Nintendo Files Patent for a Controller That Not Only Detects Presses but Also Touches

A recently published patent by Nintendo shows a controller able to process touches made by the player and interpret them as input.

Most, if not all controllers nowadays only process inputs through button presses. However, Nintendo wants to broaden the capabilities of a controller to include touches into its repertoire. The patent was published on January 23 and imagines a controller similar to Joy-Cons having a touch detector.

According to the patent, these touch detectors will act as another way for players to communicate with the console. For example, a player gliding their fingers across two buttons will register as a whole new input and might be used by games to cast a very specific skill. Another example written in the patent is that gliding the fingers in a clockwise manner can be a command for flipping pages while reading e-books.

But the best example provided in the patent would be the use of this feature in rhythm games. The patent says this touch feature might introduce new inputs in rhythm games as it also detects flicks in all directions.

While other outlets have covered the patent and have mistakenly thought it’s about predicting the player’s next move, there is nothing in the patent that actually says that this is the case. To be able to predict a player’s next move, there needs to be a machine learning component in the console that will learn about the player’s tendencies during gameplay. Sony’s patent is the closest to this kind of feature.

While this technology might seem exciting, it’s currently unsure if it’s something that is already in development. Big companies sometimes file patents and don’t use them in any way. However, with the illustrations looking like the Nintendo Switch, it might not be too far-fetched to hope that a feature like this is available on the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2.