Nintendo Switch
After a long time of waiting for concrete NX news, Nintendo has finally unveiled their new system as the Nintendo Switch.
You can find the Nintendo Switch preview trailer and official PR announcement below.
You can also check out the official websites for North America, Europe, Australia, and Japan, through their respective links.
REDMOND, Wash., Oct. 20, 2016 – In an introductory video released today (http://www.nintendo.com/switch), Nintendo provided the first glimpse of its new home gaming system and revealed that it is called Nintendo Switch. In addition to providing single and multiplayer thrills at home, the Nintendo Switch system also enables gamers to play the same title wherever, whenever and with whomever they choose. The mobility of a handheld is now added to the power of a home gaming system to enable unprecedented new video game play styles.
At home, Nintendo Switch rests in the Nintendo Switch Dock that connects the system to the TV and lets you play with family and friends in the comfort of your living room. By simply lifting Nintendo Switch from the dock, the system will instantly transition to portable mode, and the same great gaming experience that was being enjoyed at home now travels with you. The portability of Nintendo Switch is enhanced by its bright high-definition display. It brings the full home gaming system experience with you to the park, on an airplane, in a car, or to a friend’s apartment.
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.
“Nintendo Switch allows gamers the freedom to play however they like,” said Reggie Fils-Aime, President and COO, Nintendo of America. “It gives game developers new abilities to bring their creative visions to life by opening up the concept of gaming without boundaries.”
Developers can design their games supporting a variety of play styles, which gives gamers the freedom to choose an experience that best suits them. Some of the publishers, developers and middleware partners announcing support for Nintendo Switch are as follows:
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.
DeNA 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 CorpToday’s video incorporated short glimpses of representative gameplay to demonstrate the liberating nature of the Nintendo Switch home gaming system. Full game demonstrations, the list of launch window titles, as well as launch date, price, product configuration and related specifics, will be shown and announced prior to the March launch.
NVIDIA also revealed that Switch “is powered by the performance of the custom Tegra processor”, like you can see in the official announcement below.
The first thing to know about the new Nintendo Switch home gaming system: it’s really fun to play. With great graphics, loads of game titles and incredible performance, the Nintendo Switch will provide people with many hours of engaging and interactive gaming entertainment.
But creating a device so fun required some serious engineering. The development encompassed 500 man-years of effort across every facet of creating a new gaming platform: algorithms, computer architecture, system design, system software, APIs, game engines and peripherals. They all had to be rethought and redesigned for Nintendo to deliver the best experience for gamers, whether they’re in the living room or on the move.
A Console Architecture for the Living Room and Beyond
Nintendo Switch is powered by the performance of the custom Tegra processor. The high-efficiency scalable processor includes an NVIDIA GPU based on the same architecture as the world’s top-performing GeForce gaming graphics cards.
Nintendo SwitchThe Nintendo Switch’s gaming experience is also supported by fully custom software, including a revamped physics engine, new libraries, advanced game tools and libraries. NVIDIA additionally created new gaming APIs to fully harness this performance. The newest API, NVN, was built specifically to bring lightweight, fast gaming to the masses.
Gameplay is further enhanced by hardware-accelerated video playback and custom software for audio effects and rendering.
We’ve optimized the full suite of hardware and software for gaming and mobile use cases. This includes custom operating system integration with the GPU to increase both performance and efficiency.
NVIDIA gaming technology is integrated into all aspects of the new Nintendo Switch home gaming system, which promises to deliver a great experience to gamers.
The Nintendo Switch will be available in March 2017. More information is available at https://www.nintendo.com/switch.
After the reveal, Nintendo has said it won’t be sharing any official announcements about games or specs this year.
However, it has shared some other details which I have rounded up below:
– Nintendo told Polygon the Switch is “a home gaming system first and foremost” and that there are no plans to replace the 3DS for now. They did state that the Wii U will become “harder to find” at retail however.
– Nintendo told IGN the Switch will support amiibo when needed, and that the main function of the Nintendo Switch Dock is to provide an output to the TV, as well as charging and providing power to the system.
