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92-692: The Nintendo Platform Technology Development division was created on September 16, 2015, as part of a company-wide organizational restructure that took place under Nintendo's then newly appointed president, Tatsumi Kimishima . The division was created after the merger of two Nintendo's divisions, the Integrated Research & Development (IRD), which specialized in hardware development, and System Development (SDD), which specialized operating system development and its development environment and network services. The new division assumed both of its predecessors' roles. Ko Shiota, formerly Deputy General Manager of

184-441: A wireless ad hoc network for local multiplayer games, and multiple players can play on each of the connected Switch consoles. In the case of at least one game, Splatoon 2 , ten Switch consoles can connect in the ad hoc network, though only eight can play directly while the other two can watch as spectators. The Switch uses Bluetooth 4.1 for wireless communication between the console and its controllers. Users can purchase

276-544: A "custom" Tegra chip "based on the same architecture as the world's top-performing GeForce gaming graphics cards " that are common in personal computers, and has a custom API known as "NVN", which is designed to "bring lightweight, fast gaming to the masses". Takeda described the Nvidia chipset as being critical for delivering gamers a level of performance similar to that which they experience on personal computers, helping to achieve "high performance but low power consumption" for

368-518: A "make or break product" for Nintendo. The design of the Switch was aimed to bridge the polarization of the gaming market at the time, creating a device that could play "leisurely" video games along with games that are aimed to be played "deeply", according to Shinya Takahashi and Yoshiaki Koizumi , general manager and deputy general manager of Nintendo's Entertainment Planning & Development Division (EPD) respectively. This approach also would apply to

460-410: A 3.5 mm audio jack , stereo speakers on the bottom face of the unit below the screen, a USB-C port for charging, and a kickstand on the back side. The unit also includes slots for a game card (cartridge-based media) and a microSD card slot located under the kickstand. The Switch console itself includes three buttons, all on the top of the device, Volume +/- and Power. The console has rails on

552-452: A home console that the player could take with them anywhere. Around five different prototypes were developed for the Switch before they finalized on the released design. This included developing different methods of how the Joy-Con controllers would physically connect to the console, including using magnets to hold them in place. In addition to the form-factor design, Nintendo needed to balance

644-502: A power adapter and HDMI cable. Third parties also support the Switch with additional accessories, such as carrying cases and screen protectors. The 4.0.0 system update enabled support for GameCube controllers connected via USB with the GameCube adapter that was available for the Wii U as well as a new adapter produced for the Switch; GameCube controllers can be used with most games compatible with

736-553: A result of the release of the Nintendo DS and Wii in 2004 and 2006 respectively, its revenues soon declined. The company posted its first loss as a video game company in 2012 prior to the Wii U 's introduction that year and had similar losses in the following years due to the console's poor reception. The New York Times attributed Nintendo lowering financial forecasts in 2014 to weak hardware sales against mobile gaming . Previously,

828-620: A standard controller and alternatively as individual controllers, featuring buttons, directional analog sticks for user input, motion sensing, and tactile feedback. A pair can attach to the sides of the console for handheld-style play, attach to a grip accessory to provide the form of a separated gamepad , or be used unattached. The Switch's software supports online gaming through internet connectivity, as well as local wireless ad hoc connectivity with other consoles. Switch games and software are available on both physical flash -based ROM cartridges and digital distribution via Nintendo eShop ;

920-469: A third-party USB LAN adapter for wired connectivity when the console is docked for TV mode. Nintendo's Wii LAN adapter accessory is also compatible with the Switch via USB ports on the Switch dock. The Switch is primarily powered in Handheld mode by a non-removable 4,310  mAh , 3.7  V Lithium-ion rechargeable battery. The battery life is estimated to be between 2.5 and 6.5 hours, depending on

1012-456: Is a hybrid video game console, consisting of a console unit, a dock, and two Joy-Con controllers. Although it is a hybrid console, Nintendo classifies it as "a home console that you can take with you on the go". In addition the company says that the Switch and the Nintendo 3DS are meant to co-exist, considering the 3DS as an entry-level product for younger players. The main unit of the Switch

