Friday 13 January 2017

What We Know About Nintendo Switch

This week signals the real introduction to the Nintendo Switch, the latest platform from the legendary gaming company. We expect to learn more about the Switch's launch, including game lineup, price, and release date. Before that happens, though, we wanted to take the opportunity to run down everything we know from its initial tease as codename "NX" to its eventual reveal as the Nintendo Switch.

The Initial Tease
On March 17, 2015, Nintendo announced a partnership with DeNA to produce various mobile games. As a part of that announcement, Nintendo outlined its strategy to develop for multiple platforms. Included in that strategy was a previously unknown system codenamed "NX." While nobody knew what it was at the time, many dissected the name "NX" to speculate that it was a crossover platform that blended characteristics from home consoles and handhelds.

The Release Window
On April 27, 2016, Nintendo gave fans more news by announcing that the mysterious system would be available in March 2017. Fans began anticipating when they would hear more about the system, speculating that it would likely be soon after this announcement due to how soon the release was scheduled to happen.

The Zelda Announcement
The same day Nintendo announced a release window of March 2017 for its new system, the company delayed one of its most anticipated titles, The Legend of Zelda for Wii U, so it could release simultaneously on NX and Wii U. This marked the first title to be officially announced for Nintendo's new system. Two months later at E3 2016, The Legend of Zelda for Wii U was revealed as The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. 

 

An E3 No-Show
In that same announcement, Nintendo said it would only be bringing one playable game to E3 (Breath of the Wild), and that the NX would not be on-hand. Demo stations for Breath of the Wild used the Wii U version. The only other NX news to come out of E3 2016 was a confirmation of Just Dance 2017 from Ubisoft, meaning that only two NX games were confirmed at the E3 prior to its release.

Dragon Quest And Pokémon Enter The Picture
In an August interview with Famitsu (translated by DualShockers), Dragon Quest X producer Yosuke Saito and director Chikara Saito confirmed that the game was under development for NX. Later in the month, in an interview with Nintendo Dream (translated by Gematsu), creator of the Dragon Quest series Yuji Horii confirmed Square Enix's intent to bring Dragon Quest XI to NX. Horii also said that Dragon Quest XI would launch on all platforms at the same time to avoid spoilers.

On September 20, 2016, during an interview with The Wall Street Journal, The Pokémon Company president Tsunekazu Ishihara commented that his team would be developing for the NX. In that interview, Ishihara also hinted at the Switch's direction, saying, "The NX is trying to change the concept of what it means to be a home console device or a hand-held device."

Ubisoft Gives Further Hints
On September 22, 2016, Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot praised the NX in an interview with IGN, saying, "It's a machine that will be easy to use for all gamers. They have built in something that will give us a chance to really have a different experience from what exists today. That's what I like - that they come with something new that is adapted to what we actually want now." During that same interview, Guillemot said, "Nintendo has learned from the Wii U." Ubisoft had already confirmed Just Dance 2017 for NX, but he also hinted at additional support through other "surprise" titles.

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The Reveal
On the evening of October 19, 2016, Nintendo sent out word that it would debut its new console and announce the final name of the NX in a video. On October 20, 2016, Nintendo finally pulled back the curtain a bit, allowing players to get a glimpse at its vision for the upcoming console. This video gave players an official name, Nintendo Switch, as well as several brief looks at the system and its games. Those who speculated that the Switch was a console/handheld hybrid were proven correct, as the system allows for players to connect the system to their television through a docking station, or detach a tablet-like screen and attach the sides of its controller for on-the-go gaming. Unlike the Wii U, which also uses a tablet-like controller, both screens cannot be used simultaneously due to the fact that the Switch must be docked in order to play it over your television.

