Highlights
Nintendo has filed a new patent for a portable gaming device that differs greatly from the original Switch.
Instead of incorporating Joy-Cons, this innovative portable console showcases a joystick, four buttons, and two shoulder buttons. Furthermore, the patent reveals a reorganized design, placing the home and media buttons at the device's lower section.
Rumors of a new Nintendo console have been circulating for some time now, although no official announcement has been made. Industry insiders believe that Nintendo has been quietly developing a successor to its successful hybrid console for years. Some even speculate that the new console may be released as early as next year.
There are various theories on what the new system might entail. Some suggest that the Switch 2 will prioritize power in order to compete with PlayStation and Xbox, while others propose that it will maintain the handheld/home console hybrid design of its predecessor. A recently published Nintendo patent suggests that the latter option may indeed be true.
The patent, filed in late 2022 and published in October of this year, is for a portable gaming device. It includes four illustrations of the potential design for the new console, revealing significant differences from the original Switch. In this new handheld device, the Joy-Cons are replaced by a joystick on the left of the screen and four buttons on the right. Additionally, there are two shoulder buttons on the top of the console.
The bottom of the device is particularly intriguing as it now features the home button. The reasoning behind this relocation is that players will rarely need to use it during gameplay, allowing Nintendo to create more space on the front of the device. The bottom surface also houses the console's USB port on the left, two speakers on either side of the home button, and a button for capturing screenshots and gameplay recordings on the right.
