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

If you tuned into the Nintendo Switch 2 reveal video, you might have caught a glimpse of what appears to be a 'mouse' mode for the Joy-Cons. In a striking scene from the trailer, a pair of detached Joy-Cons are shown being lowered onto a surface, attachment side down. They connect to a set of connectors with seemingly flat bases, and then glide across the surface much like a mouse on a mouse pad. A closer look reveals a slider pad on the bottom of one connector, adding weight to the speculation about a mouse-like functionality.

Prior to the reveal, rumors circulated about the possibility of this feature, suggesting that the Joy-Cons might incorporate a sensor akin to those found in computer mice. However, Nintendo has yet to officially confirm these speculations or elaborate on what this could mean for gamers.

Nintendo Switch 2 - First Look

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Following the reveal, one game that immediately sprang to mind was Firaxis’ Civilization 7. Already slated for release on the original Switch, it's expected to be compatible with the Switch 2 through backward compatibility. The big question, however, is whether there will be a version tailored for the Switch 2 that could leverage the new Joy-Con’s potential mouse-like controls, enhancing the gameplay experience to feel more like using a traditional mouse.

In a recent IGN interview with Civilization 7's lead designer Ed Beach and executive producer Dennis Shirk, the topic of the Switch 2's apparent mouse functionality came up. While Beach stayed silent, Shirk's response was teasingly vague, stoking further speculation. “It is definitely intriguing,” Shirk commented. “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.”

While Firaxis isn't ready to announce a Nintendo Switch 2 version of Civilization 7, leaving that to publisher 2K Games, the upcoming Switch 2 Direct in April might shed more light on this. As we await more details on potential mouse support 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. Additionally, a new Mario Kart game is in development for the Switch 2. For comprehensive coverage on the Nintendo Switch 2, you can catch up on all our updates right here.