The Nintendo Switch will get a release date in March and this is a big deal for Nintendo. Here's everything you need to know!
UPDATE: You Can Now Pre-Order The Nintendo Switch
Best Place To Pre-Order Nintendo Switch?
I’m in the UK, so I pre-ordered my Nintendo Switch from Game Seek. It cost me £198.50, which is pretty good for a brand new console.
GAME and Tesco are also running pre-orders the Nintendo Switch, which you can check out below:
Tesco Nintendo Switch Pre-Order Deals
GAME Nintendo Switch Pre-Order Deals
If you’re outside the UK, you can pre-order your Nintendo Switch at a variety of places. But the best I have found in the US is GameStop, which has TONS of options that includes game bundles, controller bundles and more.
Prices start at $299.99 at GameStop and go up to over $600 for the more extensive Nintendo Switch packages.
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The Nintendo Switch is on the way. It's coming in March, and you better believe this thing will be the best console Nintendo has ever produced. Just a whiff of a few of the features onboard shows a few key things; Nintendo has learned from some of the mistakes of its past console generations and doesn't show any signs of repeating them, it has learned how and why Microsoft's Xbox and Sony's PlayStation outmaneuvered it.
Nintendo has also embraced mobile gaming and this looks set to be a core aspect of the Switch, indeed, Nintendo appears to be pushing the envelope as far as portable gaming and streaming content is concerned with a ground-up portable build in mind for the console. Nintendo also knows its target demographic inside out, while it will undoubtedly pay some lip-service to the family and social gaming niche it carved out with the Wii, it knows that its rich trove of heritage titles is what really holds interest, including the likes of Mario, Zelda, and Pokemon. Nintendo has also clearly observed the increasing popularity of e-Sport competetive gaming.
The system itself, based on what we learned from its first official outing, is based around gaming on the move.
The main system connects to a dock that is hooked up to your HDTV, this is for TV-based, sofa gaming, but, if you want to game on the move, all you have to do is detach this unit and take it with you and you can play games via its 6in display and detachable controllers.
I really like this concept, as it combines pretty much all of Nintendo’s past releases into one, robust system. You have Wii U-like gaming on the move; Nintendo Wii controller systems, and a robust, dedicated console stack for your HDTV.
Nintendo Switch UNBOXING
Yep – someone’s unboxed a Nintendo Switch.
Most of us will have to wait until March to get our mitts on the Nintendo Switch, but one lucky git has managed to already procure one.
“NeoGAF user hiphoptherobot was accidentally shipped his Nintendo Switch pre-order over two weeks early by an unnamed retailer,” reports Floko.
You can check out the full unboxing below:
Nintendo Switch Specs: Detailed In Full
We’ve known how the Nintendo Switch functioned and what it looks like for a good long while now. But until last night, specific details about specs, hardware and software capabilities were still rather mysterious, as Nintendo remained tight-lipped about what made the Nintendo Switch tick.
Still No Details On Nintendo Switch CPU…
Well, the mystery is over. We now know quite a bit more about the Nintendo Switch’s specs and hardware, though, for whatever reason, Nintendo refused to detail the exact SoC used inside the machine. EuroGamer, however, believes it is the Tegra X1 – NVIDIA’s 20nm Cortex-A57 CPU + Maxwell GPU SoC from the NVIDIA SHIELD TV.
Nintendo Switch Display Technology CONFIRMED
As previously reported, the Nintendo Switch – the handheld device aspect – features a 1280x720p capacitive touch screen LCD. This is fairly low resolution in a world dominated by QHD phones and tablets, but given that Nintendo is going for performance and longevity with the Switch, the use of 1080p is to be expected.
Battery life and CPU efficiency likely trumped the benefits of using a QHD panel. But, hey, at least that gives Nintendo an easy update for the console in 2018, right?
Nintendo Switch Specs – What Nintendo Revealed
Nintendo confirmed the Nintendo Switch would feature 32GB of internal storage. It also confirmed that this storage can be supplemented using external cards (microSDXC cards), similar to the current-generation Nintendo 3DS.
With battery life, Nintendo says the Nintendo Switch will deliver between 2.5 and 6.5 hours on a single charge, depending on the game. The upcoming Zelda game, for example, will apparently kill the Switch inside three hours.