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1104-506: Is in the middle of its life cycle". In July 2024, the Switch became Nintendo's longest-running console without a replacement system, surpassing the seven-year period for the NES. The Switch Lite launched on September 20, 2019, in three colors: yellow, grey, and turquoise. The system was promoted alongside The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening , a remake of the 1993 Game Boy game . A special Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield branded version of

1196-532: Is the console, a battery-powered tablet -like monitor that consists of an LCD screen measuring 6.2 inches (160 mm) on its diagonal, the same as the Wii U GamePad. The unit measures 173 by 102 by 13.9 millimetres (6.81 in × 4.02 in × 0.55 in) and weighs 297 grams (10.5 oz). The screen supports ten-point multi-touch capacitive sensing and includes haptic technology from Immersion Corporation . The LCD screen supports resolutions up to 720p (1280×720 px ). The console includes

1288-768: The Balkans since 2016, announced after opening their new offices in Istanbul , that Nintendo's products will officially be distributed in Turkey later in the year. Nintendo abruptly withdrew from the Turkish market back in June 2012 when then-distributor Nortec Eurasia closed. CD Media released the Nintendo Switch in Turkey in July 2018. Nintendo's Singapore -based distributor, Maxsoft, officially launched

1380-645: The Expansion Pack , wireless Nintendo 64 Controllers and Sega Genesis Control Pads were released for use with their respective services. Nintendo released Ring Fit Adventure in October 2019, which includes a Leg Strap to mount a Joy-Con to a leg, and the Ring-Con, a flexible hard plastic ring with Joy-Con mounting. The player interacts with the game, fashioned after a console role-playing game , by doing various exercises, such as running in place, squatting, and squeezing

1472-478: The Wii Classic Controller Pro and Wii U Pro Controller . The Pro Controller connects to the Switch via wireless Bluetooth communication, and is charged through a standard USB-C port on the controller. The Nintendo Switch supports a wide array of additional accessories, according to Kimishima. Kimishima suggested that the Switch is part of a large ecosystem of devices, though the Switch unit remains

1564-476: The "Joy-Con (L)" and "Joy-Con (R)". The controllers attach to the Switch console via side rails using a locking mechanism, with a small release button on their rear face to allow them to be detached. When detached, they can be used as a pair by a single player, attached to a grip that emulates a gamepad form factor, or used as separate controllers by two individual players. A single Switch console can support up to eight Joy-Con connections. Straps can be attached to

1656-570: The 10.0.0 system update in April 2020 allowed most update data, digital games (i.e., downloaded from eShop), and other downloaded content to be swapped between the internal memory and a microSD card. MicroSD and microSDHC were supported initially, and microSDXC card support was later added to the Switch's software via a system update. SD cards and miniSD cards do not fit the Switch. The Switch did not support external storage units at launch, but Nintendo stated that they were looking into adding this feature in

1748-573: The 2018 Black Friday shopping day, Animal Crossing: New Horizons and Fortnite . The Japan-exclusive "2nd Unit Set" released in May 2018 on the My Nintendo Store at a reduced price of ¥24,980 , was positioned towards households which already owned a Switch. It did not include a dock, AC adapter, HDMI cable, and charging grip. By February 2021, about four years from the console's release, Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa said that "The Switch

1840-506: The 3DS and Wii U at their respective launches; Nintendo affirmed that the Switch would be profitable from launch during its 2016 fiscal year earnings report, as the company saw the console as a key earnings driver for 2017 and beyond. Fomalhaut Techno Solutions, a Japanese product teardown firm, estimated that the Switch cost $ 257 to make compared to its $ 299 MSRP , with the console and dock at $ 167 while each Joy-Con costs $ 45. Kimishima said that they may be able to see further profitability on

1932-555: The 8.0.0 firmware update released in April 2019 allows the CPU to clock up to 1785 MHz in certain games during loading to improve load times. While the SoC features 8 CPU cores, the Switch only uses the 4 64-bit Cortex-A57 cores, of which 1 is reserved to the operating system. The GPU cores are clocked at 768 MHz when the device is docked, and in Handheld mode, fluctuating between the following speeds: 307.2 MHz , 384 MHz , and 460 MHz . This gives

