You don’t have to be a games industry insider to know there’s a lot of hype surrounding Nintendo’s next console right now, but the latest development is a very interesting one. It looks like the Nintendo Switch 2 Joy-Cons could be pretty different from those of the current generation, and it might render your current pair obsolete.
According to Spanish outlet Vandal, via VGC, the Switch 2’s Joy-Cons use magnets to attach to the console’s body rather than the rails of the original Switch. That means all those fancy Joy-Cons you own right now could be useless in terms of compatibility with the Switch’s successor, which is especially disappointing for any of us who have steadily built up a pretty impressive collection of Joy-Cons over the last few years. However, the report suggests this shouldn’t be a problem for Pro Controller owners, with the separate controller still compatible with the Switch 2.
The fresh details from Vandal also suggest that the Switch 2 is bigger than the original, though still not quite as large as a Steam Deck. The report doesn’t offer any exact dimensions, but we wouldn’t mind seeing a slight increase in size with the successor to the Nintendo Switch, providing it doesn’t mean a trade-off with quality. We have seen rumors that Nintendo might opt for an LCD display rather than an OLED for the Switch 2, which is a bit of a concern, especially considering how much better the Switch OLED looks compared to the original.
While it’s worth taking this new information with a pinch of salt until we get any official confirmation from Nintendo, it’s also worth pointing out that Vandal, the source in question, has a pretty solid track recording for reporting on Nintendo. It’s also classic Nintendo to shake things up with a new console release, so it wouldn’t be a shock to see even more changes when the Nintendo Switch 2 release date finally rolls around, whenever that may be.
There you have it, the news that it looks like the Switch 2 Joy-Cons could be magnetic instead of adopting the rail system. If you want me, I’ll be pouring one out for my Hori Split Pad Gengar Joy-Cons. You really were the greatest. If this news has you tempted to make the leap to a different handheld, check out our picks for the best portable gaming consoles.