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Nintendo has announced its own standalone charger for the Switch’s Joy-Con controllers arriving on October 17th. It’s an accessory that many Switch gamers would have welcomed seven years ago when the handheld launched, and while third parties have long offered alternatives, Nintendo’s arrives with some extra flexibility.
Unlike most wireless controllers that can be charged with a USB-C cable, the Nintendo Joy-Con, as well as the company’s retro wireless NES and Famicom gamepads, can only charge when attached to the Switch. A separate charger makes it easier to keep more than two Joy-Con controllers powered up, so it’s an odd move for the company to release an accessory like this as the original Switch’s lifecycle winds down and its successor is expected to be revealed early next year.
Nintendo’s Joy-Con Charging Stand (Two-Way) accessory can accommodate two controllers at a time, drawing power from the Switch dock’s USB-C port or another power adapter. The charger’s vertical support can also be removed, improving its portability.
Nintendo hasn’t revealed pricing for the accessory yet. The Verge has also reached out to the company to confirm that the charging stand will be available in North America, as so far, it has only been announced in Europe and Japan.