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2024-812: The European market varying. The set includes a Switch console, a dock; left and right Joy-Con controllers and accompanying straps; a Joy-Con grip, an AC power adapter and an HDMI cable. There were two Switch bundles available at launch, one with grey Joy-Con and one with neon red and blue Joy-Con. Nintendo feared that a higher price would harm sales, which prompted them to not include any additional hardware or games. The Switch continued to be officially released in particular markets like Argentina on August 15, 2017, and in South Korea and Taiwan on December 1. In April 2018, CD Media, Nintendo's official distributor in Greece and

2116-737: The IRD division, serves as the General Manager, while Takeshi Shimada, formerly Deputy General Manager of the Software Environment Development Department of the SDD division, serves the same role. The division was responsible for the development of the company's hybrid game console , the Nintendo Switch . On April 27, 2017, following the retirement of general manager and long-time Nintendo hardware developer Genyo Takeda , Ko Shiota

2208-431: The Joy-Con batteries while they are connected to this grip. The Switch includes 32  GB of internal storage, 25.9 GB of which is user-accessible. This can be expanded up to 2 TB using a microSD , a microSDHC or a microSDXC card. A microSD card slot is located under the Switch's kickstand, where a microSD card can be inserted. If the microSD card is used, the Switch will only store game save data on

2300-464: The NX. At a Nintendo shareholders' meeting following the conference, Miyamoto stated that the company had concerns that competitors could copy ideas from the NX if they revealed it too soon. The following month, rumors began to surface surrounding the nature of the console, including its use of Nvidia Tegra hardware, being a "hybrid" device intended for both home and mobile use, controllers that can detach from

2392-952: The Nintendo Switch Online service within the country, integrating its offerings with the WeChat payment systems. Nintendo had exited the Brazilian market in 2015 due to high tariffs, but independent resellers have been trading the console in Brazil since March 2017. Nintendo had since assigned NC Games as their local game distributor in May 2017, and the local company had committed to sell some officially imported Nintendo Switch units in small quantities. NC Games silently went defunct in c. 2019. In August 2020, Nintendo affirmed that it would restart imports directly into Brazil, for release on September 18, 2020. Numerous special-edition models and bundles have been released, including those for Splatoon 2 ,

2484-738: The Nintendo Switch in Oman on September 27, 2019. The company had previously broken street date for the Emirati release of the console, with retailers in the region distributing it as early as February 28, 2017. Although the Nintendo Switch had not officially been released in China prior to December 2019, it is still widely available in the country due to grey market imports from Hong Kong and other regions, such as Japan . In January 2018, former Nintendo president Tatsumi Kimishima said in an interview with Chinese news website QQ that Nintendo has tried to release

2576-663: The Nintendo Switch in the Philippines on November 30, 2018, in Thailand on March 29, 2019, and in Malaysia on January 17, 2020. In early-2019, Nintendo of Europe signed a partnership with Tel Aviv -based distributor TorGaming Ltd., making them Nintendo's official distributor in Israel, and launched their products in the market, including the Nintendo Switch, on March 1, 2019. Nintendo's Dubai -based distributor, Active Gulf, officially launched

2668-479: The Switch Lite is a single unit, integrating the Joy-Con as part of the main unit's hardware, and uses a smaller screen measuring 5.5 inches (14 cm) diagonally. Additionally, a regular directional pad replaces the four directional buttons on the integrated left Joy-Con. While using a smaller battery than the original Switch, the Switch Lite uses a more power-efficient chipset, the 16-nanometer Tegra X1+, to extend

2760-576: The Switch Lite, themed around the Pokémon Zacian and Zamazenta , launched on November 8, 2019, a week before the game's release. A coral color was released on March 20, 2020, in Japan, and on April 3 in the rest of the world. A blue color released on May 7, 2021, in Europe, and on May 21 in the rest of the world. A special Pokémon Dialga and Palkia limited edition was released on November 5, 2021, 14 days before