The System
Even though Nintendo has yet to detail exactly how Switch works, we can gather a lot of information from the initial announcement and video. The controller is called the "Joy-Con." The Joy-Con features dual analog sticks, face buttons, and what appear to be shoulder buttons, but it differentiates itself from a typical controller with the ability to be dismantled. By sliding the two sides off of the center dock, you can attach the Joy-Con to the Switch's tablet screen so you can take the system with you. The Joy-Con can also be taken apart to create two separate compact controllers for multiplayer gaming. These different configurations are shown during the video as being used with the Switch when it is in its portable mode (detached from the docking station). In addition to these control options, players can use a wireless Pro Controller.

The reveal video also gives a brief look at the media used for Nintendo Switch. According to the video, players insert a small cartridge into the top of the screen, similar to what players currently do with their 3DS. The cartridge inserting directly into the tablet component explains how the system is able to move between its docked and portable modes seamlessly. Other smaller things to note from the reveal include a kickstand to prop the screen up when it's in portable mode and a headphone jack for mobile gaming.

Following the release of that video, Nvidia announced it is powering the Switch. According to the technology company, the Switch uses a custom version of its Tegra processor, which is a CPU designed with performance and low power consumption in mind. Any further details have been kept under wraps.

The Software
During the initial reveal video, we saw The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild more than any other title. We also received quick glimpses of other software running on Switch. Most notably for fans, a short scene showed a woman playing a new 3D Mario game. In addition, a port of Skyrim (presumably the recently released Special Edition remaster) and an unnamed NBA game (presumably NBA 2K17) were featured in the video, but the publishers have not confirmed any specific titles.

Nintendo also named several third-party developers and publishers slated to join in on Switch development. Included in the list are Activision, Electronic Arts, Bethesda, Ubisoft, Bandai Namco, Epic Games, Capcom, Telltale Games, FromSoftware, Square Enix, Platinum Games, Sega, Atlus, and more. In addition, other indie developers like Concerned Ape (Stardew Valley) and AnyArts Productions (Seasons of Heaven) have announced they are bringing their games to Switch. 

Tell Us More!
On October 26, 2016, Nintendo announced that it would be remaining quiet on The Switch until January 12, 2017. This was in stark contrast to how Nintendo was operating leading up to the reveal, where players were left in the dark about when they would hear more information until the night before. Players now knew exactly when they would learn more about the next Nintendo console.  

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Taking On The Tonight Show

During his appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on December 7, 2016, Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aimé took a break from a segment with Fallon playing Super Mario Run on iPhone to give the host a quick hands-on look at the Switch with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

While Fils-Aimé and Fallon didn't divulge any new information in the appearance, it is the first chance the public had to see the Switch running in a live environment (with Shigeru Miyamoto looking on in the audience, no less). Unfortunately, the screen's feed was cut, meaning we didn't get a glimpse of the Switch's operating system or the true seamless nature of the transition from docked to portable mode. However, when Fils-Aimé disconnected the Switch from the dock, Fallon was able to quickly resume his brief play session. 

When We'll Know More
By this point, we had already known about the full reveal of the Nintendo Switch on January 12, but on December 13, 2016, Nintendo finally nailed down a time. Unlike the initial teaser, which debuted in the morning, its January Switch presentation is happening at 11 p.m. Eastern/8 p.m. Pacific.

In addition, on January 5, 2017, Nintendo announced that it would be holding a special Treehouse stream of the games shown during the January 12 presentation. The Treehouse stream is set to start on January 13 at 9:30 a.m. Eastern/6:30 a.m. Pacific.

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It's A Date!
At long last, Nintendo held its Nintendo Switch Presentation on January 12, 2017. Right off the bat, the company revealed the price and release date. The Nintendo Switch launches on March 3, 2017. In the U.S., it retails for $299.99. The box includes The Switch, the docking station, the Joy-Con controllers, the Joy-Con grip, an HDMI cable, Joy-Con Wrist Straps, and an AC adapter.

