The Nintendo Switch has been around for several years with little change made to the Joy-Cons. Even the Nintendo Switch Lite, which featured built-in Joy-Cons, made few changes to the design, but it looks like that's about to change: a new patent shows some interesting Stylus additions to the Joy-Cons.
Nintendo consoles, handhelds, and games have always pushed the envelope by having unique features. The Nintendo Switch is no different as the first console to be a mixture of handheld and console, as well as using the motion controls in games in new and different ways. Nintendo even filed a patent for bending Joy-Cons back in September 2019. The Switch seems to be continuing its move into new and uncharted territory by adding what looks like Stylus pens to the Joy-Con controllers.
The Joy-Con's Stylus add on seems to be a new type of Joy-Con that can be used as a pen for the Switch's screen. This new Joy-Con looks similar to the old Joy-Cons, but with an additional Stylus attached. The added Stylus could add loads of additional uses to the Joy-Con, expanding the types of games that would be accessible with the Switch. Here's the picture from the patent:
This new Joy-Con design would allow users to draw right on the screen, opening the avenue for doodle games, like the old-school Mario Paint from the SNES. It could even make point-and-click games a little more accessible. This feature seems like it could be a really interesting addition, especially for the Switch's younger fans; Stylus-driven educational games could be a big hit with parents of very young video game enthusiasts.
There is a downside, however, to this patent and those that have come before it; it looks like Nintendo is putting more effort into making new and interesting types of Joy-Cons rather than fixing the problems with the existing ones. While Nintendo has promised to fix drifting Joy-Cons for free, it still feels a little like it is trying to distract the public with new shiny things rather than fixing the problems it already has. Sending in Joy-Cons to Nintendo every time they have to be fixed, especially considering the cost of buying new Joy-Cons, is something that's really weighing down the new Joy-Con hype.
The Nintendo Switch and Switch Lite are widely available at most gaming retailers.
Source: Comicbook.com