Patent Confirms Nintendo Switch 2 Has Mouse Controls

The recent unveiling of the Nintendo Switch 2 came with a trailer that showcased, among other things, what looked to be a new control scheme for the console’s Joy-Con controllers.

In it, the pair of Joy-Cons briefly raced each other across a hard surface Tron-bike style, trailing their wrist straps like tails. The whole thing made them look a lot like computer mice, and it was broadly assumed that this hinted at mouse controls for the Nintendo Switch 2.

Today, a patent has surfaced that looks to confirm these theories. It describes an “input device” that certainly reads like what people have speculated on.

It even comes with an image featuring a hand holding a Joy-Con exactly like you’d expect for mouse controls.

And we also have the written patent description in English, per Polygon:

“This input device comprises a front surface, an upper surface, a first side surface, a second side surface, a direction input unit, a first upper surface button, and a sensor for mouse operation.”

“Mouse operation” sounds pretty definitive, and the patent description goes on to illustrate things in even more detail.

“The sensor for mouse operation detects reflected light from a detected surface, the light changing by moving over the detected surface in a state in which either the first side surface or the second side surface is placed on the detected surface.”

Writing this on desktop, I couldn’t help but turn my mouse over to see that red light sensor, working like a charm as always.

Is Anything Else Needed To Enable Nintendo Switch 2 Mouse Controls?

In the Nintendo Switch 2’s trailer, just as the controllers fly away to demonstrate another feature, one can briefly spot a peripheral device that each Joy-Con sat in for their ride across the table.

Presumably, this is a protective thing for the device – no such extra tool exists in the patent image, so mouse controls may work without them. But they could also be necessary add-ons, so be aware that the Nintendo Switch 2 may not enable mouse controls by default.

If there is an extra device needed to make this all work, it likely won’t be super expensive. Nintendo has said they intend to prioritize affordability with this new release, but we won’t get any hard confirmation on that until we start seeing price tags.

And of course, Nintendo fully intends to keep selling Switch 1 consoles until demand dries up. So if gaming on a budget is your priority, you’ll likely see some hefty price drops on the old hardware once the new console launches.

Discounts on Switch 1 games are a bit less likely, if the Switch 2 proves to be as backwards-compatible as people expect.

But that’s a tangent – at this point, mouse controls look to be beyond speculation here. It’s not an “if” anymore; it’s a matter of “when”, “for how much”, and “for which games” now. All those questions are likely to be answered before launch – another “when” to add to the pile.