After a flood of Nintendo Switch 2 leaks to close out 2024, we are learning even more about the unannounced console in the first two weeks of January. Days after a Nintendo patent potentially revealed how 4K games will be made possible on the Switch 2, a leak from China has given us our best look yet at the next-gen Joy-Con controllers.
As you can tell from the photos below (first shared on Reddit), the new Joy-Con looks similar to all the leaks and mockups we’ve seen in recent weeks. The controller itself is matte black, while the magnetic rail that will connect to the Switch 2 is bright blue.
Comparing this to an original Joy-Con controller, the SL and SR buttons are substantially larger, which might make this update more usable as a daily driver. It’s also a bit larger overall to match the increased size of the Switch 2 over its predecessor.
But the size and color scheme of the new Joy-Con isn’t the real story here.
As many people noticed, there appears to be an optical sensor just to the right of the SL button. We have no idea what that sensor would be used for (or if this controller is even legitimate), but if the updated Joy-Con does feature an optical sensor, it could theoretically double as a mouse. There’s precedent for this, too, as Nintendo Life notes. The Lenovo Legion Go has detachable gamepads that can be used like a mouse for more precise control.
Here’s what it might look like, as demonstrated by Universo Nintendo’s Felipe Lima:
This also lines up with the Reddit leak from u/NextHandheld last month. At the time, he claimed that there would be “a surprise feature” on top of the Joy-Con when detached from the console. When asked about the surprise, he said: “Think lasers.”
