Nintendo Patent Leak Reveals Joy-Con 2 With Built-In Grips

A newly surfaced Nintendo patent shows a Joy-Con 2 design with fixed ergonomic grips, aiming to fix the original Joy-Con's slim handheld feel. Fans are already calling it the Joy-Con 2 Pro.

Get ready to say goodbye to cramped hands, because Nintendo might finally be fixing one of the Switch's oldest annoyances.

According to overseas gaming blogger eXtas1s, Nintendo has published a brand-new patent, numbered US D1148055 S, showing off a Joy-Con 2 controller with built-in, fixed ergonomic grips. Yes, you read that right. Grips that don't come off.

The patent drawings reveal a Joy-Con 2 with a curved grip that's permanently attached, making the whole thing look a lot more like a traditional controller than the slim, flat Joy-Cons we've been sliding onto our Switches for years. The goal here is pretty obvious: make long handheld sessions way more comfortable.

If you've ever spent a few hours in handheld mode, you already know the pain. The original Joy-Con has been criticized by players for ages over how thin and awkward it feels when attached to the console. This new design seems tailor-made to address exactly that complaint.

Because of that, overseas players have already started calling the concept the Joy-Con 2 Pro. It's a fitting nickname for something that looks like it's finally taking ergonomics seriously.

That said, let's keep our expectations in check. A patent application doesn't guarantee the product will actually go into mass production or hit store shelves. It only represents a design idea Nintendo has explored. Plenty of patents never become real products.

Still, if this particular idea does make it to launch, it could massively change how the Switch 2 feels in handheld mode, turning those marathon play sessions into something your hands won't hate you for.

So what do you think? Would you pick up a Joy-Con 2 with built-in grips, or are you happy with the current design? Let us know in the comments.