– Epic Games confirmed on Twitter that the Switch will have support for Unreal Engine 4.
– Nintendo’s Japanese PR told The Wall Street Journal’s Takashi Mochizuki that the Dock and detachable Joy-Con controllers will be included with the console, but there was no clear answer about the Joy-Con Grip accessory.
– Nintendo told Famitsu the console has no physical backwards compatibility with Wii U disks or 3DS cartridges.
– Nintendo confirmed to Polygon that Switch won’t work as a second gameplay screen, since “Nintendo Switch is dedicated to deliver a single-screen experience, on whatever screen you might choose”.
Several Nintendo partners have also reacted to Nintendo’s announcement, as you can see rounded up below.
Bethesda
Thrilled to be a publishing partner for #NintendoSwitch! The platform presents exciting opportunities for our studios & fans.
— Bethesda Softworks (@bethesda) 20 October 2016
On potential Skyrim port:
“We’re happy to have had the opportunity to collaborate with Nintendo on the video. While we are not confirming any specific titles at this time, we are pleased to announce our partnership with Nintendo and support of the Switch. We look forward to revealing specific games and details in the future.”
Ubisoft
“With the Nintendo Switch’s unique capacities and design, Nintendo will again redefine the way we play games. The Switch is accessible at its core and also seizes on the growing trend of sharing more experiences and playing anywhere at anytime. Ubisoft and Nintendo enjoy a long-standing partnership and we are currently developing a number of games for the console, including Just Dance 2017. We look forward to sharing more at a later date.”
SEGA
“SEGA and Nintendo have been great partners over the years, and we continue to with our support of the Nintendo Switch. We look forward to revealing specific game plans soon, but have nothing further to announce at this time.”
Atlus
“We’re excited to be supporting the Nintendo Switch and believe the games we publish are a perfect fit for the portable nature of the console.”
Bandai Namco
“Bandai Namco Entertainment has enjoyed a long partnership of publishing and developing great titles for Nintendo systems. We want to congratulate Nintendo on their exciting announcement. We look forward to bringing both iconic franchises and new titles to Nintendo Switch.”
Devolver Digital
We’re excited for the Nintendo Switch and having met with Nintendo last week we’re confident you’ll see some our games on it next year! pic.twitter.com/vEvvvzou9R
— Devolver Digital (@devolverdigital) 20 October 2016
Image & Form
Yacht Club Games
At Yacht Club Games, we’re very excited for the Nintendo Switch! Nintendo continues to put fun first by focusing on delivering new, engaging ways to play, which is what we’re all about! We can’t wait to take advantage of the system’s capability to have local and online multiplayer anywhere. It will allow for some truly great game experiences. We can only imagine the pure joy we’ll have playing Nintendo’s games both on the go and at home.
Thomas Happ Games
I think it looks great, though I question why the marketing is focused exclusively on making big screen games portable and doesn’t depict 3DS-style games. One of the missteps of the Vita seemed to be assuming that everyone wanted a portable Uncharted when in fact the system is most treasured for smaller, quirky, or indie style games. So I hope in the future they show some of those kinds of games since they could possibly be their bread and butter.
I do wish the screen were 3D like 3DS, but that’s a minor gripe. Hopefully we can get a devkit soon and start porting Axiom Verge over.
Zoink Games
Nintendo’s NX reveal got the gaming community really excited yesterday. And us even more so! Why? Because we’re one of the first to get the chance to develop for the new platform!
Switch, Joy-Con, Zoink. Just 24 hours ago those words together wouldn’t have done much sense – but since Nintendo’s big reveal of what was formerly known as the NX, we hope you think they sound wonderful together. We sure do!
This August Klaus and Hugo went on a trip to visit Nintendo, and they came back to the office with… nothing. They didn’t utter one word regarding anything they’d seen, heard or talked about. Can you imagine how curious the rest of us were?
But now we all know, right? And we have really high hopes for the Nintendo Switch, with its versatility and innovative features. And we promise to work our ***** off to produce a high-quality title for the platform – we’re already on it! The dev kit is in our hands and the ideas in our heads.
