The recent Nintendo Switch 2 reveal sparked considerable excitement, particularly a glimpse of what appeared to be a “mouse” mode for the Joy-Cons. The trailer showed detached Joy-Cons placed on a surface, connecting to what seemed like flat-bottomed adapters. These then glided across the surface, mimicking mouse movement. A potential slider pad on the adapter further fueled this speculation. Pre-reveal rumors hinted at a sensor within the Joy-Cons, similar to those found in computer mice, enabling this functionality. However, Nintendo has yet to officially confirm this feature or its implications.
Nintendo Switch 2 - First Look
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News of this potential mouse functionality immediately brought to mind upcoming titles like Firaxis’ *Civilization 7*. Already confirmed for the original Switch (and thus likely backward compatible with the Switch 2), the question arose: would a dedicated Switch 2 version leverage this new Joy-Con functionality, offering mouse-like control for a more familiar strategy gaming experience?
IGN posed this question to *Civilization 7* lead designer Ed Beach and executive producer Dennis Shirk. While Beach remained tight-lipped, Shirk offered an intriguing, if somewhat cryptic, response:
“It is definitely intriguing,” Shirk teased. “You always do some trade-offs when you have to deal with pure console controls. And the announcement has some great stuff in it. I love what they're doing with the controllers. It's all very cool. That's about all I can say about it in terms of an opinion. I think it looks awesome and they're not wrong, so it would be cool for something like that.”
AnswerSee ResultsWhile Firaxis itself is unlikely to announce a dedicated Switch 2 version of *Civilization 7* (leaving that to publisher 2K Games), the upcoming April Switch 2 Direct may shed more light on this possibility. Although much remains unknown about the potential mouse support and the function of the new Joy-Con button, we do know the Switch 2 is slated for a 2025 release (likely between June and September), and a new *Mario Kart* title is in the works.
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