In the wee small hours of the morning Nintendo hosted an event in Japan to showcase its next console, Switch. During the event we got to see a selection of upcoming games, as well as getting a worldwide release date and a UK/US price.
The handheld-console hybrid will launch worldwide on March 3, and in the UK it will retail on the official Nintendo store for £279.99 (it's $300 in the US, in other "major" European countries we're being told to check with local retailers).
"Nintendo Switch is a brand-new kind of home gaming system that offers a wide variety of play modes," Nintendo President Tatsumi Kimishima said. "We will introduce the world to new experiences made possible by the unique characteristics of the Nintendo Switch hardware and the Joy-Con."
When it launches it will include the console itself (which features a 6.2 inch screen), left and right Joy-Con controllers, a Joy-Con grip that links them together, wrist straps and cables, and a dock for connecting the console to the television. They're also planning on launching two variants, one neon blue, the other neon red.
Nintendo are promising battery life that can potentially last for more than six hours, although they do add the caveat that this time "will vary depending on the software and usage conditions," citing The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild as a game that can be played for three hours on the go. So anywhere between three and six hours, then.
Both Joy-Con controllers feature advanced HD rumble, and can be used independently in supported games (such as 1-2-Switch, which was showcased prominently during the event). Each one includes an accelerometer and gyroscope motion sensor. The left one has a screenshot share feature, and the right controller has a NFC touchpoint to use with your amiibos. It also features an IR Motion Camera that "can detect the distance, shape and motion of nearby objects in specially designed games."
In terms on online and local multiplayer, the console will support eight consoles linked locally, and players can crowd around the screen as demoed during the initial video reveal. Online there will be subscription service and that will be free at launch, include a "smart-device application" in the summer of this year, before eventually costing money in the autumn (although they didn't say how much).
Finally, there's the games, which we'll be going into more detail here on Gamereactor throughout the day. Nintendo did announce third-party support from the likes of EA, Activision, Ubisoft (was there any doubt, they love a new console), Take-Two, Warner Bros., and Bethesda. FIFA is coming to console, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim was confirmed, Minecraft is making the jump, and there's plenty more. One nice touch, the console won't be region locked, so it doesn't matter where you get your games, they'll work on your Switch.
That's all for now, but stay tuned throughout the day as we'll be covering all the games mentioned above and more. Plus, we're getting hands-on with the console in London later today, so stay tuned for our thoughts on a selection of Switch games.
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