No one really knows what Nintendo will come up with for the next generation of consoles. However, a patent by the gaming giant reveals that the company may be working on what appears to be a new handheld device.
Too early to say for definite
As reported by Nintendo Life, a document over on Patent Scope shows that Nintendo has filed a patent for an “electronic apparatus.” It outlines what appears to be a dual device in which the “first device and the second device can be detachably attached to each other.”
A number of images show this potential dual-screen system, which seems to invoke a style not a million miles removed from the Nintendo DS. However, with this patent, it looks as though the “second device” can cover the first:
When in a first connection state in which the second connection part has been connected to the first connection part in the first orientation, the second rear surface is positioned so as to cover the first display
The patent itself was filed in October 2022, but it’s only recently that it was published. At this point in time, it can’t be said exactly what Nintendo has up its sleeve, but many will walk away from this, assuming that some sort of new handheld may be in the pipeline.
Many have been anticipating a possible Switch 2 or some equivalent, with rumors suggesting we may see it in 2024. However, Nintendo has yet to make an official statement regarding the release of a Switch follow-up, let alone this mysterious portable, which may or may not see the light of day.
