Nintendo Patent Hints At Virtual Reality Plans (Again)

Earlier this year it was rumored that the Nintendo Switch’s launch was pushed to 2017 because Nintendo wanted to integrate VR into it. Whether or not that is true remains to be seen, but it seems that Nintendo does have some interest in virtual reality, thanks to a post on NeoGAF by user Rösti (via Engadget) that revealed a bunch of Nintendo patents.

One of those patents, as you can see in the diagram above, is clearly related to VR in someway. It shows a headset with a slot where another device can be slotted in. In fact based on the previous patents that clearly are about the Switch, it seems that this device in question is the Switch that will presumably power this VR headset.

However patents are merely ideas that companies such as Nintendo want to protect, or at least file away and use for another date. This doesn’t mean that the Switch will have VR capabilities. However in the past Nintendo has stated that they are looking into the technology, but whether or not this manifests itself in the Switch remains to be seen.

Based on the reveal trailer, there have been no indication to suggest that VR gaming is one of the console’s features, but perhaps it could be added at a later date. In the meantime Nintendo’s Shigeru Miyamoto stated that one of the priorities is that VR should be safe for kids, and whether or not Nintendo has figured that out remains to be seen.

Tyler Lee
Categories: Gaming
Tags: Nintendo, Patent, Virtual Reality (VR)