You’d think Nintendo would have released a Joy-Con controller charging stand by now, but you’d be wrong. Nintendo is finally releasing one on October 17.
The company announced on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday that it’s releasing an official Joy-Con Charging Stand — more than seven years after the Switch itself debuted. We don’t have any other details, nor is it available for preorder, but based on the product images, it seems to support all Joy-Cons — even the Nintendo Entertainment System Controllers. It also appears to work vertically on a stand and horizontally if you want to lie it flat. As with the Switch itself, it has a USB-C connector on the top.
Charge your #NintendoSwitch Joy-Con controllers and Nintendo Entertainment System controllers with the Joy-Con Charging Stand (Two-Way) accessory, available October 17th. pic.twitter.com/ayNdvHTppL
— Nintendo UK (@NintendoUK) July 18, 2024
The first thing users noticed was how this is coming out at the end of the Switch’s life cycle. There are plenty of possible reasons why Nintendo waited this long to release it. Users have never needed an official Joy-Con charging stand since the Switch dock charges the controllers along with the console, and there are plenty of other ways to charge them — including an official charging grip that lets you charge them while you play. There are also a ton of third-party options if you happen to have multiple pairs of Joy-Cons.
The Switch is officially the Nintendo console that has been on the market the longest without a successor. It’s also the longest Nintendo has gone without making an announcement about the next device. Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa confirmed the existence of a new console, calling it a “Nintendo Switch successor” on X, and that’s about all we have.
There are plenty of rumors, though, including how Nintendo plans to upgrade the Joy-Cons with magnets instead of the rail. If those rumors are true, then the new charging stand likely wouldn’t be compatible. However, if Nintendo doesn’t change the Joy-Con form factor for a potential Switch 2, then this very belated release would make a lot more sense.