2852-421: The Switch could be hampered by bottlenecks in individual components. DigiTimes reported in October 2017 that Nintendo had further shifted the production rate for the Switch up to 2 million per month, with plans to ship 20 million units by the end of the year; the newspaper also stated that the production rate was limited by component availability, and not by other factors of Nintendo's production process. On

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2944-586: The Switch in China, but has been unable to do so. Nintendo partnered with Tencent in April 2019 to gain the necessary approvals to release the Switch in China, along with a test version of New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe ; it was released on December 10, 2019, at a base price of CN¥ 2,099 or about US$ 298 . Tencent continues to help Nintendo bring other Switch games through China's approval process via National Radio and Television Administration . In addition, Tencent helped localize various titles, and help implement

3036-429: The Switch outside of China and into Southeast Asia to limit the impact of new United States tariffs on electronics made in China. In November 2020, Bloomberg reported that Nintendo asked its assembly partners to boost production of the Switch by 20% and raised its target goal of Switch sales for the 2020 fiscal year from 25 million units sold to 30 million units, having previously reportedly raised their target for

3128-411: The Switch was designed to provide a "new way to play" that would "have a larger impact than the Wii U". Nintendo of America president and COO Reggie Fils-Aimé emphasized the console's appeal as a device that would provide gamers the option to play at home or on the go and noted that it would enable developers to create new types of games. This approach continued Nintendo's blue ocean strategy for

3220-505: The Switch when they can achieve volume discounts on components once they reach a level of about 10 million Switch units. Prior to launch, Nintendo anticipated shipping two million Nintendo Switch units by the end of the console's first month, and assured that its supply chain would be able to meet demand following the launch period to avoid the shortage situation with the NES Classic Edition in late 2016. Kimishima anticipated that

3312-629: The Switch will have lifetime sales numbers similar to the Wii, which sold 101 million units by 2016. Following the initial sales report numbers in April 2017, the Financial Times reported that the company was seeking to produce 18 million Switch units in its 2017 financial year as to avoid "customer tantrums" with poor supply levels, particularly near the 2017 holiday season and the release of Super Mario Odyssey on October 27, 2017. Fils-Aimé said in September 2017 that their 2017 production target for

3404-488: The Switch's GPU a theoretical peak performance of 393 GFLOPS in TV mode and 236 GFLOPS in Handheld mode. A later iFixit teardown of the final product confirmed 4 GB of LPDDR4 . It's clocked at 1600 MHz in TV mode, while at a reduced 1331.2 MHz in Handheld mode. The Switch offers Wi-Fi 5 (dual-band 802.11ac wireless connectivity compliant with 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac modes). Up to eight Switch consoles can be connected in

3496-651: The Switch's Pro Controller, such as Super Smash Bros. Ultimate . USB computer keyboards are supported for certain tasks, such as text entry. In January 2018, Nintendo announced Nintendo Labo , a child-oriented platform that combines games coupled with do-it-yourself cardboard projects that attach or wrap around the Switch Console and Joy-Con, effectively creating toys around the Switch hardware to interact with games. These cardboard units, which may also include string, rubber bands, and other pieces, are referred to as Toy-Con. The game software provides instructions for

3588-456: The Switch's development principally around the cost of implementing new features that would make the Switch stand out. For Miyamoto, his limited involvement allowed him to spend more time on Nintendo's software titles being developed at the time, such as Super Mario Run . The first public news about the Switch's hardware happened alongside the announcement of Nintendo and DeNA's partnership on March 17, 2015. At this stage, Nintendo referred to

3680-415: The Switch's development. Early sales of the Wii U were weak compared to the Wii, and major third-party studios like Electronic Arts and Ubisoft announced they would not support the console near the end of the Wii U's first year, further hampering its sales. According to Fils-Aimé, when it became apparent that the Wii U's life cycle performance would underperform the company's expectations, the Switch became

