There is a new leak out today about a Nintendo Patent for Joy-Con controllers that has many fans and reporters scratching their heads. It is actually quite hard to figure out exactly what the updated Joy-Con is and what the new feature is intended to do even though the patents come with multiple drawings depicting the updates.
The Joy-Con patent shows a Joy-Con attached to a Switch with an added feature: a small hatch on the top of the controller. Of course, this has caused a collection of confusion and excitement. Just exactly what is it? The patent was originally filed in Japan and while the hinges seem to make sense in context of the drawings, we still are not sure why Nintendo needs new patents.
https://youtu.be/3c6MWsEE884
Here is a more descriptive explanation of just what is going on here. The patent includes three images depicting two Joy-Con controllers with a more ergonomic handheld shape. Instead of just being a flat brick, the top of the controller actually “leans” forward, away from the player, and allows a more comfortable place for the thumbs. The palm will rest on the flat part of the controller.
The hinges, then, will be right next to the thumb and are used to lock and unlock the controller from the main housing unit of the Switch. Essentially, this controller would be used for people who want to get a better grip on the Switch and plan to be moving it around a lot.
The hinge also allows the controller to be made straight or curved. So when the player detaches the Joy-Con, they can make the controller flat again so it continues to have the same functionality the normal Joy-Con has for multiplayer functionality. That is, of course, really cool.
Now comes the hard part. What could this patent mean? The secret for patents is to remember that patents never mean anything for sure.
Nintendo might be patenting this idea because they might want to use it later. But that does not mean they plan on using it all. So do not get too excited about the new controller just yet.
But still, could this controller be a sign of the legendary Switch Pro that many fans swear is secretly in the works? It is possible. Another possibility is that Nintendo intends to create a new Joy-Con accessory to sell to gamers. This is probably a more likely choice here.
The only way to find out for sure is to keep watching Nintendo in the coming weeks and months. If this ends up going anywhere, we will find out about it pretty soon.
