A new Nintendo patent suggests the Nintendo Switch 2 could walk on two legs

Vaughn Highfield December 15, 2017

A new patent filed by Nintendo suggests the company is looking into building a console or device that’s capable of walking itself.

The patent, filed by Nintendo Co., Ltd on 14 December 2017, is for a “Passive Walking Device and Passive Walking Module” and contains detailed diagrams for passive walking devices. If you’re wondering what a passive walking device is, it’s a pair of robotic legs that use no motor to move. It relies entirely on potential energy to keep itself moving, and therefore only requires a simple push to start walking.

Here’s a handy video that does a rather good job of showing you what a passive walking robot looks like.

It’s not really clear why Nintendo has filed a patent for a passive walking device and module, but perhaps it’s to do with the next-generation Nintendo Switch. Seeing as the current version of Switch is a portable console, could Nintendo be trying to make it so your Nintendo Switch 2 could walk alongside you while you play?

Chances are, probably not.

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The various diagrams shown in the patent, which were posted by user Rösti on Resetera, seem to outline various different models for passive walking devices. In its patent, Nintendo is essentially showing how to create a walking device that actually can stand and walk of its own accord, explaining why previous models weren’t capable of retaining momentum.

Nintendo’s R&D team is always working its way through patents for new hardware applications so it’s definitely worth taking this news with a pinch of salt. However, it’s definitely not one of the weirdest patents for a device that have ever been filed, and not one of the weirdest by Nintendo either.

Still, I can’t help but be entertained by the idea that a new Nintendo Switch could one day be following me around, ready to play with at any given moment.