3772-556: The Switch's form and design was from feedback players had given Nintendo on the Wii Remote , according to Shinya Takahashi. With the release of games like Wii Sports and Wii Fit , players had asked Nintendo if they could make the Wii Remote in a smaller form factor, potentially strapped to a part of their body. This led to Nintendo envisioning what a smaller form-factor controller could provide in both hardware and gameplay, and it led to

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3864-464: The Switch. Pre-release reports, unconfirmed by either Nintendo or Nvidia, stated that the SoC would be a standard Nvidia Tegra X1 instead, composed of four ARM Cortex-A57 and four ARM Cortex-A53 CPU cores along with 256 Maxwell -based CUDA GPU cores. This was later corroborated by an analysis on the console done by Tech Insights in March 2017. The CPU cores are normally clocked at 1020 MHz , but

3956-449: The Toy-Con construction and provides the interface to control the Toy-Con. Such examples given include a remote-controlled "car", where the two Joy-Con attach to the car and their vibration feedback provide the motion for the car, controlled from the Switch, a fishing rod where the Joy-Con are part of the reel and handle of the rod and their motion controls used to simulate the act of fishing in

4048-614: The United States, and in Central America and the Caribbean . Kimishima was approached by Hiroshi Yamauchi , who wanted someone outside of the video game industry to oversee the finances of an American subsidiary for the popular Pokémon franchise. Kimishima accepted the position, and was appointed chief financial officer of The Pokémon Company in December 2000. In 2001, Kimishima

4140-587: The Wild runs at a maximum 900p and 30 frames per second while the Switch is docked. The dock measures 173 by 104 by 54 millimetres (6.8 in × 4.1 in × 2.1 in) and weighs 327 grams (11.5 oz). The dock included with the updated OLED consoles features a slightly redesigned housing, as well as replacing the rear USB port with a built-in Ethernet port . The Nintendo Switch comes with two controllers , collectively called Joy-Con and individually called

4232-404: The ability for the unit to play either on a television screen or as a portable and the use of detachable controllers. The "Switch" name was selected not only to refer to the console's ability to switch from handheld to home console modes, but to present "the idea of being a 'switch' that will flip and change the way people experience entertainment in their daily lives". Part of the inspiration of

4324-651: The board. On September 14, 2015, after the death of Iwata in July 2015, Kimishima was named company president of Nintendo. Shigeru Miyamoto and Genyo Takeda were also put into senior advisory roles as "Creative Fellow" and "Technology Fellow", respectively. Kimishima described his desire to follow Iwata's general strategy, stating that "Takeda and Miyamoto will be in charge of software development, while I control administration". In May 2016, Kimishima announced that Nintendo were going to start their own film production, and that they were looking for filmmakers for their projects. As President of Nintendo, Kimishima also oversaw

4416-470: The company towards mobile gaming and novel hardware. The Switch's design was aimed at a wide demographic of players through multiple modes of use. Nintendo preemptively sought the support of many third-party developers and publishers , as well as independent studios, to help build the Switch's game library alongside its first-party games, while standard electronic components, such as a chipset based on Nvidia 's Tegra line, were chosen to make development for

4508-403: The company was hesitant about this market, with then-president Satoru Iwata considering that they would "cease to be Nintendo" and lose their identity if they attempted to be a part of it. About three years prior to the Switch's announcement, Iwata, Tatsumi Kimishima , Genyo Takeda , and Shigeru Miyamoto crafted a strategy for revitalizing Nintendo's business model, which included approaching

4600-435: The competitive console marketplace, as rather than compete feature for feature with the other consoles, they would establish unique and difficult-to-copy devices. Miyamoto said that some broad concepts of the Switch extend from the "lateral thinking with seasoned technology" design philosophy of Gunpei Yokoi that Nintendo has used over the last couple of decades. The commercial failure of the Wii U also pressured Nintendo in

4692-495: The console by using an SOC to which developers could easily port games. Nintendo was not focused on raw processing power but was instead looking to balance the overall features of the system, including battery life and size, as well as keeping in mind their limited development resources and timeline. Koizumi said, "The most difficult part was on how to take an overall balance while we were getting entangled with all of those in complexity." To achieve this balance, they did not opt to use

