Hey all!
Now that Nintendo has revealed that the Nintendo NX is the Switch, we can finally round up all the information we know about the system, before its big reveal presentation on January 12, 2017.
Check out the reveal trailer below:
The Hardware
Facts Confirmed by Nintendo:
Release date:
The Switch will release in March 2017 (exact date to be announced in January).
System type:
The Nintendo Switch will be a home console that can be taken on the go. It is a tablet with detachable “Joy-Con” controllers that can be placed into a dock to power it and plug into a TV, or used on its own. The Switch has two modes – docked mode, for playing on a TV, and portable mode, for playing on the tablet’s screen on the go.
It will offer a single-screen experience.
Controllers:
Gaming springs into action by removing detachable Joy-Con controllers from either side of Nintendo Switch. One player can use a Joy-Con controller in each hand; two players can each take one; or multiple Joy-Con can be employed by numerous people for a variety of gameplay options. They can easily click back into place or be slipped into a Joy-Con Grip accessory, mirroring a more traditional controller. Or, if preferred, the gamer can select an optional Nintendo Switch Pro Controller to use instead of the Joy-Con controllers. Furthermore, it is possible for numerous people to bring their Nintendo Switch systems together to enjoy local multiplayer face-to-face competition.
OS:
Nintendo proprietary OS. Not based on Android. Made in cooperation with Nvidia and DeNA.
Connects to and integrated with My Nintendo.
Specifications and price:
The Switch tablet will have a “bright high-definition display”.
The dock will have at least two USB 3.0 ports and one HDMI port.
The Switch has yet to be officially spec’d, but will be next year.
Nintendo president Tatsumi Kimishima stated that the Switch will not be sold at a loss, and will not be more expensive than the current offerings.
Media:
The Switch will have physical cartridges, as seen in the reveal trailer.
The Switch will not support physical Wii U or 3DS media.
Accessories:
The Switch will also support amiibo, as seen in the reveal trailer. Nintendo has filed patents involving NFC too, giving some insight into how it could work.
The Switch will also support accessories and add-on hardware.
Facts Hinted at by Nintendo:
Other Features:
Regarding VR, Tatsumi Kimishima has stated that VR could come to the Switch where possible.
Also, Kimishima hinted that the Switch could have many accessories, with the Switch tablet acting as the base for everything else.
Also, the system will appeal not only to moms and their kids, but experienced gamers, as well. This can be seen in the reveal trailer.
Facts from Notable 3rd Party Developers and Publishers:
Nvidia CEO Jen-Hsun Huang has said the Switch is an incredible device, and that people would be amazed by it. He also stated that Nintendo tends to stick with an architecture for a long time, so their partnership could last two decades.
He also states that the Switch has a ground-breaking design, and the type of gameplay they want to enable is like nothing the world has so far.
According to Ubisoft, the Switch will “recapture a lot of the lapsed Wii players“, who are now predominantly on smart devices. Satoru Iwata has said that the Switch will still be a system that will be able to play games in ways smartphones and tablets cannot, thus making an argument for dedicated games systems.
More recently, Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot stated the Switch could redefine gaming once again.
Many developers familiar with the Switch, such as CD Projekt Red and others, have said the Switch will be easier to develop for, and they are excited for it.
Hardware and OS rumors:
OS:
Easy to port to; supports Android and Unreal Engine 4 software
Will work with smartphones, PCs, and other rival consoles
Hardware:
Tablet:
The tablet will use USB-C for charging and connection.
It may have battery life up to 3 hours.
The Switch will not support HDMI out directly from the tablet.
The tablet may have 32GB of storage
The tablet will support 128GB SD cards.
According to Emily Rogers, the screen is currently 720p, 6.2 inches, and features multitouch.
Laura Kate Dale from Let’s Play Video Games agrees.
Dock:
The Nintendo Switch Dock may increase the power of the system.
This has been reported by our source, by Letsplayvideogames, and others.
The dock will not support external hard drives.
Controllers:
The Switch Pro Controller will not feature a headphone jack. Our source tells us this will greatly increase its battery life, as it did on the Wii U’s Pro Controller.
The controllers could have a new form of haptic feedback, which was never integrated in Nintendo portables before.
The Joy-Cons could act as new, improved, Wii remotes, with much better vibration and haptic feedback (similar to HTC Vive), adjustable depending on the game, and not just one vibration intensity, as the Wii remote was. The system would support both these controllers and the Wii remotes for some games.
The Joy-Cons could have an IR sensor built-in.
