Nintendo Shares First Details About New Console, the Nintendo Switch

October 20, 2016

Here is the official information straight from Nintendo, to pair with any rumors and speculation you're currently enjoying.

I don't see any point in rewriting things and getting them all wrong, now that Nintendo has revealed the NX (now officially and appropriately called the Switch, so I'll just be lazy/smart and share the press release the company issued this morning around 7AM (PST):

In an introductory video released today (http://www.nintendo.com/switch), Nintendo provided the first glimpse of its new home gaming system and revealed that it is called Nintendo Switch. In addition to providing single and multiplayer thrills at home, the Nintendo Switch system also enables gamers to play the same title wherever, whenever and with whomever they choose. The mobility of a handheld is now added to the power of a home gaming system to enable unprecedented new video game play styles.

In addition to providing single and multiplayer thrills at home, the Nintendo Switch system also enables gamers to play the same title wherever, whenever and with whomever they choose.

At home, Nintendo Switch rests in the Nintendo Switch Dock that connects the system to the TV and lets you play with family and friends in the comfort of your living room. By simply lifting Nintendo Switch from the dock, the system will instantly transition to portable mode, and the same great gaming experience that was being enjoyed at home now travels with you. The portability of Nintendo Switch is enhanced by its bright high-definition display. It brings the full home gaming system experience with you to the park, on an airplane, in a car, or to a friend�s apartment.

Gaming springs into action by removing detachable Joy-Con controllers from either side of Nintendo Switch. One player can use a Joy-Con controller in each hand; two players can each take one; or multiple Joy-Con can be employed by numerous people for a variety of gameplay options. They can easily click back into place or be slipped into a Joy-Con Grip accessory, mirroring a more traditional controller. Or, if preferred, the gamer can select an optional Nintendo Switch Pro Controller to use instead of the Joy-Con controllers. Furthermore, it is possible for numerous people to bring their Nintendo Switch systems together to enjoy local multiplayer face-to-face competition.

"Nintendo Switch allows gamers the freedom to play however they like," said Reggie Fils-Aime, President and COO, Nintendo of America. "It gives game developers new abilities to bring their creative visions to life by opening up the concept of gaming without boundaries."

Developers can design their games supporting a variety of play styles, which gives gamers the freedom to choose an experience that best suits them. Some of the publishers, developers and middleware partners announcing support for Nintendo Switch are as follows:
505 Games
Activision Publishing, Inc.
ARC SYSTEM WORKS Co., Ltd.
ATLUS CO., LTD.
Audiokinetic Inc.
Autodesk, Inc.
BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Inc.
Bethesda
CAPCOM CO., LTD.
Codemasters
CRI Middleware Co., Ltd.
DeNA Co., Ltd.
Electronic Arts
Epic Games Inc.
Firelight Technologies
FromSoftware, Inc.
Frozenbyte
GameTrust
GRASSHOPPER MANUFACTURE INC.
Gungho Online Entertainment, Inc.
HAMSTER Corporation
Havok
INTI CREATES CO., LTD.
KOEI TECMO GAMES CO., LTD.
Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd.
LEVEL-5 Inc.
Marvelous Inc.
Maximum Games, LLC
Nippon Ichi Software, Inc.
Parity Bit Inc.
PlatinumGames Inc.
RAD Game Tools, Inc.
RecoChoku Co., Ltd.
SEGA Games Co., Ltd.
Silicon Studio Corporation
Spike Chunsoft Co., Ltd.
SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD.
Starbreeze Studios
Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc.
Telltale Games
THQ Nordic
Tokyo RPG Factory Co., Ltd.
TT Games
UBISOFT
Ubitus Inc.
Unity Technologies, Inc.
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Web Technology Corp

Today�s video incorporated short glimpses of representative gameplay to demonstrate the liberating nature of the Nintendo Switch home gaming system. Full game demonstrations, the list of launch window titles, as well as launch date, price, product configuration and related specifics, will be shown and announced prior to the March launch.

