Searching for hidden surprises in Nintendo’s Switch controller reveal

The problem with debuting your novel new game console concept in a three-minute video rather than a hands-on event is that players and the press are left speculating about the true nature of what they’ve just seen. In the days since Nintendo’s Thursday unveiling of the Switch, eager would-be private eyes have started picking apart the video demo with CSI-level image analysis (zoom and enhance!) to discover any potential unannounced features.

The most interesting report so far suggests that at least one of the Switch’s detachable Joy-Con controllers will be usable as a Wii Remote-style pointer. The idea is that the Switch tablet itself houses infrared lights near the top, which can turn on when the system is sticking out partially from its TV dock. The Joy-Con controller will then be able to see those lights for positional tracking, much like the Wii Remote tracks the system’s Sensor Bar. This kind of point-and-click functionality could be used as a stand-in for the touch screen functions that still haven’t been confirmed but which many believe will be available when the Switch is not docked.

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Source: Ars Technica – Searching for hidden surprises in Nintendo’s Switch controller reveal