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4784-453: The console easier for programmers and more compatible with existing game engines . As of September 2024 , the Nintendo Switch has shipped over 146 million units worldwide. It is Nintendo's best-selling home console and the third-best-selling game console of all time , behind the PlayStation 2 and Nintendo DS . While Nintendo had record revenues, net sales, and profits in 2009 as

4876-548: The console placed on a table or other flat surface using its kickstand for shared gaming away from a dedicated screen, or in "Handheld mode" as a standard portable tablet device. Users can switch between these modes simply by placing the console in the dock or removing it, extending or retracting the kickstand, and detaching or connecting the Joy-Con. Games may be designed to play only in specific modes; for example, Voez initially could not be played in TV mode and relied on touchscreen controls. Support for controllers and TV mode

4968-410: The console to a power supply to charge its battery, and to a television via an HDMI connection for video/audio output. The dock also includes two USB 2.0 ports and one USB 3.0 port. While docked, the unit can support resolutions up to 1080p and a maximum frame rate of 60 frames per second , though the maximum resolution varies depending on the game. As an example, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of

5060-413: The console under the codename "NX" and described it as a "brand new concept". At an investor's meeting in April 2016, Nintendo announced that it planned to release the NX worldwide in March 2017. While Nintendo did not unveil the NX's hardware at E3 2016 in June, it did announce that The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild , which was originally announced as a Wii U-exclusive, would also be released for

5152-409: The console, with an estimated twenty-hour lifespan. These batteries are automatically charged if they are attached to the console while it is charging itself. Additional accessories have other means to charge the Joy-Con. While the basic Joy-Con grip that ships with the Switch does not offer charging capabilities, a separate premium Joy-Con grip includes a USB-C connector port that can be used to charge

5244-441: The core console element. Takahashi suggested the possibility of other units besides the Joy-Con that could attach and/or connect to the console to serve as alternate input devices and change how the Switch can be used. Nintendo offers a Joy-Con Wheel, a small steering wheel -like unit that a Joy-Con can slot into, allowing it to be used for racing games such as Mario Kart 8 Deluxe . Standalone docks are available, which include

5336-486: The cultural lifestyle and gaming differences between Japanese and Western players; Japanese players tend to play on the go and with social groups, while Western players tend to play at home by themselves. The design of the Switch would meet both cultures, and certain games, like 1-2-Switch , could potentially make social gaming more acceptable in Western culture. Two key elements that were set to address this mixed market were

5428-525: The fiscal year from 22 million units sold to 25 million units in August 2020. These boosts in production have been attributed to more demand mainly due to the success of Animal Crossing: New Horizons during the COVID-19 pandemic . The Nintendo Switch Lite is a revision of the Switch designed for handheld play released worldwide on September 20, 2019, with an MSRP of US$ 199.99 . First announced in July 2019,

5520-597: The following day to reveal the full launch lineup and upcoming games for the Switch. The Switch was officially released on March 3, 2017, worldwide in Japan, most English-speaking and Western markets and in the United Arab Emirates. It was released with an MSRP of ¥ 29,980 in Japan, US$ 299.99 in the United States, £ 279.99 in the United Kingdom, and A$ 469.95 in Australia; with standardized pricing for

5612-469: The future. The Switch console has a 3.5 mm headphone jack. At launch, the Switch did not support Bluetooth wireless headphones, though they can also be connected if a Bluetooth adapter is connected to the headphone jack. A system update in October 2017 partially resolved this issue by enabling support for wireless USB headphones when the receiver is connected to the USB port on the console when docked. This

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5704-439: The idea of a console that was small enough with these new controllers to also be portable. Other concepts came out of critical consumer feedback of the Wii U. Fils-Aimé said that one common criticism they had for the Wii U was that while players did enjoy using the Wii U GamePad and would want to play games on it anywhere, it became functionless if they moved a distance away from the main console. This served for Nintendo to design

