Nintendo Patents Watch

Nintendo’s R&D of game controller continues unabated. A recent patent publication discloses an input button that affords three controls: button touch, analog press, and full press.

• Button touch: A keycap electrode (40 in imgs below) detects finger resting on top
• Analog press: Distance between a movable electrode (30-33) and ground electrode (13) is translated to an analog readout
• Full press: When the movable electrode converges with a high potential electrode (15), a binary “on” is registered

The key innovation here is that all three inputs go through just one capacitive sensing channel (img below), thus using less parts and possibly cheaper to manufacture. Note that although the drawings show a face button, the invention can be applied to a shoulder button too.

Those who want to dig deeper, check out this button patent—filed in 2022—that can detect button touch, full press, and analog post-press pressure (how hard you push down). As to what Nintendo would do with button touch inputs, see this trackpad emulation patent.

[Originally posted on 2026-09-27 Pacific Time]

Like an in-real-life RPG, Nintendo Museum staff will tell you a secret side quest—only if you visit the venue 23 times.

Source

[Originally posted on 2026-09-27 Pacific Time]

Wake up babe, new Masahiro Sakurai patents just dropped.

These patent applications describe the City Trial mode in Kirby Air Riders. It gives an overview but focuses more on the rubber-banding mechanics that helps players who are walking (not riding a machine) or have less items—via machine placement, access, and protection, governed by a “handicap index”.

Patent publications: US20260284536 and US20260284537

[Originally posted on 2026-09-24 Pacific Time]

I’m very happy to be proven wrong regarding the prospect of Switch 2 VRR on third party docks. A few on Amazon US already claim to support VRR. I bought one and it indeed works as advertised (imgs 1-2 below). Note that you may need to contact the seller for the latest firmware.

Judging by the firmware updater that I received, this particular dock uses Chrontel CH7218A DP-to-HDMI converter (diagram below). In theory, any other 3rd party docks with the same IC should all be able to support Switch 2 VRR after being updated.

[Originally posted on 2026-09-24 Pacific Time]

Led by Foxconn, the Taiwan Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers’ Association (TEEMA) will build a multibillion Technology Park in Poland, taking over the land originally reserved for Intel. Although the plan is to make AI servers and EV parts, once the manufacturing capacity is established, it’s possible to produce components and/or assemble products for gaming in Poland.

Currently Nintendo and other gaming hardware companies rely heavily on East Asian supply chains. A manufacturing hub in EU will be a welcome hedge against geopolitical risks.

Sources: Business Today (今周刊) and Nikkei Asia

[Originally posted on 2026-09-23 Pacific Time]

How does the Switch 2 Joy-Con reliably switch between the mouse and stick controls? US patent applications 20260273389 and 20260273410 provide the details:

[In mouse mode]

1. If the mouse sensor hole is open uninterruptedly for 0.5 sec, switch to stick mode
2. The time-to-switch is shortened proportionally to how fast the Joy-Con is picked up (angular velocity), down to the minimum of 0.1 sec
3. For gameplay reasons, sometimes the Joy-Con may be lifted up repetitively (e.g., to keep moving forward; img 1 below); so only when the mouse travel is under a threshold AND inertia is above a threshold, a. and b. can be true (img 2).

[In stick mode]

1. If the mouse sensor hole becomes closed AND is facing down (±30° to accommodate uneven surfaces, such as a thigh), switch to mouse mode
2. However, the hole may be closed by finger accidentally or for gameplay reasons (img 1 below), so only when the mouse travel is above a threshold AND inertia is under a threshold, a. can be true (img 2).

Notes:

• The inventors listed are Retro Studios engineers
• Numbers cited in patent text may or may not be actual/final
• This is a simplified summary; follow patent links for full text (US20260273389 and US20260273410)
• Gameplay examples are taken from other patent applications (here and here)

[Originally posted on 2026-09-22 Pacific Time]

(This is a media literacy piece. I’ve no opinion on Physint or all parties involved.) The press release from Kojima Productions is a classic PR sleight-of-hand.

• Claimed the studio is “profitable”, but did NOT deny Death Stranding 1/2 underperforming Sony’s expectations
• Stated Physint work is “mov[ing] forward”, but did NOT deny missing deadlines or exceeding budget
• Said relationship with PS “remains strong”, but did NOT deny disagreement over exclusivity
• Via WaPo/IGN, Kojima professed being “shocked” by Sony’s call, but did NOT deny negotiating for months

The flurry of PR moves made gestures toward all the reported points without actually disputing any of them, because the objective is to muddle information and sway perception. Knowing the publicist MO, one can read between the lines and see the unspoken truth.

[Originally posted on 2026-09-20 Pacific Time]

The developer of Moomin: Midsummer Madness talked with 4Gamer at TGS 2026. They were disappointed by some users asking if the game was made with AI, and stressed that four artists and four animators produced the artwork. The animation was hand-drawn frame by frame under the close supervision of Moomin IP owner. For instance, they had to redo some animation after being told “Moomin must have five fingers”.

