Nintendo's Next Console Is Called the Nintendo Switch

Finally, the Nintendo NX subreddit can breathe a small sigh of relief. Today, Nintendo gave its first look at its forthcoming console, the Nintendo Switch.

In the above video, Nintendo confirms many of the rumors that have been circulating about the console since the company first announced its plans for a new platform. The Switch is a home console and handheld system hybrid. When plugged into its docking port, the system will hook to your home TV like a standard console system. Unplugging it from the dock reveals a separate portable screen, which a pair of controller plugs, called Joy-Cons, can latch onto, effectively turning the system into what looks like a smaller version of the Wii U's GamePad, albeit seemingly without the GamePad's touchscreen functionality. If the screen has touch capability, the video doesn't show that.

The modularity of the system would appear to not end there. The trailer goes on to present scenarios where the two controller attachments could be used separate from the screen, allowing players to use a small stand to prop up the screen and play without holding it up. The two individual controller plugs can even be used as separate controllers in multiplayer, like diminutive Wii Remotes.

It's worth noting that these smaller controller attachments don't appear to be the only controller option available for the Switch. A controller similar in look to the Wii U's pro controller is also shown in the video, and it would appear to function with the system in both docked and portable scenarios.

Over the course of the video, multiple games are shown, including what appear to be new first-party Nintendo titles. Besides the initial showing of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, a new 3D Mario game, a new Mario Kart, and a possible Splatoon sequel (or, possibly, a Switch update of the original Splatoon) all make appearances. You also see glimpses of what looks like the forthcoming Skyrim remaster, and a version of NBA 2K17 running on the platform.

Unsurprisingly, this trailer doesn't offer anything in the way of hardware specs or pricing, but the stinger at the end indicates that Nintendo's still set on releasing this thing in March of next year. If that holds, it would seem safe to assume that we'll hear more details about the system fairly soon. In the meantime, just do what I'm gonna do, and rewatch this video a few dozen times and appreciate how much fun all these smiling millennials seem to be having with the Nintendo Switch.

UPDATE: NVIDIA has confirmed the Switch is running on a custom version of the company's Tegra processor. You can read more about that here.

This looks interesting! I love handheld gaming and having the ability to hook it up to a tv sounds awesome!

I'm in! The ergonomics look questionable on the default controller though.

Cautiously optimistic. Looking at it as a 3DS replacement I'm excited for more powerful mobile games and the possibility of multiplayer with those stupid tiny controllers.

Also, cart based? I didn't eyeball a disc-slot on there, I sure as hell don't want it inside the screen-device. Exciting times (you know, except for all games being known quantities)

I think it looks great , although little wary of the third party support still

I'm very curious about this. Lots of questions to be answered about it though. So far looks promising.

Finally, I can play Nintendo games without having to commit!

@captainslender: It looks like a cart for sure, but also could be a memory stick? Digital only releases? Hard to say for sure.

This looks really cool. I'm excited for it's potential. I love the name too. The Switch. The NS? Hmmm...

I find it especially cool to have the console launch so soon after its official announcement/reveal. Waiting 2 years for consoles to show up after their first E3 showing sucks.

apparently it's running on nvidia hardware

https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/2016/10/20/nintendo-switch/

It looks like it's trying to be two things but not being very good at either.

As a console, it's not going to compare with the PS4 and XB1.

As a portable device (pretty much a tablet) it will probably just play games, have a browser and support Netflix etc. iPads and other tablets can do way more already with way more game selection (and dev support). Not to mention you can also connect them to your TV.

I just don't know who this is for.

Why is the VERT FIRST SENTENCE I read an "I told you so"?? Game/tech outlets seem to just love having their best guesses turn out to be true, to the interest of virtually no one. Conversely, I've not once seen said journalists ever walk back some wrong hunch and own up to the error with a "whoops, guess we were wrong". No slight to Alex here, this is just a pet peeve of mine that seems to happen without fail in speculative reporting.

Looks cool, need that price point though

This means they can focus all their games on one console instead of splitting them. That alone makes me happy.

Soooo many millennials!

As someone that hasn't bought a Nintendo system since the NES, this looks really interesting. A consolidated catalogue of first-party games appears to make this a better value than any of the previous consoles they've released since the GameCube.

However, I can't shake the feeling that many of the demonstrated gameplay modes look like a novelty that will never be used after the first few releases - multiplayer using those baby controllers looks painfully awkward.

Seems clunky and underpowered, at least when disconnected from the dock. Not a great 1st impression

But hey, at least the name doesn't suck this time? That's progress!

I understand why they're doing it, but I don't think the ubiquity of the Switch is more valuable than the loss of the dual screens and touch interface of the 3DS.

