If a recent Nintendo patent is any indication, the Nintendo Switch 2 may feature an entirely new kind of Joy-Con controller.

The patent, filed by Nintendo in 2018 and recently granted by the USPTO, has several illustrations of new controller designs that suggest the Switch 2 will not have a portable mode.

The patent is uninterestingly titled "Computer Controller," but the images are more interesting. They show the unmistakable shape of the Switch's Joy-Con, but no side rails to connect to the sides of the console's central display unit. However, there is no new discussion of components or technology; the patents are purely design-related.

Last year, the Nintendo Switch Lite, a cheaper, handheld-only version of the Switch, was released. If Nintendo were to release a docking-only version that offered additional features and power over the standard model, it would create a welcome symmetry in the Switch lineup.

According to recent reports, the Nintendo Switch 2 (or Switch Pro) will apparently be released in early 2021. This alleged console will be capable of 4K image output and may come bundled with a large number of currently unreleased first-party games.

While 4K is a significant improvement over the Switch's maximum output of 1080p (only possible when docked), do not expect the new Switch to be on par with the upcoming Xbox Series X or PS5 in terms of graphics. Both of these consoles will support features such as up to 8K resolution, games at 120fps, and instant load times. But that power gap didn't stop the current Switch from being the best-selling console of the year, so expect the Nintendo Switch 2 to follow a similar path.