Unlike ALL previous Nintendo releases, the Switch will NOT use proprietary charging methods; instead, it will change via USB Type C, just like a lot of modern Android phones. In addition, because of this it will be possible to use USB-powerbanks with the system, meaning you can prolong the battery life on long haul gaming sessions.
Nintendo Switch Companion Dock
The companion dock for the Switch, the medium through which it connects to your HDTV, is a dumb device, meaning it is useless without the Switch docked inside it.
This companion unit will also feature USB Type C, three USB ports, HDMI out and an AC Adapter, which the system will ship with as standard.
Nintendo Switch Controllers: The Joy-Cons
This is where things get a little more interesting, as there’s a lot more to Nintendo’s new controllers than we previously thought. First and foremost, there are two aspects to it – the left Joy-Con and the right Joy-Con.
“The right Joy-Con contains an NFC reader/writer for use with Nintendo’s Amiibo figures, and what Nintendo is calling a "IR motion camera,” An IR camera would imply that it’s the same basic functionality as the Wii Remote, which used an IR camera to orient itself relative to the IR LEDs in the console’s sensor bar, however Nintendo also quickly demonstrated that the Joy-Con could measure distance and motion from a human hand facing the camera, something the Wii Remote could not do,” reports AnandTech.
The Switch Joy-Con controllers will also feature what Nintendo is called “HD Rumble”, which essentially means high fidelity, ultra-responsive controller rumble when gaming. Given the diminutive size of the controllers, this will likely be achieved via multiple, linear actuators for vibration ( a la Apple’s Taptic Engine).
New controllers aren’t cheap, either – you’re looking at $80 for a new one.
Nintendo Switch Game Prices
Nintendo has done away with region-locking for its games. The company also confirmed that titles would retail for $60 – $20 more than 3DS titles and the same price as Wii U games.
As promised, Nintendo has gone live on October 20 with its big reveal of the much-anticipated and heavily rumoured Nintendo NX console, and first and foremost it isn't called the Nintendo NX at all, instead it will retail as the Nintendo Switch. Importantly, the name is significant as it relates to some of the key functionality and features of the new console, but we'll get to that shortly.
Nintendo also confirmed that the new console will arrive in March 2017. The announcement was accompanied by a preview trailer showcasing much of what we can expect from the Nintendo Switch console, and indeed, many of the earlier rumours have proven correct. We'll embed the trailer below so you can see exactly what we're talking about.
So, as you can see, the big deal here is that the Nintendo Switch, as per earlier rumours, does indeed straddle the line between home console and gaming portable, allowing gamers to literally pick up their current game and walk out the house with it via a nifty combination of a cartridge system, a dock, and both modular controllers and a display panel.
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Nintendo hasn’t had the best couple of years and analysts see the Nintendo Switch as the company’s last-ditch attempt at making a hugely successful console. I for one am very impressed by the overall concept of the device; I love the fact you can take it apart and play it anywhere as well as on your TV. The applications for this are immense. From a developer prospective, it’s also HUGE. Ditto VR.
"Nintendo Switch allows gamers the freedom to play however they like," said Reggie Fils-Aime, president and chief operating officer of 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."
We couldn't help but chuckle a bit as Nintendo appears to be encouraging "responsible" dog ownership, by taking your massive dog to the park off the lead and ignoring it while playing your portable! Likewise Nintendo seems to think its cool to rock up at a party and make everyone play your games.
The CEO of UK video game retailer GAME, Martyn Gibbs, speaking to God Is A Gamer, has waded in on the Nintendo Switch announcement, offering up his thoughts on the platform and what it means for the future.
"As today’s teaser video demonstrates, the SWITCH is another example of Nintendo differentiating its gaming experiences to appeal to a broad array of gamers. Nintendo has consistently developed home consoles and handheld gaming to see its beloved and engaging games and characters deliver ultimate fun and enjoyment. SWITCH is clearly taking some of the best features of handheld and home consoles and merging them into a fantastic new way to play. We will be bringing more details to our customers as soon as possible."
Marketing peculiarities aside, what we're looking at here does look very cool and revolutionary at the same time. This is the first time the "pick up your game and turn it portable" issue has been tackled with any kind of practical real-world application. What's more, the graphical quality aboard the portable component looks to be very high, and the myriad ways in which the setup facilitates multiplayer gaming is reassuring.
