New Patent Confirms Nintendo Switch 2 Joy-Con Features

The Nintendo Switch 2 is creating quite a buzz, and while the overall design may seem familiar, it's the revamped Joy-Cons that are turning heads, as revealed by recent patents. Although Nintendo hasn't officially confirmed these details yet, reports have been circulating that the Switch 2 Joy-Cons will feature magnetic attachments and could even function as a computer mouse. These changes are now backed by a series of patents from Nintendo, offering a closer look at the innovative magnetic and mouse-like capabilities.

According to the patent, "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." The patent further explains that to detach the Joy-Cons from the Switch 2, two buttons on the top surface of the controller's protrusion must be pressed. "The first button and the second button are provided in the longitudinal direction in the top surface of the protrusion," it states. "The first button is attracted to the first magnet by a magnetic force. The second button is attracted to the second magnet by a magnetic force."

The patent also includes illustrations demonstrating how the Joy-Cons can be used as a mouse. In this configuration, the player holds the controller railside down, utilizing the shoulder buttons as mouse buttons. Specifically, the R1 and R2 buttons function as the left and right mouse buttons, respectively, with potential scrolling capabilities through the joysticks.

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

Further illustrations reveal that the mouse-like function can be utilized in various configurations, such as using both Joy-Cons as dual mice or combining one as a mouse with the other as a traditional game controller.

The magnetic attachment system for the Joy-Cons was among the earliest rumors to surface about the Switch 2, while the mouse functionality emerged later and has yet to be officially confirmed. However, a teaser released by Nintendo in January subtly hinted at this feature by showing the Joy-Cons gliding across a surface like a computer mouse.

For a comprehensive overview of everything we know about the Nintendo Switch 2, check out our detailed breakdown here. Mark your calendars for April 2, 2025, as Nintendo plans to unveil all the official details during a Nintendo Switch 2 Direct. Stay tuned for more exciting updates!