’s Joy-Con might double as a mouse. Yes, you read that right. Your console controller could soon moonlight as a PC peripheral.

The patent, freshly published in the World Intellectual Property Organization database, showcases diagrams of what looks like the right Joy-Con. But here’s where it gets interesting—one diagram shows it being used on its side like a mouse, adding weight to rumours that the Switch 2 will embrace cursor-based controls.

And that’s not all. The patent also reveals an enigmatic pair of controllers that appear to split a standard gamepad in two. Each half features an optical sensor, allowing them to function as—you guessed it—a mouse. Even more intriguing, the documents mention an unseen “attachment part,” suggesting these halves can be snapped together to form a unified controller.

According to the patent description, when combined, these controllers “may be used as an integrated controller held by both hands of the user.” But separately, they could be attached to additional peripherals. What kind? Nintendo, as always, remains tight-lipped.

This patent aligns suspiciously well with the Switch 2 teaser from last month. The footage showed Joy-Cons snapping onto grips, then sliding across a surface like—oh look, a mouse—before seamlessly docking back onto the console. If this wasn’t a wink at its optical sensor tech, then it was the most misleading bit of foreshadowing since The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild made us think weapon durability wouldn’t be a problem.

While we don’t have official confirmation yet, one thing’s for sure—if Nintendo is throwing mouse-like functionality into its Joy-Cons, the Switch 2 could be gearing up for a control scheme that’s as innovative as it is unexpected.