Nintendo Switch SNES controller possibly on the way

What you need to know

• A new FCC filing has been discovered, pointing to a new Nintendo Switch controller.
• This Nintendo Switch controller appears to be themed after an SNES controller.
• An exciting possibility is that this will be released for the promotion of SNES games coming to Nintendo Switch Online.

We could be getting a new Nintendo Switch SNES controller to use in the near future. According to this FCC filing that was first spotted by ResetEra user Link83, this diagram belongs to an upcoming Nintendo Switch controller that has yet to release. FCC filings are required for electronic devices to be released in the U.S.

While most of the pictures in the listing aren't currently accessible, a single image of the diagram is available, and the shape is quite unmistakable. Another reason that this filing is interesting is what it means for SNES games ever appearing on the Nintendo Switch. While it's possible Nintendo would just make this controller as a one-off for its own sake, it's also possible that it points to SNES games being added to the Nintendo Switch Online virtual library.

Right now, that library is composed entirely of NES games, and subscribers to Nintendo's online service have been requesting SNES games quite passionately. With the first anniversary of Nintendo Switch Online coming up on September 19, 2019, the timing certainly checks out. Nintendo Switch Online currently allows subscribers to play online multiplayer, access cloud saves, and receive a steady trickle of NES games added to an online library.