Specifications:
The Switch will be close to Xbox One in power
The Switch will be more powerful than the PS4 and closer to the PS4 Neo
Will have industry-leading chips
See:
Why Nintendo NX Will Support Unreal Engine and ARM Architecture
The Switch will not have x86 architecture
Macronix developing game cards
Other features or new innovations:
–Download Play, StreetPass, Wii Remote, and IR Sensor support
–Very strong networking functions; cross-platform synchronization
–Innovative achievements system
–Ability to upgrade and share console power with Supplemental Computing Devices
–Stream games and save data through SCD
–Improved AR and multiplayer features
–Enhanced video camera features
–Game streaming through handheld
The Games
First Party Support:
As always, Nintendo will support the Switch with a stable of Nintendo games throughout its life cycle. This time, since the software will be unified across all Switch devices, you can expect to see a strong launch lineup, more 1st party games than ever before, and no game droughts.
The 1st party software output will also be increased by utilizing Nintendo’s new software strategy, as well as smart device and game integration.
Third Party Support:
After the lackluster 3rd party support the Wii U received, Nintendo is striving to make the system attractive to third parties.
Big Third Party Publishers on Switch:
100% Confirmed:
505 Games
Level-5
Activision Publishing
Marvelous
Arc System Works
Maximum Games
Atlus
Nippon Ichi Software
Audiokinetic
Parity Bit
Autodesk
PlatinumGames
Bandai Namco
RAD Game Tools
Bethesda
RecoChoku
Capcom
Sega
Codemasters
Silicon Studio Corporation
CRI Middleware
Spike Chunsoft
DeNA
Square Enix
Electronic Arts
Starbreeze Studios
Epic Games
Take-Two Interactive Software
Firelight Technologies
Telltale Games
FromSoftware
THQ Nordic
Frozenbyte
Tokyo RPG Factory
GameTrust
TT Games
Grasshopper Manufacture
Ubisoft
Gungho Online Entertainment
Ubitus
Hamster Corporation
Unity Technologies
Havok
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Inti Creates
Web Technology Corp
Koei Tecmo
Konami Digital Entertainment
Link:
Unofficially confirmed:
In Consideration:
All Switch Games
Officially Announced:
First Party-
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Summer 2017)
New 3D Super Mario (Launch day)
Splatoon (Launch day or first 3 months)
Mario Kart 8 (First 3 months or launch day)
New Shin’en Projects (Possibly Including F-Zero)
Third Party-
Sonic Project 2017 (working title) (Sega)
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Definitive Edition (Launch day)
Bit Boy!! (tentative title) (Bplus Games)
Unofficially Announced:
Third Party-
Hinted At/In Consideration:
First Party-
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD
Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door HD
Third Party-
The Wonderful 101 (Platinum Games)
Dragon Quest Builders (Square Enix)
Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn (Square Enix)
Final Fantasy XV (Square Enix)
Shadow of the Eternals (Quantum Entanglement Entertainment)
The Order OR Deformers (Ready at Dawn)
Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom (FDG Games)
Wonder Boy: The Dragon’s Trap (Lizardcube)
World to the West (Rain Games)
Rumored:
First Party-
Animal Crossing Switch (launch title) (Gamer Splash verified source)
Miitomo Switch (Full Version, similar to Tomodachi Life) (Gamer Splash verified source)
Super Smash Bros. 4 Port (first 6 months)
Pokemon (Game Freak) (launch window)
Luigi’s Mansion 3 (Next Level Games)
Koei Tecmo games (Hyrule Warriors?)
Kid Icarus (reboot) (Retro Studios)
Third Party-
Beyond Good and Evil: The Prejudices of Philosophers (working title) (Ubisoft)
Ubisoft VR Games (Star Trek VR, Rive, etc.)
Call of Duty: Bloodlines (Activision)
Spider Man: The First Avenger (Platinum Games; Activision)
Beyond Destiny + Destiny: Complete Edition (Bungie; Activision)
Final Fantasy VII Remake (Square Enix)
Deus Ex: Mankind Divided (Square Enix)
Battlefield 1 (Electronic Arts)
FIFA 2017 and other EA Sports titles
Mass Effect Trilogy (Electronic Arts)
Kingdom Hearts 3 (Square Enix)
Conclusion
The Switch will certainly be an interesting system. Never before has there been so much hype for any console in recent history, and it is testament to the excitement and hype that Nintendo is building around its latest console.
Until its reveal in January, this is likely the best list of information you will find on the Switch.
We will continue to update this article with any new information as it breaks.
Stay tuned to Gamer Splash on our social media!
-Noah Sanchez, Gamer Splash
Gamer Splash! 
2 thoughts on “Everything We Know About the Nintendo Switch”