On Oct. 26, several Nintendo patent filings went public on the World Intellectual Property Organization website, including one describing a handheld dual-screen device that looks similar to the original Nintendo DS.
This patent application was initially filed on Nov. 11, 2022, and mentions a device that’s made of two detachable parts each with its own display. Those parts can be connected in two ways—the first covers the main display, and the second doesn’t, presumably allowing you to use it in a closed state.
According to GameRant on Oct. 28, the detached parts of the device can “communicate with each other wirelessly, allowing two gamers to play together on the same device,” but while connected it works similarly to a Nintendo DS or 3DS.
It seems this product aims to combine the best of both worlds when it comes to Nintendo Switch consoles: portability and playing with friends. This product is a handheld-only console that is meant to be portable, but thanks to the detachable screens it will keep the magic of playing on the same device.
The rest of the Nintendo filings released on Oct. 26 included a similar device but with only one display, presumably a display housing, a cover for the Nintendo Switch, a cooling device, and another portable gaming device.
As the GameRant report mentioned, patents are not a guarantee Nintendo will ever release these products to the market—the company could be simply protecting its potential products. If it came out, however, many classic DS games could make a return on a new generation of Nintendo consoles.