Also, the size of the Switch and concerns over its battery life make its portable nature even more questionable.

I don't know. Overall I think the Switch is fine, but Nintendo's decisions continue to be weird to me. I'll be getting a Switch, but I'll probably never remove the Switch from its docking station.

I want it so freaking bad, give it to me Reggie!

What is the point with the "switch". The $1 plastic buttons couldnt be permantently attached to both parts because?

@sekou: It's not an "I told you so." It's an, "All those rumors you've been hearing forever are mostly true."

I'm very excited to play Breath of the Wild from the toilet in full definition*.

*if that's possible

This looks great to me !

I already have a PS4, so I love that they go for portability and not get into the useless horsepower race with Microsoft and Sony.

So all the leaks were true.

"...how much fun these all these smiling millennial..."

Also, I'm hyped.

There's also no plus-pad on the default controller?

How funny would it be if it was the original version of Skyrim and not the remastered one?

@drekly: People who like nintendo games.

Huge misstep of Nintendo to not have integrated Vitality Sensors into those Joy Cons.

What if every year or two they release a new version of the tablet, with new internals, and you just "switch" it out with all of the same accessories? Nintendo made a modular console.

Watched the trailer again, really damn sold.

Im so happy for Nintendo, finally something worth getting!

Seems awesome, but not significantly different than a WiiU (there are slight differences, I know, but it's very similar).

I'm excited about this, especially since it implies you can use a real controller, but I'm also cautiously optimistic. There were reasons I haven't gotten a WiiU but I forgot them now.

I'm really looking forward to this. Being able to play on the move means I can fit games in to my otherwise limited gaming time - on the commute and lunch time at work for example, or during weekends at the in-laws.

I already get a hell of a lot of use out of the Vita and 3ds for this, and I wish I could do the same with the wii U. Well, I guess now I can. If you don't have a problem with gaming time, or spend a lot of time at home gaming, the portable part I guess will seem like a disappointing compromise. But for me it's perfect.

Also, for anyone worried about battery life -

1. it doesn't look like a touch screen, which will help, and

2. the bigger screen means a bigger battery, and as you see with stuff like the Samsung Edge and iPhone 7+, there's a breaking point over about 5 inches where the extra battery volume you get outweighs the larger screen area.

I hope it has a really solid sleep mode though, like the Vita, rather than what the original 3DS launched with, or the awful wii U game pad.

You just know the battery on the handheld screen is going to be absolute garbage. Wait a year for some sort of XL version that gives it a better battery.

Looks awesome. Mario looks really promising.

Personally, having more choice is always a good thing.

Being able to play a game in portable mode at work on breaks and then, when I get home, continue playing the same game on the TV? Or where ever I want? Heck yeah, I'm in.

I am totally in. Nintendo is going to come back stronger than ever. They know they fucked up big with the Wii U. PS4 and Xbox One are not offering me anything I can't experience on PC.

This thing is going to churn out GameCube caliber type of 1st party games but this time I think 3rd party will be stronger, way stronger, than the GameCube days.

HYPE!

Now if only they can solve their Nintendo account woes and be more like Xbox/PlayStation they will have a killer product.

If they finally offer a "Nintendo Subscription" this could be the perfect unification of all of their products.

I havent had a Nintendo console if a few cycles, this might be the one. wonder if it will be over $299. It looks around the size of an iPad mini and they are 350 i think?

Preorder for me.

OLED?

This certainly looks promising. I've liked the games on the 3DS better than the Wii U this generation, but having everything on a single platform so Nintendo studios don't have to split focus anymore? That should create some great games. And probably another Mario Party, unfortunately. :)

Everything else is speculation until we see and touch final hardware - which won't keep people from playing this video over and over again and making conclusions, I know. :)

i think this is 300$ or 350$, hard to say now if people will be pay this much, but let's wait for the games lineup

A Playstation TV and a PS Vita in one package! What could possibly go wrong!?

The Pro controller being a separate purchase kinda stings, but the pricing of this thing is important. Nintendo is now a solo hardware company, so it is crucial that they get as many systems out there to get the software sales going.

To the casual shopper, this thing is going to look like an Amazon Fire or Galaxy Tab. Nintendo needs to set a price on this thing that takes that into account, or the system will sit on shelves.

$249 needs to the be the ceiling. Any higher than that and it collects dust by summertime.

I've been off the Nintendo train for a while now. But the Switch looks like something I might be in to. Assuming the price isn't crazy. (And since it's Nintendo I doubt the price will be crazy.)

when can I pre-order it!!!

It looks cool as a slick functional device for home/portable play, but my problem is that it says Nintendo on the box.