Nintendo rips off Playdate console in patent for new Switch 2 accessory
The Joy-Cons on the original Switch received several accessories over the years but, other than the steering wheel, most of them were sensible additions like charging grips and wrist straps.
You might've expected more, considering how versatile the controllers are, and the same could be said for the Switch 2's improved Joy-Con 2, which possess all the same features but add mouse controls and magnetic connections.
While Nintendo has likely experimented with various obscure accessories over the years, we now have evidence of at least two up for consideration – and one of them will look familiar to anyone who has ever clamped eyes on a Playdate.
As spotted by Nintendo Patents Watch on Bluesky, Nintendo filed a patent for an attachable crank for the Joy-Con 2 in February last year. The patent, which was made public on August 7, 2025, shows a rotary disc which is tracked by the mouse sensor.
It's connected to the Joy-Con 2 via the controller's magnets, much like the mouse wrist strap bundled with the Nintendo Switch 2.
The Playdate portable console has a very similar looking crank and various games on the console use it as a controller.
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It's unclear though, if this does materialise as a product, if it will be used for a similarly wide range of uses on the Switch 2 – or if it will simply become a fishing novelty in the next Animal Crossing.
Another patent shows some kind of clickable wheel, where the rotation is tracked by the mouse sensor via a sequence of gears. The wheel itself clicks into the SL button, while a second button is hooked up to the SR button. More Trending
The wheel would presumably allow for more precise control when it comes to scrolling with the mouse, but it could also function like a camera where you click in to take photos.
The existence of these patents doesn't necessarily mean they will become mass market products, but they certainly feel very Nintendo. As a reminder, this is the same company who released a toy range for the Switch made entirely from cardboard.
Beyond potential Joy-Con attachments, Nintendo's focus right now is probably on nailing down release dates for its first party line-up. After two Nintendo Direct presentations over recent weeks, we still don't have dates for Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, Kirby Air Riders, or Hyrule Warriors: Age Of Imprisonment.
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