We also catch a glimpse that Skyrim (probably the remastered version) is apparently coming to the Nintendo Switch, along with new Mario titles (including Mario Kart), a new NBA game, and The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild.
The preview also emphasises Nintendo's interest in professional gaming towards the end of the video, as we see competition teams practicing with the portable component before taking part in a big stadium contest in front of hordes of fans.
Nintendo Swtich Patent Could Hint At VR
Everything will be powered by an NVIDIA chipset and there is now evidence – in the form of a patent filling – that suggests Nintendo will also release a VR headset for the Switch.
“The patent,” notes The Verge, “describes a head-mounted display that would hold the Nintendo Switch tablet, reminiscent of Google’s Daydream headset or the Samsung Gear VR.”
The actual patent was filled in June, before the Switch was announced.
According to the listing, the VR headset will have a variety of possible configurations: “The headset, Nintendo writes, could “enhance the sense of immersion” and could either include its own tracking sensors or use ones on the tablet itself.”
- The 10 Games I CANNOT Wait To Play On The Nintendo Switch
The Switch’s removable controllers will presumably act as Wii-like motion sensors, allowing for a fully immersive experience once inside the VR environment.
This doesn’t mean Nintendo WILL launch a VR headset, however – patents are filed all the time by tech companies. Having said that, Nintendo execs have confirmed there will be a variety of peripherals for the Switch coming to market after its release date in March.
A patent has been uncovered which could indicate Nintendo has plans for VR accessories designed for the Nintendo Switch. The word comes via a member of the NeoGAF forumsm highlighting the filings with the US Patent Office. One particular section in the patent listings shows a head-mounted accessory - a Head Mounted Display or HMD.
It would appear that the accessory is a set of goggles with an integrated docking mechanism - as the Nintendo Switch console can already be undocked and uses a small integrated display to enable use as a portable, hand-held console, it looks as though this whole setup slots into the goggles in front of the wearer's eyes.
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Jimmy Fallon Gets FIRST Live Demo on Nintendo Switch
If you’re interested in seeing a live demo of Nintendo Switch, as well as the new Zelda game and Mario Run, you’re in luck. Nintendo decided to do a live demo on the Jimmy Fallon show and the video the segment is included below for your viewing pleasure.
This is the first live demo of the Switch I have seen outside the official demo Nintendo released a couple of months back. The demo doesn’t reveal too much, though, as we don’t see the menu system of the Switch nor do we get to see much action inside the Zelda game.
Everything appears to run smoothly, however, and Jimmy Fallon appears to be very impressed with the “three-in-one” console which is due to start going out to the press in January, ahead of its March release date.
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Nintendo Switch Release Date & Price
Well, well, well… it looks as if we FINALLY have an idea about how much the Nintendo Switch will cost. According to reports, leaked information from GAME suggests the Nintendo Switch will retails for £199.99 here in the UK.
“It is important to note this is not a Nintendo set RRP (recommended retail price), as Nintendo do not set UK RRP prices for consoles. However, it is safe to assume this gives us a solid indication of the price the system will sell at nationwide,” reports Let’s Play Video Games.
“We have also learned that a separate SKU featuring more internal storage and a packed in game is planned to sell at £249.99. We have heard rumours as to what this pack in game is, but we currently have only one source on this information so we are unwilling to talk about that pack in title at this time.”
The Switch Pro controllers are expected to retail for £39.99 at GAME.
“Nintendo is planning for the Switch to be close to direct conversion price comparable across regions, which we have been told is tied into their push for the system to be region free. This would in theory put the USA price of the system at approximately $249.99 and $299.99,” the report added.
The price of the Nintendo Switch has been the focus of intense debate ever since the console was announced. How will Nintendo price it? Will it be competitive? Word on the street initially suggested a $200 base model, but reports are now pointing towards a figure closer to $250, as noted by Express.
And according to one analyst, Nintendo will try to compete with the PS4 by giving the Nintendo Switch a similar $249 (£200) price tag.
"You know, I think that Nintendo needs to make a console that is competitive with PS4, which is currently $249," Wedbush analyst Michael Pachter told SIFTD (via GamingBolt).
"It can be slightly underpowered at $249, and people can buy it, because it’s a Nintendo console.
"It probably can’t justify a price above $299, which is the current price for the Xbox One S, unless it’s powered more than them, which doesn’t seem likely to me with a Tegra chipset.