We can’t say more about what’s coming right now, but it will be really exciting to let you know more about this project further on.
FDG Entertainment
#NintendoSwitch is awesome! We can’t wait to support it with our games. Two games planned in first half of 2017. pic.twitter.com/AInn0G1qIV
— FDG Entertainment (@FDG_Games) 22 October 2016
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Nintendo has released another 3 videos for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild through the game’s Japanese website. You can watch them below.
Pokémon Sun & Moon
The Japanese Pokémon Sun & Moon site has confirmed that the next news update is planned for October 27. It will drop at the following times:
– 6 AM PT
– 9 AM PT
– 2 PM in the UK
– 3 PM in Europe
– 10 PM in Japan
Meanwhile, a special demo for Pokémon Sun & Moon has been released on the Nintendo eShop. You can watch two promotional videos for the trailer below.
The regular demo adventure, and several extra events that are scheduled to happen at certain times, reward you with items you can later send to the full version of the games. You can find a roundup of when to access these events inside the spoiler tag below.
A new Alolan forme and a small trailer can also be found in the demo, so I hid those inside the spoiler tag below.
Alolan Dugtrio:
Alolan Dugtrio, ~video version~ pic.twitter.com/GaVGJGrldf
— Luis~☆ (@ruiisuD) 18 October 2016
Demo Trailer:
As with the ORAS demo, the Sun & Moon demo was datamined and various information about Pokémon Sun & Moon was obtained in advance of the games’ release. For a summary of all the important information that was datamined, please check this thread on Smogon forums, but beware of spoilers. Be sure to watch the videos for some extra tidbits of information.
Meanwhile, two new pokémon have been revealed via a guide book for the game and a Sun & Moon TCG Booster Box. These are Alolan Persian and another pokémon that seems to be based on a mix of sea urchins and the crown of thorns starfish. You can find the images for both below.
When it comes to the games themselves, NicoNico and CoroCoro recently released some more gameplay footage from the first hours of the game. You can check it out below.
A special Halloween website has also been launched, focusing mostly on Mimikyu. It features fanart, Instagram features, and a music video for Mimikkyu. You can watch the translated version of the Mimikkyu video below.
Furthermore, during the week, Shigeru Ohmori and Junichi Masuda were interviewed by various sources about Pokémon Sun & Moon. You can find those interviews listed below, in both video and written forme (though the latter ones are more interesting overall).
N-Zone Interview (German) / English Translation (Nintendo Everything)
Next up, we have 20th Anniversary video with Shigeki Morimoto, Game Designer and Battle Director at Game Freak, which you can watch below.
Finally, a new extended trailer of the Pokémon Sun & Moon anime was shown during the latest episode of Pokenchi. Give it a watch it below.
Pokémon GO
Niantic has recently released yet another patch for Pokémon GO, bringing the game up to version 1.13.3 on iOS and 0.43.3 on Android.
Pokémon GO now features a low battery indicator for Pokémon GO Plus, and Pokémon type icons on the information screen.
Here are the full notes from Niantic:
Pokémon GO is in the process of being updated to version 0.43.3 for Android and 1.13.3 for iOS devices. Below are some release notes and comments from our development team.
- Professor Willow discovered that Eggs have different patterns depending on the distance required to hatch them.
- Pokémon type icons have been added to the information screen for each Pokémon.
- Low battery indicator added for the Pokémon GO Plus.
- Minor text fixes
Besides that, those who search for Pokémon with GO Plus are now able to choose from different notification modes.
Scanning for both PokéStops or Pokémon simultaneously is the default setting as always if you want to try to catch as many Pokemon and collect as many PokéBalls as you can. However, Niantic points out that you can also individually enable/disable each of these notifications based on your preference. When walking with a Buddy Pokemon, you can now choose not to receive notifications, instead taking note of the distance of your walks. Last but not least, Pokémon GO Plus will remain paired with the main app if you choose to use it while interacting with Pokémon or Gyms.
