With the Nintendo Switch entering its seventh generation in March and its successor (aka Switch 2) on the way, one might think that Nintendo is ending the original Switch. That is why the announcement of a new official Joy-Con charging station is rather puzzling.

Earlier today (July 18), Nintendo Japan revealed that the Joy-Con charging stand (two-way) accessory will be released on October 17. Following this, Nintendo UK confirmed that the charging stand will be available in the UK on the same date. At the time of this writing, we are awaiting news on the U.S. launch, but it is expected to be confirmed at some point.

The Joy-Con charging stand (two-way), an accessory, is available for pre-order on the My Nintendo Store in Japan for 3,000 yen (roughly $21/£16). No overseas pricing or pre-order information is available, but it is expected to be reduced in the relatively near future.

As expected, Nintendo Japan's press release detailing the accessory is in Japanese, but has a translation (courtesy of Nintendo Life): “You can easily charge the Joy-Con at any time without having to attach it to the Nintendo Switch console. Recommended for those who have multiple Joy-Cons, such as when you want to charge the number of Joy-Cons needed to play games such as the “Mario Party” series or “Nintendo Switch Sports” together, or when you want to charge an unused Joy-Con when you are playing in portable mode. This product is recommended for those who have multiple Joy-Cons. It can also charge the Family Computer Controller for Nintendo Switch.”

From the published images, this accessory appears to be an improved version of the Joy-Cons grip already included with the Nintendo Switch. However, this charging stand adds a USB-C port and can be secured and stored in the included plastic stand. It would be a handy accessory for Switch owners with multiple Joy-Con controllers.

The real question, of course, is “why now?” As noted above, the Nintendo Switch has been on the market for more than seven years, and Nintendo has announced that it will announce its next console by April 2025. Internet sleuths, however, have theorized that the product may have been designed with the Nintendo Switch 2 in mind.

The Switch 2 is rumored to utilize a new magnetic connection on the newly reworked Joy-Con controllers instead of the handrails found on the current Joy-Cons. So perhaps the accessory is Nintendo's way of allowing users to charge (pun intended) their first-generation Joy-Con even after they switch to the Switch 2. After all, Nintendo has a history of making controllers upwardly compatible, and you can even use an N64 pad on the Switch!

However, there is no guarantee that the Switch 1 controller will work with Nintendo's next generation hardware, so only time will tell if this theory is correct. In the meantime, we'll get our hands on this new accessory and see if it's worth the purchase.