This new Switch 2 Joy-Con patent is perplexing – who on Earth would need it?

Just a few weeks ago, Nintendo teased gamers with a first glimpse trailer showing off the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 console, but it seems in all of the excitement – we all missed a pretty obvious new Joy-Con feature that was revealed.

About 1 minute and 15 seconds into the trailer, the new sleek black Joy-Cons can be seen gliding across the surface SL and SR buttons face-down, and with the thin wrist straps trailing behind them in the same way you might picture a mouse running with its long tail. See where I'm going with this?

Basically, it's been all but confirmed that the new Nintendo Switch Joy-Cons will have mouse-like functionality, with filed Nintendo patents surfacing online in the last few days that support this claim. The patents published by WIPO depict a series of diagrams and drawings (see below) that show how this mouse functionality will work for the Joy-Cons. It seems that the controller triggers are clickable, with fingers shown placed on the R and ZR buttons, while the thumb rests on the joystick.

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I have to say, this doesn't look very comfortable to use or ergonomic from the images above. I can't imagine using a Joy-Con sideways as a mouse, especially given how thin they typically are (at least the old style). Other than for PC-style gameplay and first-person shooter titles, I honestly can't see this being a very popular or useful feature for Switch gamers (though I could be wrong).

As far as I can tell from the patents, the mouse functionality won't be limited to just one Joy-Con either, as both are shown being used at the same time, as well as one Joy-Con in the mouse position and the other held upright in one diagram.

The WIPO patents also hint at some other new Nintendo accessories that we could see for the Switch 2, including what looks like a more beefy Pro controller, and a new charging dock design suggests that Joy-Cons might charge face-down from now on. I really hope that more Joy-Con alternatives pop up for the Switch 2, as I prefer lightweight controllers with Hall Effect sticks personally.

There's still a while to wait yet until we get any more official details on the Switch 2 launch (Nintendo has scheduled its Direct event for April 2, 2025), but make sure you register your interest in the console early to beat the digital queues and be the first to preorder once links go live.

What do you make of these published patents? Could you see yourself using a Joy-Con in the style of a computer mouse? Let us know in the comments below. Not interested in the Switch 2? Check out the best current Nintendo Switch deals available now instead.