Will the Switch 2 support your old Joy-Cons? (Picture: ZoneofTech)
New details have seemingly surfaced about Nintendo’s next console, including claims it will support the current Switch Pro controller.
While Nintendo hasn’t officially announced anything about its next console, various reports have given a strong indication of what to expect.
Previous rumours have suggested the Switch successor will be backwards compatible, will feature a bigger 8-inch LCD screen, and will be more an ‘iteration rather than a revolution’ over the original console.
Now, a new report claims to have details around the Switch 2’s Joy-Con functionality, which might spell bad news for anyone who has amassed mountains of Joy-Con over the past eight years.
According to Spanish video game site Vandal, the Switch 2’s Joy-Con controllers will attach to the console magnetically.
Their source is supposedly a manufacturer who has ‘touched’ the console but not seen it, as it was kept in an opaque box at the time.
As weird as that sounds, that’s something Nintendo has done before, most famously with the N64 controller, which was so unusual-looking they didn’t want anyone seeing it until the last minute.
Magnets are the future, apparently (Picture: Nintendo)
Nintendo are well known for their caution and paranoia, when it comes to new products, so this doesn’t guarantee the Switch 2 is as peculiar as the N64 controller but that is certainly now a possibility, implying it is perhaps not the straightforward ‘evolution’ previously thought.
On the current Switch, Joy-Con controllers connect to the main console via rail sliders on either side of the screen, which were prone to some wear and tear. If the next console uses a magnetic connection though, it’s unclear if the old Joy-Cons will be compatible.
The same outlet claims the current Switch Pro controller will work with the new console though, so it’s possible the old Joy-Cons will be able to connect wirelessly at least.
How weird is the Switch 2 going to be? (Picture: Alamy Stock Photo) (Credits: Alamy Stock Photo)
Vandal has a strong track record for accurate leaks on console specifications. Back in 2021, the outlet leaked some of the features around the Switch OLED from a similar source, which turned out to be true, so it’s likely these details are also accurate.
Earlier this year, it was reported that Nintendo’s next console had been delayed from 2024 to March 2025. According to various sources, it’s believed Nintendo pushed the console back in order to launch with a stronger line-up of first party software.
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The biggest question is when Nintendo will actually reveal the Switch successor. The company recently confirmed it won’t be present at Gamescom in August, so if the console is coming out in March next year, it could follow the pattern of the original Switch – which was revealed in October prior to launching in March 2017.
With the Switch 2 seemingly on the horizon, Nintendo’s 2024 line-up of software is expected to be quite slim – with only remasters of Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door and Luigi’s Mansion 2 known to be in the pipeline at the moment.
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