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Feedback

joseph_valencia - October 20, 2016 (08:04 AM)
I think it's safe to say that this is just as much a successor to the 3DS as it is to the Wii U, if not more so. I'm really looking forward to the Switch.

honestgamer - October 20, 2016 (08:13 AM)
It seems to me like an ambitious next step in Nintendo's handheld strategy, powerful enough to also function as a console follow-up, conceived to more easily produce a large enough customer base (Wii-like, perhaps) that major Western developers like Bethesda and Take Two can't help but join a list of supporters that happily includes virtually every developer I care about from Japan.

Nightfire - October 21, 2016 (09:59 AM)
The first thing I thought of when I saw the promo video was, "Hey, that reminds me a lot of Nvidia Shield". And apparently my intuition is right on the money, because according to Wired magazine, the Switch features Nvidia's Tegra processor. Nvidia also apparently had a hand in designing the "algorithms, computer architecture, system design, system software, APIs, game engines and peripherals." In the similar way that the Shield tries to unify desktop and mobile PC gaming, the Switch appears to be trying to unify all the Nintendo stuffs into one package...

It's also interesting to note that Nintendo seems to be outsourcing a lot with this system.

honestgamer - October 21, 2016 (10:14 AM)
Nintendo is outsourcing for the GPU, and accompanying features to surround it, but that's not actually new. It's just that its partners in the past have been ATI and IBM, and now it went with Nvidia... which makes a lot of sense, really, given Nvidia's dominant place within the industry. This will in theory make it easier for developers to build games for Switch, since a lot of them are familiar with Nvidia because of PC development. And Nintendo is working with Dena for account streamlining, so it does look like Switch could address a lot of issues people had with previous Nintendo hardware, all at once, and allow everyone to focus on Nintendo software again (which is a big win for Nintendo, and pretty much everyone).

hastypixels - October 22, 2016 (11:19 AM)
I experienced DENA's teething pains with Final Fantasy: Record Keeper. I'm going to review it at some point ... one of those silly/awesome time sinks, really. Micropayments pointless on these shores. Anyway.

No surprise that Ninty built a system that puts it at odds with the rest of the industry, as that's been their bread and butter for decades. I love outliers and oddballs, and will play whatever's fun. As long as the price is right.

"Is it a touch screen?" No, I don't think it is; that bumps the retail price up about $50-$100. I could be wrong. I hope I'm wrong, but I didn't see any interaction with the Switch's portable screen. Did you?

Teaming up with Nvidia was wise. They can fab anything Ninty wants, and can actually stand to be patient if the system has a slow burning release. Nintendo's been partnering for a long time, and is anyone else catching a wiff some cross-platform playability coming?

Nothing direct, but they're primed to supply mobile apps to side-load interactivity alongside the console. Let's put it this way; the deck is loaded for Nintendo do literally do what no one else does.

They aren't pretending to be a media center, and I'm glad for that, though we can expect to see some base functionality, like Netflix and the like. A lot to look forward to ... but ... hey ...

March? What are they thinking? Probably that they'll be free and clear not competing for dollars dedicated to the new hotness from Sony and Microsoft. These are tense times.

honestgamer - October 22, 2016 (12:01 PM)
You can buy a wide variety of touch tablets for under $50, so I think that touch might add closer to $20 to the cost of a device. If Nintendo thinks touch is an important part of how people will want to play, it'll be there. Rumors so far is that it is included, and I figure there's at least a 50/50 chance of that.

