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Nintendo Switch (ニンテンドースイッチ, Nintendō Suitchi) is an upcoming video game console in development by Nintendo. Officially unveiled on October 20, 2016, it is currently scheduled for release worldwide in March 2017. Nintendo Switch is a hybrid device that can be used as either a tablet-like portable console, or inserted into a docking station that is attached to a television. The Switch features two detatchable wireless controllers, which can be used individually or attached to a grip to provide a traditional gamepad form.

History

One of Satoru Iwata's last actions as the CEO of Nintendo prior to his July 2015 death was to push the company towards mobile gaming, forming a business alliance with Japanese mobile provider DeNA in March 2015. Iwata recognized that mobile gaming was a rapidly growing market and wanted to bring Nintendo's IP to it without comprosing their integrity. During a joint press conference on 17 March 2015 to announce this partnership, Nintendo also confirmed that it was developing a new hardware platform codenamed NX, which it described as having a "brand new concept".

Nintendo stated that the NX would not be a direct replacement of the existing Wii U and 3DS product lines; in an interview with the Asahi Shimbun, company president Tatsumi Kimishima stated that the NX would be a "new way to play" that would "have a larger impact than the Wii U". He believed that the Wii U would "slow" following the release of NX, but reiterated that the platform will not be a successor to the Wii U. On 27 April 2016, Nintendo announced that NX would be released worldwide in March 2017.

Nintendo chose not to unveil the NX itself during the Electronic Entertainment Expo in June 2016. At a shareholders' meeting following the conference, Shigeru Miyamoto stated that the company had concerns that competitors could copy from it if they revealed it too soon. However, Nintendo did reveal during E3 that The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild was in development for both NX and Wii U. The following month, rumours began to surface about the nature of NX, which suggested that it would be a hybrid device designed for both home and portable usage, and feature detatchable controllers. It was also speculated that the platform would utilize a system-on-chip from the Nvidia Tegra series, which is designed for use in mobile devices. Some of these rumors were supported by issued patents assigned to Nintendo for various game console hardware published in July and August 2016.

On 19 October 2016, Nintendo announced that it would officially unveil the NX via a trailer scheduled to be published on the morning of 20 October 2016. The trailer officially unveiled the device and its final branding, Nintendo Switch.

Hardware

Nintendo Switch is designed as a hybrid between a handheld video game system and a home console; the main system, referred to as the "Switch console", is a tablet with two detatchable "Joy-Con" controllers, and a kickstand. The Switch console can be inserted into a docking station known as the Switch Dock, which allows the console to be attached to a television.

The controllers can be used whilst attached to the Switch console (similarly to the Wii U GamePad), or they can be removed and used either separately in each hand (similarly to a Wii Remote and Nunchuck), attached to a grip to provide a gamepad form factor, or as individual controllers for multiple players. It will also support a wireless standalone gamepad known as the Switch Pro Controller, which has a more traditional design reminscent of the Wii U Pro Controller. Switch will support wireless multiplayer via multiple systems, for example, allowing four players to play using two Switch systems.

Exact specifications have not been officially announced, but Nvidia confirmed that Switch uses a system-on-chip from its Nvidia Tegra family of products "based on the same architecture as the world's top-performing GeForce gaming graphics cards", and a custom API. Games distributed at retail will be stored on cartridge-like Game cards, similar in design to those used for Nintendo DS and 3DS games.

Games

During its official unveiling, Nintendo confirmed that a number of major third-party publishers and developers had committed to developing games for Nintendo Switch, including 505 Games. Activision, Arc System Works, Atlus, Bandai Namco Entertainment, Bethesda Softworks, Capcom, Codemasters, Electronic Arts, Epic Games, From Software, Frozenbyte, Koei, Konami, Level-5, Platinum Games, Sega, Spike Chunsoft, Square Enix, Take Two Interactive, Telltale Games, THQ Nordic, and Ubisoft among others. This is in contrast to previous Nintendo console releases such as the Wii and Wii U where Nintendo had struggled to gain third-party support at the console's launch.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, originally announced as a Wii U exclusive, is being developed for both Wii U and Switch. The console's reveal trailer showcased footage from potential new titles in the Super Mario, Mario Kart, and Splatoon franchises.

