Civilization 7 Dev Firaxis Remains Coy on Nintendo Switch 2 ‘Mouse’ Joy-Con

The Nintendo Switch 2 reveal showcased a potential "mouse" mode for the Joy-Cons. A segment in the trailer depicts detached Joy-Cons placed on a surface, connecting to what appear to be flat-bottomed connectors, and then moving like a mouse on a mousepad. A possible slider pad is even visible on one connector.

Pre-reveal rumors suggested this functionality was enabled by a sensor inside the Joy-Cons, similar to those in computer mice. However, Nintendo hasn't officially confirmed this feature or its implications.

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The reveal sparked speculation about how this might affect games like Civilization 7, already confirmed for the original Switch. An IGN interview with Civilization 7's lead designer and executive producer yielded a suggestive response from the executive producer regarding the potential benefits of this Joy-Con functionality: “It is definitely intriguing…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.”

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While Firaxis won't announce a dedicated Switch 2 version of Civilization 7 (that's 2K Games' purview), the April Switch 2 Direct might shed light on this possibility. Despite the uncertainty surrounding mouse support and the new Joy-Con button's function, the Switch 2's 2025 release (likely between June and September) and a new Mario Kart title are confirmed. Further details can be found in our comprehensive Nintendo Switch 2 coverage.