Summary
A new, first-party Joy-Con charging stand has been revealed for theNintendo Switch, but this late in the Switch’s lifespan, alongside certain rumors, make it a potential early accessory designed to also accompany the Switch’s upcoming successor. In May 2024, after numerous rumors,Nintendo finally confirmed a new consoleis being developed, and will be revealed before the end of the current fiscal year.Games revealed at the June 2024 Nintendo Directhave essentially set the slate for the Switch’s swan song, but Nintendo appears to be smartly planning ahead for its next, high-anticipated hardware.
The Switch’s successor, colloquially known as the Switch 2 until Nintendo reveals an official name, is still virtually a complete mystery. It’s expected to havebackward compatibility with Switch games, boast significantly improved specs, and follow the same form factor – being a hybrid home and portable console – but these are effectively rumors until Nintendo decides to unveil it. A Nintendo-branded Joy-Con charger is an odd addition to the Switch’s peripheral lineup at this time, butit does fit conveniently with another expected Switch 2 feature.
Nintendo’s New Joy-Con Charger Won’t Work With The Rumored Switch 2 Controllers
The new Joy-Con Charging Stand (two-way) – Nintendo’s parenthetical, seemingly part of the product’s full name – was revealed via theNintendo of AmericaX (formerly Twitter) account. The device itself looks rather useful, shown connected to the Switch dock via a USB cable, and able to charge two Joy-Cons at the same time. It even mimics Nintendo’s official Joy-Con controller grip, and appears to separate from its stand to lay flat.This electronic niche is one Nintendo had previously left to third-party manufacturers, which makes the reveal of a first-party charging stand at least notable, and somewhat mysterious.
This late in the Switch’s lifespan, Nintendo’s own charger is arguably redundant to those that have been on the market for years. Even stranger,it won’t work with the Switch 2’s Joy-Cons if rumors turn out to be correct.Joy-Cons for the Switch 2 are expected to use magnetsto attach to the console, rather than the rails that the Switch employs. It’s an interesting idea, but at first glance, it makes Nintendo’s new charging station even stranger, as it clearly also utilizes the rail system of the current Joy-Con iteration. This may be by design, however, and might actually be a very practical move on Nintendo’s part.
Nintendo Switch 2 Is Expected To Be Backwards Compatible With Joy-Cons As Well
Without Rails, It Can’t Charge Old Joy-Cons
Another common rumor surrounding the mysterious next Nintendo console claims it will be backward compatible with the original, magnet-less Joy-Cons. It makes sense; if the form factor is the same, and games are backwards compatible, the button configuration on the new Joy-Cons are likely to be very similar, if not the exact same. If the Switch 2 uses magnets to attach its Joy-Cons, however, this causes an issue with charging. The most basic way to charge Joy-Con batteries is simply to slide them onto the Switch itself while it’s docked or plugged in.Charging them any other way requires a peripheral, which, up until October 17 when the new Joy-Con Charging Stand is released, Nintendo doesn’t have.
Even if the new console is compatible with old Joy-Cons, this would make them almost obsolete, with consumers completely reliant on third-party products.Nintendo has already caught a lot of flak from Switch users over the Joy-Cons' stick drift, and if old Joy-Cons can be used with the Switch 2, this may ensure at least some good will is earned by the company. Joy-Cons are already expensive, typically retailing for $80 a pair, so ensuring Nintendo has its own product to keep them viable in the next console generation may be a clever way to avoid some harsh criticism.
Nintendo often repairs Joy-Con drift for free in many countries. Requesting a repair and acquiring a shipping label can be done throughNintendo’s Customer Support site.
Demand for old Joy-Con chargers may sharply decline once the Switch 2 has been widely adopted, and Nintendo may suspect this will lead to other manufacturers abandoning charging stations. This is likely a problem Nintendo couldn’t have predicted when it first decided not to release a proprietary Joy-Con charging stand, but is now making sure Joy-Cons are future-proofed. From another perspective, this may also help cut down on the amount of electronic waste disposed of in the wake of the Switch 2’s release – if players can still use their Switch Joy-Cons, there’s no need to get rid of them.
While the Joy-Con Charging Stand is clearly a Switch product first and foremost, and is being marketed as such, its existence aligns quite conveniently with a lot of rumors swirling about the Switch 2. This is all purely speculation until the console is actually revealed, but Nintendo planning ahead wouldn’t be surprising – the company similarly brought the Wii Remote forward into the Wii U generation. Nintendo will want to repeat theNintendo Switch’s success with its next console, and such products can help consumers make the transition.
Nintendo Switch
The Nintendo Switch is the successor to 2012’s Wii U console. The Nintendo Switch allows gamers to easily switch between playing on a TV to a handheld console. The first model was released in 2017, followed by the Nintendo Switch Lite, which is strictly a handheld console. In October 2021, Nintendo released an upgraded Switch console with an OLED screen.