Battery Life, Joy-Con, And No Region Locking
Shortly after beginning its January 12, 2017 Switch Presentation, Nintendo went into further detail about the unique controller, the Joy-Con. Each Switch comes with a right and left Joy-Con controller. Those controllers can be used separately for multiplayer games, or brought together and attached to the grip to form a more traditional controller. The Joy-Con controllers can also be attached to the side of the Nintendo Switch screen, which has been confirmed to be a touchscreen. The individual Joy-Con controllers each feature advanced rumble functionality, a motion infrared camera, and gyro sensors and accelerometers for motion control capabilities. The right Joy-Con features a home button and an NFC scanner that can read and write Amiibo data. The left Joy-Con features a capture button that can be used to take screenshots and, eventually, video that can be shared over social media.

During that same presentation, the company delivered a more in-depth look at the Switch and its unique Joy-Con controllers. One of the biggest questions going into the presentation was with regards to how long the battery life would last, While Nintendo admits that the life varies depending on the game you're playing or activity you're doing, they confirmed that the Switch's battery lasts between 2.5 and 6.5 hours when it is not connected to the dock. 

Nintendo also confirmed that it was changing its policy on region locking. Beginning with the Switch, Nintendo is doing away with region locking, meaning players can enjoy games from different countries without needing to buy imported hardware.

Online Functionality
The January 12, 2017 presentation also clarified what players can expect from the Switch's online functionality. The Switch can connect to WiFi to access multiplayer functionality, but players can also connect up to eight Switch devices by taking advantage of the system's local multiplayer features. The Switch is the first console that requires players to pay a fee to play online. Since the paid online subscription will not be ready until fall 2017, all players have the ability to play online on a trial basis until then. 

Nintendo also announced that players who subscribe to the premium online service will receive one free downloadable NES or SNES game that may have added online play. Unfortunately, it came out after that these free downloadable games are only playable during that month. After that month, players are able to buy the game in order to keep it permanently. 

The Game Lineup Takes Shape
The Switch Presentation on January 12, 2017 also gave players a much better idea of what they'll be playing and when they'll be playing it. The opening of the presentation introduced players to 1-2-Switch, a motion-controlled collection of multiplayer minigames where players don't need to look at the screen in order to play, and Arms, a zany multiplayer motion-controlled fighting game. Nintendo then went on to announce Splatoon 2, the follow-up to its surprising Wii U shooter, with new maps and weapons for release in the summer. Nintendo continued to play off of popular first-party properties by unveiling a new 3D Mario game called Super Mario Odyssey, which is set to launch during the holiday 2017 season.

Nintendo also ran down several other games coming to Switch, including Xenoblade Chronicles 2, Shin Megami Tensei, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Fire Emblem Warriors, and NBA 2K18. Ubisoft also announced three games for Switch, while Bethesda confirmed that Skyrim is coming to Switch. After the presentation ended, more details released about other games coming to Switch, including Ultra Street Fighter II: The Final Challengers, Super Bomberman R, and Sonic Mania. EA announced that it is bringing FIFA to the Switch, while Suda51 announced a new game from Grasshopper Manufacture starring No More Heroes' Travis Touchdown.

Nintendo also finally confirmed that The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is launching alongside Nintendo Switch on March 3. The announcement also brought two special editions into the picture, as well as new Breath of the Wild Amiibo figures.

Accessory Pricing
One of the final pieces of information to come out of the January 12, 2017 event was a list of Switch accessories and how much they'll cost. For one Joy-Con controller (one side of the controller in the image above), you can expect to pay $49.99. For two Joy-Con controllers (both sides of the controller in the image above), you can expect to pay $79.99. For the Switch Pro Controller, you should set aside $69.99. A Joy-Con charging station costs $29.99. An extra dock for the Switch will cost $89.99. Finally, a Joy-Con steering wheel costs $14.99.

 

 

As with all of the Switch-related events to this point, you can expect to see every piece of news, analysis, and impressions to come out of these reveals on GameInformer.com. 



from www.GameInformer.com - The Feed http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2017/01/13/nintendo-switch-what-we-know.aspx
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