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

The Nintendo Switch 2 reveal showcased a fascinating detail: what appears to be a “mouse” mode for the Joy-Cons. During the trailer, detached Joy-Cons are shown sliding across a surface, connected to what look like flat-bottomed connectors. A potential slider pad is visible on one connector, fueling speculation about mouse-like functionality. Pre-reveal rumors suggested this might be possible due to a built-in sensor similar to those found in computer mice, but Nintendo has yet to confirm this feature or its implications.

Nintendo Switch 2 - First Look

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The reveal immediately sparked questions about how this might impact upcoming games. *Civilization VII*, already confirmed for the original Switch, is a prime example. While backward compatibility is expected, the possibility of a Switch 2 version leveraging this new Joy-Con functionality for mouse-like controls is intriguing.

IGN recently interviewed *Civilization VII* lead designer Ed Beach and executive producer Dennis Shirk about this possibility. While Beach remained tight-lipped, Shirk offered a suggestive response: “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. That's about all I can say about it in terms of an opinion. I think it looks awesome and they're not wrong, so it would be cool for something like that.”

While Firaxis itself won’t announce a dedicated Switch 2 version of *Civilization VII* (that's up to 2K Games), the April Switch 2 Direct might shed more light on this and other questions. Despite the uncertainty surrounding potential mouse support and the function of the new Joy-Con button, we know the Switch 2 is slated for a 2025 release (likely between June and September), and a new *Mario Kart* title is in development.

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