I’m lost for words that some could suspect these beautiful illustrations being AI-generated. Do they appear too refined, like using the em dash?

Read the hands-on report and dev interview here.

[Originally posted on 2026-09-20 Pacific Time]

At the Tokyo Game Show 2026, IO Interactive answered questions regarding 007 First Light for Switch 2.

• Taking time to optimize the NS2 version, such as using meshlet rendering but not ray tracing
• Meshlet rendering will be back-ported to other platforms to improve performance everywhere
• Only targeting 30fps; no higher fps mode (tested 60fps but didn’t work)
• No mouse input support
• QA ensures UI legibility in handheld mode
• Level of details is adjusted for NS2, but player experience isn’t compromised
• Learned from the NS2 Hitman to optimize the 007 port, such as handling large numbers of NPCs and light sources
• Aside from developmental reasons, the delay is also due to “requests from marketing” (perhaps to avoid GTA6 and OOT?)

Sources: Game Watch and Inven

[Originally posted on 2026-09-19 Pacific Time]

In a Tokyo Game Show 2026 talk regarding the rise of indie games in Japan, Shuhei Yoshida stated that the popularity of Switch and Nintendo’s Indie World promos was the turning point for Japanese indies. Kazuhisa Okada, Editor-in-Chief of 4Gamer, added that since then, articles about indie games began being read by ordinary gamers, beyond just indie followers.

Since 2020, there have been one or more breakout hits every year, so publishers from other industries, such as Shueisha and Sanrio, are now funding indies too. Yoshida, however, is concerned whether these executives truly understand games.

Okada revealed that although articles covering indie games are being read, there’s far less ad revenue; 4Gamer and other Japanese outlets will continue the coverage regardless, out of genuine desire to support them.

Read the full report here.

[Originally posted on 2026-09-18 Pacific Time]

Nikkei Research released its 2026 Brand Equity Score rankings, based on surveys of 80k consumers and 80k business professionals in Japan. The top brands are:

#1 Toyota
#2 Nintendo
#3 Uniqlo
#4 Calbee
#5 Kewpie

The only foreign company in the top 10 is #7 Apple.

Going by consumer scores alone, the top 3 are Uniqlo, Calbee, and Nintendo (img 1 below). The top ranked companies by business professionals are Toyota, Nintendo, and Apple (img 2).

Related: Nintendo topped corporate image survey

[Originally posted on 2026-09-18 Pacific Time]

A Tomodachi Life Switch Lite bundle is announced in Europe (img above). Before you scoff, know that Switch Lite is mainly positioned as an “additional purchase” for households that already own at least one other Switch console, extending the demand from “one per home” to “one per person” (img below).

As the new and replacement purchases moving to Switch 2, the sales ratio of Switch Lite among NS1 models actually increases (imgs below), because its low price point is still attractive as an additional buy, probably for children.

P.S.: The Switch Lite doesn’t appear to be in Indonesia’s launch lineup. Nor was it featured in the recent customer research held in India. It makes sense that the regular Switch 1 model is positioned as the first purchase in these new markets.

[Originally posted on 2026-09-16 Pacific Time]

Remember Tokotoko Mario? The walking toy was featured in the Super Nintendo World Direct and sold there from the start. It was, however, quietly discontinued post November 2022. A new Japanese patent finally offers an explanation: the construction was overly complex (imgs 1-2 below), implying high production costs.

To address the problem, a structurally simpler walking mechanism based on four-bar linkage is proposed, using only three moving parts per leg and one crankshaft (imgs 1-2 below). Although Nintendo’s R&D work isn’t always commercialized, I think it’s possible that Tokotoko Mario may return with the new mechanism.

And to demonstrate that Weird Nintendo is alive and kicking, the patent also includes an embodiment that replaces the conventional bicycle drivetrain with this invention. Instead of pedaling circularly, the rider stomps the left/right pedal down alternatingly to go forward.

[Originally posted on 2026-09-15 Pacific Time]

A patent application for the relationship UI of Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream was published last week in the US. It covers the user input, camera transitions, info/menu display, NPC behaviors, and effects of relationship stats.

Get the full details here: US20260263937

[Originally posted on 2026-09-15 Pacific Time]

Nintendo Hong Kong reportedly leased a new office space on “one of the top floors” in the 59-story Langham Place Office Tower in Mong Kok, spanning ~17,000 ft². They currently occupy a space of “several thousand” ft² in Hung Hom, so the new lease is going to be a major upgrade in size, location, and prestige.

[Speculation] Since Nintendo Taiwan was spun off from Nintendo HK in 2025, one would think that the latter might downsize or at best maintain the status quo. So the unexpected expansion could be an indicator that Nintendo plans to expand its presence and service level in the Chinese market through the HK branch.

[Originally posted on 2026-09-15 Pacific Time]