The March release date bugs a lot of people, but Nintendo has released hardware in March before. The 3DS shipped in March, for instance, and this feels like a follow-up to that as much as it does to the Wii U. The main thing that prevented the 3DS launch from being a huge success, also, was the lack of must-play software. Nintendo is likely putting together a slate of software that people will want to get the Switch going, and that software probably wasn't going to be ready to ship in time for this holiday season. It wouldn't surprise me if software was the hold-up, as much as hardware, honestly. Launching in March will give Nintendo time to build up hype and a competitive library for the 2017 holiday season, as well, so I think it makes a lot of good sense for the company, even though it's not quite conventional where consoles are concerned.

hastypixels - October 22, 2016 (12:21 PM)
They went out of their way to confirm Mario, Splatoon, Skyrim (there are some doubts, but its pretty mature software at this point) and Mario Kart right off the bat. I completely agree.

I was figuring retail, but you're probably right ... there's a lot of concern that an underperforming system needs to have the right price point in order to sell well. The 3DS had that problem, too, and they sold it at a loss for a long time.

I am hopeful; I love Nintendo games, and the idea of sharing them so easily strikes the right cord with me. At the right price point, it could be sensible to have more than one console in the home. It could well be part of their plan, to replace performance with accessibility.

Fun is fun, and Nintendo knows it.

jerec - October 23, 2016 (03:13 AM)
The big question I have is regarding the Virtual Console. Is it going to be included, and are they going to start over, releasing the same bunch of games one or two a week for years? That really annoyed me with the jump from Wii to Wii U. I'm not going through that again.

honestgamer - October 23, 2016 (08:42 AM)
I'll go through it again whether I like it or not. But, like you, I would really prefer that they make the library available from the start, and that new releases more consistently cover new ground. And I'd like in particular to see more NES and SNES stuff added, too, since that's the era that matters most to me and feels most natural on the Virtual Console. Honestly, though, I wouldn't be surprised if the Virtual Console program changes dramatically or is abandoned. I don't think it has been the huge money maker people expected... though that could also change with proper implementation on Switch, and the hype for the NES mini shows that the interest in those classics does remain.

hastypixels - October 23, 2016 (06:05 PM)
For some reason Nintendo's release schedule for VC titles has always been practically glacial, and no one is really sure why. I doubt there's any one cause to blame. What I've seen over the years is a Disney vault approach to VC; keep those prices jacked up. The NES Classic is a strange product to come from Nintendo, but it's unlikely that it represents a change in marketing.

I don't envy Nintendo. They had to emulate so many games for the Wii, then update them for the Wii U, and now they have a completely new architecture to deal with. They need to take a cue from the current emulation scene, and sites like GOG.

Just get those games onto the platform!

honestgamer - October 23, 2016 (07:16 PM)
I think Nintendo is actually involved in porting the games, even if the games were developed by other companies. Nintendo apparently takes the initiative. Someone from Natsume (as I recall) indicated that they wanted to bring more of their SNES games to Virtual Console and Nintendo declined. That strikes me as just stupid. If there are no rights issues and the developer wants to make its classic games available, I feel like Nintendo should move heaven and Earth to make it happen. The more games there are on the service, the better it is for everyone and--at least to a certain extent--the more likely each game is to perform well, because more gamers will come to rely on Virtual Console for their retro gaming needs. I realize that rights issues will prevent some games from ever making the trip to Virtual Console, and some old games have no obvious value today. But there are a lot of great games that still aren't available, and that needs to change. The library should be 3 or 4 times as large as it is by now, to really cover the proper spectrum.

hastypixels - October 25, 2016 (06:58 PM)
I completely agree on every point, and I'd heard about Nintendo's involvement in the porting process. Is it a cultural barrier that determines their focus? They do understand the value of nostalgia; "new" titles bank on it every year.

No word on backward compatibility, yet, and lacking a disc drive of any kind would relegate options to download-only, which is less a problem than it sounds. Can we expect a custom Tegra to do everything the Wii U does, especially without a gamepad and touchscreen?

If the Switch doesn't have one, that is. Wii games should run without a hitch, but ... again, download-only. There's a missed opportunity there; some consoles have survived game-seller droughts because of backward compatibility ... like the Wii. And the Wii U.