Prior to the console's official unveiling, Sega and Ubisoft already confirmed specific titles in development for Switch, including Just Dance 2017 and Project Sonic 2017. The reveal trailer also featured footage from a port of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim for Switch.

References

1. "[UPDATE] Nintendo NX Labeled As "Home Gaming System" By The Company, Specs May Not Be Revealed Today". wccftech. 20 October 2016. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
2. Peckham, Matt (18 March 2015). "Exclusive: Nintendo CEO Reveals Plans for Smartphones". Time. Time Inc. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
3. Makuch, Eddie (18 March 2015). "Players More Important Than Money, Nintendo Pres. Says About Smartphone Deal". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
4. Yin-Poole, Wesley (17 March 2015), "Nintendo NX is "new hardware with a brand new concept"", Eurogamer
5. "Nintendo NX "is neither the successor to the Wii U nor to the 3DS"". VG24/7. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
6. Westaway, Luke. "Nintendo will make games for phones, new 'NX' system". CNET. Retrieved 17 March 2015.
7. Martens, Todd (27 April 2016). "Nintendo dates its successor to the Wii U, the NX". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
8. Reilly, Luke (27 April 2016). "Nintendo NX Will Launch In March 2017". IGN.com. Ziff Davis. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
9. ^ "Nintendo NX launches March 2017, won't simply replace Wii U and 3DS". Geek.com. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
10. "Report: Nintendo's fear of imitators kept NX out of E3". Polygon. Retrieved 30 June 2016.
11. Philips, Tom (26 July 2016). "Nintendo NX is a portable console with detachable controllers". Eurogamer. Retrieved 26 July 2016.
12. Leadbetter, Richard (26 July 2016). "Nintendo NX is powered by Nvidia Tegra technology". Eurogamer. Retrieved 26 July 2016.
13. Te, Zorine (16 August 2016). "Nintendo's NX Controller Could Have Detachable D-Pad, According To Updated Patents". GameSpot. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
14. "Nintendo's NX reveal is finally happening Thursday morning". The Verge. Vox Media. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
15. ^ "'Switch' is Nintendo's next game console". Engadget. AOL Inc. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
16. ^ "This is what the Nintendo Switch looks like". Polygon. Vox Media. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
17. "A close look at the Nintendo Switch's wild modular controller: the Joy-Con". The Verge. Vox Media. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
18. Hernandez, Patricia. "Here's Your First Look At The Nintendo Switch, Nintendo's Next Console". Kotaku. Gizmodo Media Group.
19. "Nintendo Switch confirmed to have Nvidia components". Polygon. Vox Media. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
20. "Nintendo Switch will use cartridges". Polygon. Vox Media. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
21. "Nintendo announces publishers and developers for the Switch – including Bethesda, EA, 2K and more". VG24/7. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
22. Miller, Ross (20 October 2016). "Activision, EA, Bethesda, and more pledge support for Nintendo Switch". The Verge. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
23. Reilly, Luke (27 April 2016). "Nintendo NX Will Launch In March 2017". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
24. "Zelda Wii U Delayed to 2017, Also Coming to NX". IGN. Ziff Davis Media. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
25. ^ "The 6 games Nintendo showed for the Switch". The Verge. Vox Media. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
26. "Just Dance 2017 is the first Western game to be announced for NX". Eurogamer. Retrieved 26 June 2016.
27. "'Project Sonic 2017' is coming to Xbox One, PS4 and Nintendo NX". Engadget. AOL Inc. Retrieved 20 October 2016.

• Nintendo 公式チャンネル (17 March 2015), Nintendo Co., Ltd. DeNA Co., Ltd. Business and Capital Alliance Announcement (Press Conference (video stream)) (in english translation overdub), www.youtube.com {{citation}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
• Iwata, Satoru; Moriyasu, Isao (17 March 2015), Nintendo Co., Ltd. , DeNA Co., Ltd. , Business and Capital Alliance Announcement (Press release) (in english translation transcript){{citation}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
• https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/en/library/events/160428qa/index.html

External links

• Official website

• 2010s
• Video games
• Nintendo

• 2010s toys
• Nintendo consoles
• Nintendo Switch