On the business side, according to the Financial Times, Japan’s Financial Services Agency is considering the regulation of Pokémon GO’s PokéCoins, which means the in-game currency would be under the jurisdiction of the Payment Services Act if this were to happen. Niantic would then need to disclose the balance of unused in-game currency held by users in March and September every year, and assuming that the total surpassed more than 10 million yen, the company would need to deposit as much as 50% of the unused currency balance in yen in a Japanese bank account as security.
The Financial Times mentions that FSA and Niantic are talking about the situation, but analysts are concerned the decision could impact other games in Japan involving purchasable in-game currency.
Finally, data collected by market researcher App Annie indicates that Pokémon GO has become the fastest mobile game to reach $600 million in revenue, something that happened between July and the end of September, or 90 days in this case.
In comparison, Candy Crush Saga needed more than 200 days to hit $600 million, Puzzle & Dragons reached it in 400 days, and Clash of Clans took more than 500 days.
App Annie also reveals that the total time spent in Pokémon GO by users was almost as much as the next 19 games combined. It also comprised 45% of the time spent in Android games in the third quarter, as opposed to 55% for the next 19 titles.
App Annie praised Pokémon GO for managing to convert a ton of a player’s non-mobile time to mobile time. Instead of taking time away from other mobile apps, users were more inclined to spend more time overall on their devices.
Pokémon Generations
The latest episode of Pokémon Generations is now available on the official Pokémon YouTube channel. Check it out below.
Mario x Pokémon Merchandise
A new wave of merchandise featuring a crossover between the Mario and Pokémon series has been revealed for Japan.
Most of if features Pikachu, and includes plushes of him dressed up as Mario and Luigi, New 3DS cover plates, a 3DS game cartridge book, hanafuda cards, and even cards for the Pokémon TCG.
Some keychains, folders, notebooks, playing cards, and tee-shirts will only be available exclusively at the Pokémon Center in Kyoto.
All these items will become available for purchase on October 29.
You can take a look at them in the gallery below.
Rhythm Paradise Megamix
Rhythm Paradise Megamix is now finally available in Europe, so Nintendo has released a launch trailer for the game. Check it out below.
Miitomo
Miitomo has once again been updated with new content for Miitomo Drop and Shop.
You can find the new items listed below.
The ghouls draw near… Halloween Horror #2
– Frankenstein hood
– Frankenstein outfit
– Werewolf hood
– Werewolf outfit
The ghouls draw near… Halloween Horror #3
– Dracula’s soiree outfit
– Mummy costume
– Eyeball tee
– Coffin
Trick or treat! Happy Halloween #1
– Firefighter helmet (set)
– Firefighter uniform (set)
– Fire truck
– Fire hose
Miitomo Shop Items
– Down jacket
– Under-rim glasses
– Abstract fleece parka
– Striped gaucho pants
– Wide-leg baggy jeans
– Winter ankle boots
– Neck warmer w/ triangles
– Skate park backpack
Virtual Console Trailers
Nintendo has released official trailers in Japan and Europe for a few new additions to the Wii U Virtual Console. Below you can find the trailers for the Japanese version of the DS title Picross 3D and for the European verison of the Wii title Project Zero 2: Wii Edition.
National StreetPass Weekend: Halloween Edition
Nintendo is getting ready for another National StreetPass Weekend in North America.
Between October 28 and October 31, you will be able to participate in a special Halloween-themed event.
If you visit any of the more than 29,000 Nintendo Zone hotspots with your 3DS, you can receive StreetPass tags from across the globe.
Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
Nintendo recently published an interview on its Japanese website about Zelda II: The Adventure of Link featuring Tadashi Sugiyama, the game’s director, due to its inclusion on the Nintendo Classics Mini: Famicom and NES.
In the interview, Sugiyama talked about how development began, where the title came from, and the difficulty, among other things.
You can find an english translated version of the interview over here, thanks to Nintendo Everything.
Nintendo Minute
The latest episode of Nintendo Minute is now available and features Kit and Krysta imagining themselves in the place of Mushroom Kingdom citizens, while talking about some topics that those who live there would find important. Check it out below.