Y’all, I have no idea why we’re just learning this, but the Switch 2 has the capability to connect a third-party USB mouse “seamlessly” in addition to the mouse functionality of its updated Joy-Cons.
The Switch 2’s ability to turn its Joy-Cons into PC gaming mice has been the console’s most conspicuous and interesting feature to me since its reveal, and that weird wheelchair basketball game Drag x Drive, which most of us haven’t had the chance to play, is the only real dedicated proof of concept we know about right now.
Suddenly and without prior notice, I’m now infinitely more intrigued by the Switch 2’s mouse compatibility, as a YouTube video with less than 500 views at the time of writing has casually revealed that the console can hook up to any ol’ mouse as long as it has a USB connection and the game supports this functionality.
Watch On
At right about the 10:27 mark in this Nobunaga’s Ambition: Awakening CE gameplay demo from Koei Tecmo Europe (thanks, Wario64), producer Michi Ryu drops this bombshell (through the video’s English subtitles): “In addition to the mouse operation with the Joy-Con 2, you can also connect a USB mouse and it will work seamlessly.” Ryu adds that a message will appear in the top left side of the screen indicating a successful connection.
Ryu then demonstrates that you can switch between Joy-Con and PC mouse controls interchangeably, remarking that the “switching speed is incredibly fast.”
Whoa, whoa, whoa, why are we talking about this like it’s something Nintendo has already revealed? I’m genuinely baffled that this wasn’t shouted from the rooftops when the darn thing was first announced. My gaming mouse! In my Nintendo!
This feature being extremely uncharacteristic for Nintendo aside, the gameplay implications are massive. I mean, when in Nintendo console history have you been able to just plug in a third-party input device and use it instead of an official or licensed controller? Let alone one as dominant but platform-divorced as the almighty gaming mouse. Never, as far as I can remember.
Not only that, Ryu says “you can use both the mouse and controller simultaneously” for more precise control. This will surely vary game to game, but the potential here is enormous.
I’ve reached out to Nintendo for clarification on how exactly this works and which games will support USB mice, and I’ll update this article if I hear back.
In the meantime, I’ll be thinking about all of the upcoming Switch 2 games I might be able to play with a freakin’ mouse.