"So, I think the price has to be between $199 and $299. Below $200 is a magic price point – I don’t expect that, but below that point it will fly off the shelves. $249 is I think the right price, $299 is the outside, higher price.
"Above $299 is in trouble. So if I had to make a bet? $249. And I think that’s reasonable, because PS4 is there, PS4 Pro is $399, Xbox One S is probably going to be $249 by March, once Sony kick Microsoft’s butt again this Holiday.
"So, I think, that’s just the right price. I think people – I think it’s a good supplement for a PS4 or an Xbox One S."
Nintendo Switch: 1080p Gaming At Home; 720p on The Move
Have you been wondering how gaming will differ on the Nintendo Switch? Me too. But now we have some solid-ish answers via LPG, which claims the handheld component of the Nintendo Switch will feature 720p gaming visuals, while the at-home-component (the one connected to your HDTV) will be 1080p.
The dock itself does not add any computational power to the console, however, but it does have one cool trick up its sleeve – the inclusion of internal fans allow it to operate at a higher clock speed.
“Furthermore,” notes MCV, “both video and power will transfer over USB C – corroborating leaked accessories stills yesterday that pointed to USB C connectivity. It is also claimed that additional docks will be made available to buy at a later date so users can have more than one home for their system.”
First Nintendo Switch Accessories LEAK Online
We’ve just got our first glimpse at the first batch of Nintendo Switch accessories, courtesy of WCCFTech. The leak itself comes from Australia but these accessories will likely be available in the all regions, as Nintendo is making the Switch as non-region specific as possible. Check out the goodies below:
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“Three items are listed, for pre-order, no less and they include: a Starter pack, a Starter Pack Plus and a USB C to USB A charging cable. The USB Type C thing might be to enable faster charging for the portable Switch unit, as early rumours suggested.
UK Retailer Puts Nintendo Switch On Pre-Order!
The Nintendo Switch isn’t landing until March – March 17, according to one retailer – and between then and now there will likely be A LOT more to talk about regarding this hugely anticipated console.
However, one UK retailer has decided to put its money where its mouth is and has OFFICIALLY put the Nintendo Switch up for Pre-Order at a price of £198.50. Multiple rumours have mentioned the sub-£200 pricing but there have been nothing official from Nintendo. Still, this doesn’t appear to have stopped GameSeek from kicking of the Switch’s pre-order nice and early.
"With our Pre-order Price Guarantee, you can order now and if the GameSeek price increases between the time you place your order and the release date, you'll be charged the lower price," a message on the retailer's website explains.
Not too shabby, eh?
It is highly unlikely the console will cost more, though. In the past couple of weeks we’ve seen a few prices chucked around. The most expensive of which, via LetsPlayVideoGames, was £249.99 – although that price includes a bundled game.
Either way, I think this price point is bang on the money – I will definitely be picking one up at launch.
This pricing strategy is super-aggressive from Nintendo. It shows the company is going after international markets in a big way. Couple these with the fact the console will not be region specific and some big plans for games inside 2017 and the idea of the Nintendo Switch is starting to get very interesting.
I will definitely buy one as soon as it comes out. I love Nintendo, always have, and I’ve been waiting for something like this for what seems like forever. Ahead of launch I was massively nervous, but after watching the trailer I immediately felt a warm glow, imagining myself playing on it and taking it on the move.
I just hope we here more regarding games in the coming months, as this aspect is still kind of unclear.
Bethesda CONFIRMS Nintendo Switch Support
For the first time since the console launched, Skyrim’s publisher has confirmed that it will be supporting the Nintendo Switch. In an interview with Glixel, Bethesda director Todd Howard said, “I love it. I got to play it. I will tell you – well, maybe that's an NDA [non disclosure agreement] thing. One of the best demos I've ever seen. Probably the best demo I've ever seen. At E3.”
The interviewer then asked Howard about the game and, cryptically, he responded: ““I mean the device itself. I think it's really smart what they're doing. We're definitely going to be supporting it. It's the first time we've done something on Nintendo. If you don't count the old NES stuff. Home Alone. Or Where's Waldo?”
On the all-important subject of Skyrim on the Nintendo Switch, the game featured heavily in Nintendo’s launch video, Howard added: “It's the same game on the TV and on the other screen.”
