Nintendo Has Some Other Hardware Cooking That’s Not the Switch 2

Nintendo spent years keeping the Switch 2 console nether wraps. It took months of badgering earlier the Japanese gaming monolith finally confirmed it had caller hardware successful the works. As overmuch arsenic we privation the speculation would end, a caller filing with the U.S. Federal Communications Commission seems to hint there’s much hardware connected the mode that whitethorn beryllium an upcoming accessory for the console—or thing other entirely.

Nintendo filed an application with the FCC connected Friday, Sept. 20. The FCC requires companies to get authorization for caller devices that volition usage wireless technology. Unfortunately, nary of the exertion documents stock overmuch successful the mode of details. It’s not listed arsenic a crippled console, but alternatively a “wireless device.” What we bash cognize is that the FCC’s required notation volition look “in a slump country connected the bottom” of the device, according to 1 of the filings.

It doesn’t look to beryllium a high-powered device. Instead, the filing notes it volition person a 24GHz mmWave sensor. It’s a benignant of radar that tin observe the beingness of an entity wrong a comparatively wide country astir a device, whether stationary oregon successful motion. That could beryllium utilized to crook connected a console, possibly a Switch 2, erstwhile you get adjacent enough. Such a sensor mightiness besides beryllium capable to admit gestures. 

As archetypal noted by The Verge, it won’t enactment Bluetooth, which hints it’s not immoderate benignant of wireless controller. There’s nary motion of a 5 GHz oregon 6 GHz radio, which would beryllium a basal request for immoderate instrumentality looking for a speedy WiFi connection. That means it’s astir apt not a console. It volition alternatively enactment a 2.4 GHz WiFi antenna, the bare minimum for modern WiFi standards. The console supports a WLAN and 24 GHz transceiver. 

Our conjecture is that it’s a peripheral of immoderate benignant for the Switch 2. The archetypal console came with a docking station, but possibly the caller mentation volition merchantability it separately similar today’s Steam Deck oregon Lenovo Legion Go. Nintendo would astir apt adhd immoderate other enactment capabilities to marque it worthy spending other cash. My archetypal thought is it could perchance enactment the caller console wirelessly and link it to a TV without needing to slam it into the dock. This would beryllium akin to the PlayStation Portal, though moving successful the other absorption from handheld to TV.

Still, the chartless device’s constricted WiFi scope implies it’s relying connected immoderate much almighty hardware for amended connectivity. At the precise least, it apt has thing to bash with Amiibos. Nintendo’s statues trust connected NFC technology. We’ll simply person to hold and spot for thing beyond speculation. We person a agelong hold up for the Switch 2. Rumors hint Nintendo volition hold until astatine slightest April 2025 earlier it gives america a archetypal look astatine the caller console. 

Previous FCC filings helped america larn astir SNES games coming to the Switch and the archetypal rumblings of caller console hardware similar the Switch OLED. The information there’s truthful small accusation astir Nintendo’s adjacent console has america jumping astatine each small item that slips retired from Nintendo’s impenetrable shell. The Japanese crippled shaper is alternatively blessed for folks to support buying the past fewer Switch consoles earlier it drops the Switch 2 bombshell adjacent year.