Nintendo has published a new patent that could point to its next iteration of Labo VR for its long-awaited Switch successor.

While news of the company’s next Switch console is expected “within this fiscal year,” Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa said in May, rumors however suggest the company has delayed release to early 2025, which has only fueled speculation among Nintendo acolytes hoping for what promises to be a bigger, better Switch.

Now, Nintendo has published a patent (Japanese) that appears to be a VR add-on similar to its Labo VR kit first released in 2019, which allowed users to essentially ‘build’ a VR display add-on for use in experimental mini-games, and for playing a handful of traditional Switch titles in 3D.

Images courtesy Nintendo, Japanese Patent Office

Called an “auxiliary device and stereoscopic image display system,” the patent describes a “portable main unit that displays a stereoscopic image, and an auxiliary equipment that assists the user in viewing the stereoscopic image.”

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Unlike Labo VR, which was primarily made of cardboard and featured a loose slot to house Switch, the patent shows off a more refined clip-in mechanism that more securely cradles the console. Images also show the console with controllers attached, with patent literature describing how a user holds it in the their left and right hands.

Some images show the device without controllers, however no such headstrap configuration is specified—essentially positioning it to work like Nintendo’s 2019 Labo VR, albeit without mention of the optional ‘Toy-Con’ game accessories offered at release.

Image courtesy Nintendo

So, not a VR headset as such, but an encouraging development considering Nintendo hasn’t fully invested in XR tech with a standalone headset release, like Meta Quest 3 or its new Quest 3S, which was launched earlier this month starting at $300.

Revisiting Labo VR with a follow-up device for its new Switch doesn’t seem that far-fetched though, as the kit widely sold out at retailers at launch, and used Switch in innovative, patently Nintendo ways.

Still, we’re taking this (and any patent) with a grain of salt. A mantra worth remembering: every product has a patent, but not every patent has a product.

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Scott Hayden
Well before the first modern XR products hit the market, Scott recognized the potential of the technology and set out to understand and document its growth. He has been professionally reporting on the space for nearly a decade as Editor at Road to VR, authoring more than 4,000 articles on the topic. Scott brings that seasoned insight to his reporting from major industry events across the globe.

  • Really cool… it would be awesome if they embraced VR. I would LOVE to play Zelda and Mario, and especially Pikmin, in VR. Unfortunately, without a headstrap, this is going to be more gimmick than serious competitor. C'mon, big N, add a strap!

    • Andrey

      Um, you do realize that this IS intended to be a gimmick by Nintendo itself? And that even with a strap it won't be usable as a standard VR headset (even as something as "bulky" as Quest 3S or PSVR2) because it's screen size will be considerably larger than current HMDs have (even if we are talking about Pimax), so lenses will need to be bigger and further from the screen (especially because they won't use pancake lenses), so this whole thing will be VERY big and VERY heavy, just like it is presented on the images from the patent?
      Not to mention that for full modern VR experience you need to track your hands. There is no outside tracking cameras on the NS 1 and won't be on 2, and joycons won't have them either, and their tracking capabilites are very limited. So, even if you will be able to play Zelda/Mario or whatever on NS2 in "VR", it will be as immersive as playing it right now with any NS PC emulator in "VR theatre" mode. And, in my honest opinion, there is not much sense in doing so over playing on good big TV/monitor.

  • NL_VR

    Only interesting imo is a real VR headset from Ninte do and with Nintendo making games for it.

    • ViRGiN

      I would say not even that.
      Nintendo isn't a cutting-edge tech company. They aren't going to invest heavily to make a significant product.

      In everyone but Nintendo best interest, would be if their games were simply released on Quest.