So, yes… that’s about as close to a confirmation as we’re likely to get between now and January, when the first press demo units arrive.
Nintendo Switch Launch Titles: Mario & Skyrim
Word on the street suggests Mario and Skyrim will be the Nintendo Switch’s flagship launch titles. The Mario game shown in the Switch reveal trailer is planned as Switch release day title in all territories – the name of the game, however, is currently unknown.
Reports suggest the Mario game demo will be available for press in January, meaning the first verdicts on Nintendo’s new Switch system will be out three months before its release in March 2017.
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“The title will apparently feature a 3D open world hub from which different worlds can be selected,” reports Let’s Play Games, “with multiple objectives to complete in each, much like Mario 64 or Mario Galaxy. This may seem obvious, but we share this information to specify that this will not be a Super Mario 3D World-style game where the action is in 3D, but each stage is a linear path designed to be completed a single time.”
The report added: “Also, that Skyrim port Bethesda refuse to confirm is real is totally happening. We’ve heard it’s planned to be a launch day release for the system, to mirror the recent remastered version of the game, and to allow mods at some time post-launch. Mod support for Skyrim will not be there from day one, and much like the PS4 will be limited to mods made using existing in-game assets.”
Nintendo Switch: Unlike Anything You've Ever Played Before
NVIDIA has been chatting with Seeking Alpha about its role in the development of the Nintendo Switch. During the interview, NVIDIA co-founder Jen-Hsun Huang outlined some of his thoughts and aspirations about Nintendo’s new gaming console. Below are some choice clips:
“We've worked with them now for almost two years. Several hundred engineering years have gone into the development of this incredible game console,” Nvidia co-founder Jen-Hsun Huang told investors, as transcribed by Seeking Alpha.
“I really believe when everybody sees it and enjoy it, they're going be amazed by it. It's really like nothing they've ever played with before. And of course, the brand, their franchise and their game content is incredible.”
“The quality of games has grown significantly. And one of the factors of production value of games that has been possible is because the PC and the two game consoles, Xbox and PlayStation, and in the future – in the near-future, the Nintendo Switch,” he added.
“All of these architectures are common in the sense that they all use modern GPUs, they all use programmable shading and they all have basically similar features. They have very different design points, they have different capabilities, but they have very similar architectural features.
“As a result of that, game developers can target a much larger installed base with one common code base and, as a result, they can increase the production quality, production value of the games.”
Nintendo Switch Will Run Just 4GB of RAM
Word on the street suggests Nintendo’s Switch console will ship with just 4GB of RAM, a rather small amount for a next-generation console. Compared to the Sony PS4 Pro and Xbox One S, 4GB is a pretty paltry amount but given the differences in experiences and types of games you will be playing on the Switch this might not be too bad.
The Switch is designed to be mobile first, meaning it is made for travel and gaming on the go. And for this, 4GB of RAM should be more than enough. Most modern smartphones have around this amount and they perform perfectly well, so we shouldn’t have too much concern about this.
Nintendo Switch Will Use Cards... But Not As We Know Them
"Switch," says Venture Beat, "the home/handheld hybrid Nintendo system that is due out in March, will use a new version of the company’s Game Cards to store software. After using discs for the GameCube, Wii, and Wii U, Nintendo is going back to cartridge-style solution that it used on its NES, SNES, and N64 systems. And while that might make many of you think of how third-party publisher despised working with carts on the Nintendo 64 back in the 1990s because they were more limited and expensive than the PlayStation’s CDs, the Game Cards that the Switch is using won’t have the same weaknesses."
Nintendo has always favoured Mask ROM chips in its game cards. The cards used inside the 3DS and the Nintendo Wii U, for instance, and this doesn’t look set to change for the Nintendo Switch, however, there will be a difference, as the games showed off during the announcement, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, for instance, which are around 30GB, mean Nintendo will likely use the latest Mask ROM chips that can support up to 32GB – perhaps the Switch will support dual-Mask ROM chips?
Nintendo is being very tight-lipped about how everything works. Nevertheless it is worth pointing out that only the BIGGEST, headliner titles would require such high amounts of RAM. Most titles will likely be digital downloads. And even relatively big games on the Wii U like Mario Kart only game in at 8GB. The upshot of using this card system is battery life; spinning motors are terrible for eating up juice on a portable, handheld device. Just as the PlayStation Portable.
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