Get your pinches of salt at the ready, folks, because it's time for more Nintendo rumour discussion.
In a break from usual proceedings, this one isn't about 'Switch 2' (at least, not entirely). Instead, the latest speculation is focused on the GameCube controller and how it might, might, be making a comeback.
This comes from a recent Resetera thread (via a hidden one on Famiboards), where user RandomlyRandom67 goes into component shipments that they believe are for 'Switch 2' production and other Nintendo products. And yes, one of those "other Nintendo products" is, naturally, a GameCube controller.
Now, rumours of a "new" GameCube pad (for Nintendo Switch Online, most likely) have been doing the rounds for a while — notably flagged by dataminer LuigiBlood earlier this year — but RandomlyRandom67's recent post suggests the controller is now in active production. This is thanks to shipments of rumble motor TRW1230 (prepare for a lot of codes like this) and its attachment to the mysterious HGU0480 project, which is believed to be an upcoming controller of some sort.
According to the Resetera post, TRW1230 is the same rumble motor that is currently used in GameCube controllers and the same one that appears in the NSO N64 pad (though, the post claims, it's unlikely that this part order relates to the pre-existing N64 model).
There are a bunch of other components listed in the shipment that RandomlyRandom67 speculates could be part of the GC pad revival, including specific LED light covers, trigger covers, and more. On top of all this, the post claims that parts used for the current GameCube controller (CFS8280, for those wondering) are "likely being reused as-is for the new controller".
Naturally, it wouldn't be a rumour post without some talk of 'Switch 2', and the Resetera discussion also looks at other part shipments believed to be for the next Nintendo console. While the part quantities appear to be on the rise, the numbers suggest that they aren't at mass production levels just yet, potentially suggesting that a 'Switch 2' launch might not be quite as imminent as many of us would like.
Component shipment records are a sensible way of looking at what Nintendo might be working on and far more reliable than, "My uncle visited Japan and he said there's a new controller coming." However, we'd still take all of the above with a suitable amount of salt for the time being.
Not that we'd turn down the chance to get an all-new GameCube controller in our hands, of course. Last year, the iconic pad (coupled with the WaveBird model) landed joint-first place in our rundown of our favourite Nintendo controllers, joining the Switch Pro Controller in pole position. Whether this rumour points towards an upcoming NSO expansion or just a new neat way to play Smash Ultimate, we're in.