Switch 2 reportedly replaces slide-in Joy-Cons with magnetic attachment

Design choice may have implications for current Joy-Con compatibility.

The iconic slide-in "click" of the Switch Joy-Cons may be replaced with a magnetic attachment mechanism in the Switch 2, according to a report from Spanish-language gaming news site Vandal.

The site notes that this new design could make direct Switch 2 backward compatibility with existing Switch Joy-Cons "difficult." Even so, we can envision some sort of optional magnetic shim that could make older Joy-Cons attachable with the new system's magnetic connection points. Current Switch Pro Controllers, which do not physically attach to the Switch, should be fully compatible with the Switch 2, according to the report.

Vandal cites several unnamed accessory and peripheral makers who reportedly got to touch the new console inside of an opaque box, which was used to balance design secrecy with the need to provide general knowledge of the unit's dimensions. According to those sources, the Switch 2 will be "larger than the Switch, although without reaching the size of the Steam Deck."

In 2021, Vandal accurately reported some early details of the Switch OLED design shortly before the upgraded console's launch, lending some credence to new Switch 2 reports from the same outlet.

Pick a controller and stick with it

Nintendo has a spotty history with forward-compatibility of controllers on its recent consoles. The company went out of its way to ensure that GameCube controllers worked on the Wii (and the Wii U, to a limited extent), while the Wii U was largely built around compatibility with existing Wii Remotes and control accessories. For the Switch, on the other hand, Nintendo has released a number of limited-edition retro-styled controllers specifically for use with classic Nintendo Switch Online games.

Microsoft has made a point of highlighting that the Xbox Series S/X works with all standard Xbox One controllers (not you, Kinect). PS4 owners, meanwhile, had to purchase new DualSense controllers to use on the PS5.

Regarding software, Nintendo has offered only vague answers on whether the upcoming Switch 2 will be compatible with the thousands of games designed for the current Switch generation. However, some reports suggest that developers are already testing this kind of backward compatibility on Nintendo's upcoming hardware.

In February, numerous reports suggested that Nintendo was targeting an early 2025 launch for the Switch 2 to give developers more time to create a strong software launch for the unannounced console. Earlier reports suggested the new hybrid console will sport a larger 8-inch screen and could support DLSS upscaling on Ampere-based Nvidia processors.