If you watched the Nintendo Switch 2 reveal video, you’ll have spotted what looked like a ‘mouse’ mode for the Joy-Cons.
During the reveal trailer, there's a moment where a pair of detached Joy-Cons are lowered onto a surface, attachment side down. They connect to a pair of connectors that seem to have relatively flat bottoms, and then slide across the surface like a mouse on a mouse pad. If you look closely, you can even see something that looks like a slider pad on the bottom of one of the connectors, leading further credence to the theory.
Rumors had been flying in the lead-up to the Nintendo Switch 2 reveal that this would be possible due to a sensor on the inside of the Joy-Cons similar to the sensor on the bottom of a computer mouse. But thus far, Nintendo hasn't officially confirmed this is true, nor what it would mean if it is.
One of the first upcoming video games that came to mind following the reveal was Firaxis’ Civilization 7. The 4X strategy game is already confirmed as coming to the original Switch, and it’ll no-doubt work on the Switch 2 via backward compatibility. But will there be a bespoke Switch 2 version that takes advantage of the new Joy-Con and lets you play Civilization 7 as if you were using a mouse?
IGN brought up the Switch 2 reveal and that apparent mouse functionality in a recent interview with Civilization 7 lead designer Ed Beach and executive producer Dennis Shirk, and while Beach remained silent, Shirk offered a coy response that is sure to spark even more speculation.
“It is definitely intriguing,” Shirk teased. “You always do some trade-offs when you have to deal with pure console controls. And the announcement has some great stuff in it. I love what they're doing with the controllers. It's all very cool. That's about all I can say about it in terms of an opinion. I think it looks awesome and they're not wrong, so it would be cool for something like that.”
Of course Firaxis isn’t going to announce a Nintendo Switch 2 version of Civilization 7 — it’ll leave that to publisher 2K Games. But with a Switch 2 Direct set for this April, perhaps we will find out either way soon.
For all we don't know about potential mouse support for the Switch 2 (as well as what the mysterious new Joy-Con button does), we do know Nintendo's next-gen console is coming out in 2025 (probably between June and September) and there's a new Mario Kart in the works for it. You can catch up on all our Nintendo Switch 2 coverage right here.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
