Nintendo finally got around to showing us their much discussed (and surprisingly soon to be released) NX console. Now the NX codename can go join the Dolphin and Revolution in Valhalla as the official console name has been revealed to be the Nintendo Switch.
So the console is pretty much identical to what the biggest leaks have indicated, a home console and portable hybrid that can be docked to your television or taken on the go. As the trailer reveals the Switch features a special controller that Nintendo calls the “Joy-Con”. The controller comes in two halves that can be attached to the console for travel but can also be used wirelessly provided you have somewhere to set the device down. When at home the console is docked and the controllers can continue to be used wirelessly, attached to an ergonomic device called the Joy-Con grip, or set aside entirely in favor of a new full-size controller similar to the pro controller for the Wii U.
From left to right: standard wireless controls, the joy-con grip, and the pro controller.
We still have very little by way of specs aside from at least confirmation that Nvidia has provided the GPU, something that is consistent with the leaks we saw prior to the reveal. Nintendo has however provided a list of partners that plan to develop for the device, some noteworthy mentions on the list include:
- From Software
- Atlus
- EA
- Namco Bandai
- Bethesda
- Capcom
- Koei Tecmo
- Sega
- Square Enix
A pretty standard list of developers, but there’s some noteworthy additions like From Software (Dark Souls anybody?) and Bethesda, who hasn’t published a game on Nintendo hardware since 2009.
There’s still a lot of stuff to be determined: How much does it cost? How’s the battery life? What kind of backwards compatibilty can we expect (if any)? Generally the response to the device on the internet seems to be positive, and the very act of announcing it has shot the company’s share price up almost 5%. But that doesn’t matter, what are your thoughts? Will you be picking up a Switch when it launches in March?
