Firaxis Teases Civilization 7 on Nintendo Switch 2 'Mouse' Joy-Con

If you tuned into the Nintendo Switch 2 reveal video, you might have caught a glimpse of what appears to be a 'mouse' mode for the Joy-Cons. During the trailer, a scene shows a pair of detached Joy-Cons being placed attachment side down on a surface. They connect to a set of connectors with seemingly flat bottoms and then glide across the surface, reminiscent of a mouse on a mousepad. A closer look reveals what looks like a slider pad on one of the connectors, lending further credence to the idea of a mouse-like functionality.

Rumors had been swirling before the reveal that this feature might be possible thanks to a sensor inside the Joy-Cons, akin to those found in computer mice. However, Nintendo has yet to officially confirm this feature or its implications.

Nintendo Switch 2 - First Look

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One of the first games that came to mind after the reveal was Firaxis' Civilization 7. Already confirmed for the original Switch and likely playable on the Switch 2 through backward compatibility, the question arises: Will there be a version specifically tailored for the Switch 2, leveraging the new Joy-Con features to allow gameplay akin to using a mouse?

IGN recently discussed the Switch 2 reveal and its apparent mouse functionality in an interview with Civilization 7's lead designer Ed Beach and executive producer Dennis Shirk. While Beach remained silent, Shirk offered a tantalizing hint: "It is definitely intriguing," he said. "You always do some trade-offs when you have to deal with pure console controls. And the announcement has some great stuff in it. I love what they're doing with the controllers. It's all very cool. That's about all I can say about it in terms of an opinion. I think it looks awesome and they're not wrong, so it would be cool for something like that."

Of course, Firaxis isn't going to announce a Nintendo Switch 2 version of Civilization 7 just yet—that responsibility falls to publisher 2K Games. However, with a Switch 2 Direct scheduled for April, we might get some clarity soon.

While we still have much to learn about the potential mouse support for the Switch 2, as well as the purpose of the mysterious new Joy-Con button, we do know that Nintendo's next-gen console is slated for a 2025 release (likely between June and September) and that a new Mario Kart game is in development for it. You can catch up on all our Nintendo Switch 2 coverage right here.