While their main competitors – Sony Interactive Entertainment and Microsoft – may be releasing new upgraded versions of their current consoles at this time, Nintendo are progressing at a different pace by working in a successor to their current Wii U console. Nintendo have recently provided gamers with their first glimpse of their newest system, now known as ‘Nintendo Switch’.
The Wii U saw Nintendo introduce gamers to a GamePad controller, which was used in a variety of different ways depending on which game you were playing. For the most part from my experience, it served as a bulky yet nifty touch-screen device which provided supporting information while gaming. Nintendo Switch utilises what seems to be a slimmer GamePad, which they claim will enable “gamers to play the same title wherever, whenever and with whomever they choose”.
The GamePad is set to provide the mobility of a handheld game, with it possible to take its titles with you on the move. They claim this portability is “enhanced by its bright high-definition display” and that it “brings the full home gaming system experience with you to the park, on a train, in a car, or to a friend’s apartment”. But when you are at home, you can connect this console to a dock connected to your television. It is through this dock that you can play games with others from the comfort of your couch, with the luxury of a bigger screen.
Providing further insight into the actual Nintendo Switch device, you can use detachable Joy-Con controllers from either side of the console. One player can use a Joy-Controller in each hand, two players can each use just one, or multiple controllers can be utilised by a group. These controllers can also be set back into place to mirror a more traditional controller. Support for an optional Nintendo Switch Pro Controller will also be provided.
While I would expect to hear more about new games for the Nintendo Switch closer to launch, Nintendo have claimed that a number of publishers, developers and middleware partners are going to be supporting the platform. These include:
- 505 Games
- Activision Publishing, Inc.
- ARC SYSTEM WORKS Co.,Ltd.
- ATLUS CO.,LTD.
- Audiokinetic Inc.
- Autodesk, Inc
- BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Inc.
- Bethesda
- CAPCOM CO., LTD.
- Codemasters®
- CRI Middleware Co., Ltd.
- Electronic Arts
- Epic Games Inc.
- Firelight Technologies
- FromSoftware, Inc.
- Frozenbyte
- GameTrust
- GRASSHOPPER MANUFACTURE INC．
- Gungho Online Entertainment,Inc
- HAMSTER Corporation
- Havok
- INTI CREATES CO., LTD.
- KOEI TECMO GAMES CO., LTD.
- Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd.
- LEVEL-5 Inc.
- Marvelous Inc.
- Maximum Games, LLC
- Nippon Ichi Software, Inc.
- Parity Bit Inc.
- PlatinumGames Inc.
- RAD Game Tools, Inc.
- RecoChoku Co.,Ltd.
- SEGA Games Co., Ltd.
- Silicon Studio Corporation
- Spike Chunsoft Co., Ltd.
- SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD.
- Starbreeze Studios
- Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc.
- Telltale Games
- THQ Nordic
- Tokyo RPG Factory Co., Ltd.
- TT Games
- UBISOFT
- Ubitus Inc.
- Unity Technologies, Inc.
- Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
- Web Technology Corp.
With no word on console specs at the moment, it is hard to tell how the Nintendo Switch stands against its competition in terms of power. But time will tell if this platform manages to meet or even surpass the success of the Nintendo Wii or Nintendo DS.
Stay tuned over the coming months for more information on the Nintendo Switch.
