Firaxis Hints at 'Mouse' Joy-Con for Nintendo Switch 2 in Civilization 7

If you caught the Nintendo Switch 2 reveal video, you might have noticed what appeared to be a 'mouse' mode for the Joy-Cons. During the trailer, there's a scene where a pair of detached Joy-Cons are lowered onto a surface, attachment side down. They connect to a pair of connectors with flat bottoms and then glide across the surface, much like a mouse on a mouse pad. A closer look reveals something that resembles a slider pad on the bottom of one of the connectors, adding weight to the speculation.

Prior to the reveal, rumors circulated about the possibility of this feature, fueled by the idea of a sensor inside the Joy-Cons similar to those found in computer mice. However, Nintendo has yet to confirm these speculations officially or elaborate on what this feature might entail.

Nintendo Switch 2 - First Look

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One of the first games that sprang to mind after the reveal was Firaxis' Civilization 7. Confirmed for the original Switch and likely playable on the Switch 2 through backward compatibility, the question arises: will there be a version tailored for the Switch 2 that utilizes this new Joy-Con feature, allowing players to control Civilization 7 as if using a mouse?

In a recent IGN interview discussing the Switch 2 reveal and its potential mouse functionality, Civilization 7 lead designer Ed Beach remained silent, while executive producer Dennis Shirk offered a teasing response. "It is definitely intriguing," Shirk said. "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."

Firaxis isn't likely to announce a Nintendo Switch 2 version of Civilization 7 directly; that would be up to their publisher, 2K Games. However, with a Switch 2 Direct scheduled for April, we may soon learn more.

While we're still in the dark about potential mouse support for the Switch 2 and the function of the mysterious new Joy-Con button, we do know that Nintendo's next-gen console is slated for a 2025 release (likely between June and September), and a new Mario Kart game is in development for it. Stay tuned to our comprehensive Nintendo Switch 2 coverage for the latest updates.