I'm eager about the Switch, even if it doesn't sound like it!

Feedback
	joseph_valencia - October 20, 2016 (08:04 AM) I think it's safe to say that this is just as much a successor to the 3DS as it is to the Wii U, if not more so. I'm really looking forward to the Switch.
	honestgamer - October 20, 2016 (08:13 AM) It seems to me like an ambitious next step in Nintendo's handheld strategy, powerful enough to also function as a console follow-up, conceived to more easily produce a large enough customer base (Wii-like, perhaps) that major Western developers like Bethesda and Take Two can't help but join a list of supporters that happily includes virtually every developer I care about from Japan.
	Nightfire - October 21, 2016 (09:59 AM) The first thing I thought of when I saw the promo video was, "Hey, that reminds me a lot of Nvidia Shield". And apparently my intuition is right on the money, because according to Wired magazine, the Switch features Nvidia's Tegra processor. Nvidia also apparently had a hand in designing the "algorithms, computer architecture, system design, system software, APIs, game engines and peripherals." In the similar way that the Shield tries to unify desktop and mobile PC gaming, the Switch appears to be trying to unify all the Nintendo stuffs into one package... It's also interesting to note that Nintendo seems to be outsourcing a lot with this system.
	honestgamer - October 21, 2016 (10:14 AM) Nintendo is outsourcing for the GPU, and accompanying features to surround it, but that's not actually new. It's just that its partners in the past have been ATI and IBM, and now it went with Nvidia... which makes a lot of sense, really, given Nvidia's dominant place within the industry. This will in theory make it easier for developers to build games for Switch, since a lot of them are familiar with Nvidia because of PC development. And Nintendo is working with Dena for account streamlining, so it does look like Switch could address a lot of issues people had with previous Nintendo hardware, all at once, and allow everyone to focus on Nintendo software again (which is a big win for Nintendo, and pretty much everyone).
	hastypixels - October 22, 2016 (11:19 AM) I experienced DENA's teething pains with Final Fantasy: Record Keeper. I'm going to review it at some point ... one of those silly/awesome time sinks, really. Micropayments pointless on these shores. Anyway. No surprise that Ninty built a system that puts it at odds with the rest of the industry, as that's been their bread and butter for decades. I love outliers and oddballs, and will play whatever's fun. As long as the price is right. "Is it a touch screen?" No, I don't think it is; that bumps the retail price up about $50-$100. I could be wrong. I hope I'm wrong, but I didn't see any interaction with the Switch's portable screen. Did you? Teaming up with Nvidia was wise. They can fab anything Ninty wants, and can actually stand to be patient if the system has a slow burning release. Nintendo's been partnering for a long time, and is anyone else catching a wiff some cross-platform playability coming? Nothing direct, but they're primed to supply mobile apps to side-load interactivity alongside the console. Let's put it this way; the deck is loaded for Nintendo do literally do what no one else does. They aren't pretending to be a media center, and I'm glad for that, though we can expect to see some base functionality, like Netflix and the like. A lot to look forward to ... but ... hey ... March? What are they thinking? Probably that they'll be free and clear not competing for dollars dedicated to the new hotness from Sony and Microsoft. These are tense times.
	honestgamer - October 22, 2016 (12:01 PM) You can buy a wide variety of touch tablets for under $50, so I think that touch might add closer to $20 to the cost of a device. If Nintendo thinks touch is an important part of how people will want to play, it'll be there. Rumors so far is that it is included, and I figure there's at least a 50/50 chance of that. The March release date bugs a lot of people, but Nintendo has released hardware in March before. The 3DS shipped in March, for instance, and this feels like a follow-up to that as much as it does to the Wii U. The main thing that prevented the 3DS launch from being a huge success, also, was the lack of must-play software. Nintendo is likely putting together a slate of software that people will want to get the Switch going, and that software probably wasn't going to be ready to ship in time for this holiday season. It wouldn't surprise me if software was the hold-up, as much as hardware, honestly. Launching in March will give Nintendo time to build up hype and a competitive library for the 2017 holiday season, as well, so I think it makes a lot of good sense for the company, even though it's not quite conventional where consoles are concerned.
