The console market is getting stranger and stranger. Last week a leak hit the internet, which is more likely than not Nintendo’s successor to the Switch. Now, The Verge has discovered that Nintendo has filed a patent for another new device that, surprisingly enough, isn’t the supposed Switch 2.
This mystery device is a wireless square with rounded off corners. Despite being wireless, it’s surprisingly low-tech, considering the absence of both 5G or Bluetooth wireless capabilities. There’s so little to parse here, that it only encourages speculation.
What is the new Nintendo device?
What the hell is this thing? Is it a new peripheral? Ever since the Wii, Nintendo’s thrown a few curveballs into the mix, from motion controls to toys that unlock game functions. Is Nintendo harkening to its waggly past?
Some speculate that its 24GHz sensor can be used to track movement. Like mimicking the swinging of the Master Sword, or angling your body on one of those water slide levels in Mario games everybody hates. Whether this adds anything to the gameplay experience is anyone’s guess. Me? I’ve yet to find any control scheme that beans a 16-button gamepad, but I’m willing to be surprised.
Of course, considering one of Nintendo’s countless sticky tendrils now includes theme parks, some speculate this could be some sort of peripheral that could eventually be used at Super Nintendo World.
Or maybe, just maybe, Nintendo is taking another crack at making quality of life products. Who can forget the Wii Vitality Sensor? Nintendo would certainly like to forget it existed, considering it scrubbed the mention of the device from its website.
Nintendo hasn’t made any announcements on new devices or upcoming games. If no announcements are made this week, it will be the first September since 2020 without a Nintendo Direct.
Read More: Nintendo Finally Suing ‘Pokemon With Guns’ Developer