Switch 2 leaks point to controllers that work like computer mice

Here at Ars, we’re judicious about which of the many, many Switch 2 rumors we decide to highlight on this page. For every report on hardware power or magnetic Joy-Cons that we share, there are probably five others we see and decide are too lightly sourced, too unlikely, or just too plain obscure to spread here.

But when we started hearing reports that the Switch 2’s Joy-Cons could be cradled on their sides and manipulated like a full-fledged gaming mouse, we knew the concept was one you’d want to hear about.

Rumor: More images of Switch 2 Joy-Cons have immerged from China.

Source: https://t.co/MplOUwKhRi pic.twitter.com/5ZdFmVlggl

— Stealth (@Stealth40k) January 5, 2025

The rumors of mouse-like functionality on the Switch 2’s included controllers got supercharged over the weekend when a Reddit poster shared detailed photos of purported Switch 2 Joy-Cons, sourced from an unnamed Chinese social media user. In between the longer shoulder buttons along the Joy-Con’s inner edge (SL and SR) and a new central connector port, eagle-eyed viewers noticed what looks suspiciously like the optical sensor that sits on the bottom of practically every mouse these days.

That could suggest a mode where you stand the controller up vertically against a hard surface and slide it around like a mouse. The layout would even allow a user to put a thumb on the face buttons and an index finger on the shoulder buttons for various “click” functions.