	hastypixels - October 22, 2016 (12:21 PM) They went out of their way to confirm Mario, Splatoon, Skyrim (there are some doubts, but its pretty mature software at this point) and Mario Kart right off the bat. I completely agree. I was figuring retail, but you're probably right ... there's a lot of concern that an underperforming system needs to have the right price point in order to sell well. The 3DS had that problem, too, and they sold it at a loss for a long time. I am hopeful; I love Nintendo games, and the idea of sharing them so easily strikes the right cord with me. At the right price point, it could be sensible to have more than one console in the home. It could well be part of their plan, to replace performance with accessibility. Fun is fun, and Nintendo knows it.
	jerec - October 23, 2016 (03:13 AM) The big question I have is regarding the Virtual Console. Is it going to be included, and are they going to start over, releasing the same bunch of games one or two a week for years? That really annoyed me with the jump from Wii to Wii U. I'm not going through that again.
	honestgamer - October 23, 2016 (08:42 AM) I'll go through it again whether I like it or not. But, like you, I would really prefer that they make the library available from the start, and that new releases more consistently cover new ground. And I'd like in particular to see more NES and SNES stuff added, too, since that's the era that matters most to me and feels most natural on the Virtual Console. Honestly, though, I wouldn't be surprised if the Virtual Console program changes dramatically or is abandoned. I don't think it has been the huge money maker people expected... though that could also change with proper implementation on Switch, and the hype for the NES mini shows that the interest in those classics does remain.
	hastypixels - October 23, 2016 (06:05 PM) For some reason Nintendo's release schedule for VC titles has always been practically glacial, and no one is really sure why. I doubt there's any one cause to blame. What I've seen over the years is a Disney vault approach to VC; keep those prices jacked up. The NES Classic is a strange product to come from Nintendo, but it's unlikely that it represents a change in marketing. I don't envy Nintendo. They had to emulate so many games for the Wii, then update them for the Wii U, and now they have a completely new architecture to deal with. They need to take a cue from the current emulation scene, and sites like GOG. Just get those games onto the platform!
	honestgamer - October 23, 2016 (07:16 PM) I think Nintendo is actually involved in porting the games, even if the games were developed by other companies. Nintendo apparently takes the initiative. Someone from Natsume (as I recall) indicated that they wanted to bring more of their SNES games to Virtual Console and Nintendo declined. That strikes me as just stupid. If there are no rights issues and the developer wants to make its classic games available, I feel like Nintendo should move heaven and Earth to make it happen. The more games there are on the service, the better it is for everyone and--at least to a certain extent--the more likely each game is to perform well, because more gamers will come to rely on Virtual Console for their retro gaming needs. I realize that rights issues will prevent some games from ever making the trip to Virtual Console, and some old games have no obvious value today. But there are a lot of great games that still aren't available, and that needs to change. The library should be 3 or 4 times as large as it is by now, to really cover the proper spectrum.
	hastypixels - October 25, 2016 (06:58 PM) I completely agree on every point, and I'd heard about Nintendo's involvement in the porting process. Is it a cultural barrier that determines their focus? They do understand the value of nostalgia; "new" titles bank on it every year. No word on backward compatibility, yet, and lacking a disc drive of any kind would relegate options to download-only, which is less a problem than it sounds. Can we expect a custom Tegra to do everything the Wii U does, especially without a gamepad and touchscreen? If the Switch doesn't have one, that is. Wii games should run without a hitch, but ... again, download-only. There's a missed opportunity there; some consoles have survived game-seller droughts because of backward compatibility ... like the Wii. And the Wii U. I'm eager about the Switch, even if it doesn't sound like it!

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