5796-402: The internal memory, leaving data that can be re-acquired on the microSD card. Save data will always be stored on the console, regardless if the source is a physical game card or a digital download copy. At launch, there was no way to transfer save files to another Switch console. Save game and profile transfers between Switch consoles were added in the 4.0.0 system update in October 2017, while

5888-465: The launch of the Nintendo Switch , and appeared in the 2017 Nintendo Switch Presentation. In April 2018, Nintendo announced that Kimishima would be stepping down as president on June 28, 2018, being succeeded by Shuntaro Furukawa . Kimishima remains at Nintendo as an Executive Advisor. Nintendo Switch The Nintendo Switch is a video game console developed by Nintendo and released worldwide in most regions on March 3, 2017. Released in

5980-447: The limitations of the device's own kickstand for tabletop play, including an official "Adjustable Charging Stand" that can be connected to the device's AC adapter. Original Switch models were released with model number "HAC-001". The Switch uses a system-on-chip from the Tegra family of products, developed in partnership with Nvidia . No specific details were revealed beyond that it is

6072-407: The main device and be played separately, and that Nintendo would distribute games on the console via cartridges and digital downloads. On October 20, 2016, Nintendo officially announced the console under the name Nintendo Switch, alongside a trailer that demonstrated the hardware's nature as a hybrid device. At the time of the trailer's release, Nintendo did not provide many details on features of

6164-475: The middle of the eighth generation of home consoles , the Switch succeeded the Wii U and competed with Microsoft 's Xbox One and Sony 's PlayStation 4 ; it also competes with the ninth generation consoles , Microsoft's Xbox Series X/S and Sony's PlayStation 5 . The Switch is a tablet that can either be docked for home console use or used as a portable device , making it a hybrid console . Its wireless Joy-Con controllers function as two halves of

6256-418: The mini-game, and a small toy piano. In September 2018, with the release of Nintendo Switch Online , Nintendo introduced NES Controller style Joy-Con controllers alongside its classic games service. In September 2019, when SNES games were added to the service, wireless SNES Controllers were released. In September 2021, when Nintendo 64 games and Sega Genesis titles were added to the service alongside

6348-432: The mobile market, creating new hardware, and "maximizing [their] intellectual property". Iwata was able to secure a business alliance with Japanese mobile provider DeNA before his death. The deal developed mobile titles based on Nintendo's first-party franchises, believing this approach would not compromise their integrity. Following Iwata's death in July 2015, Kimishima was named as president of Nintendo, while Miyamoto

6440-416: The more powerful hardware they could have used, instead using a middle-ground approach to achieve their vision of the Switch. Koizumi served as the general producer of the Switch during its development. According to Miyamoto, the Switch's development within Nintendo was headed by younger employees, with him saying "it's really been them that have put this forward and designed this system". Miyamoto said of

6532-424: The original model. Thus, the time-on-battery was effectively extended to 4.5–9 hours, depending on the game played. No other system component was updated in this revision. The Nintendo Switch is produced between Taiwan-based Foxconn and Japan-based Hosiden , with Foxconn accounting for the largest volume. Nintendo did not plan to sell the Switch below manufacturing cost at launch, as they had done for both

6624-434: The platform, though they planned to have events in 2017 to provide more details about the console. The company stated that there are additional features that were not presented in the introductory trailer. Miyamoto and Fils-Aimé presented the Switch to host Jimmy Fallon on a broadcast of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in December 2016. In addition to showing more of the console's hardware and functionality, Fallon

6716-436: The power and speed of the console's central processing unit with battery life and the unit's size, coupled with limited development resources and deadlines set by Nintendo's management. One choice made by the development team was to use an existing system on a chip (SOC) rather than creating their own as they had done on previous consoles. Koizumi said that this break from tradition was done to gain more third-party support for

6808-415: The presentation of the 2017 fiscal year results to investors, Nintendo's newly named president Shuntaro Furukawa stated that they anticipate producing 20 million Switch consoles over the 2018 fiscal year keeping the momentum of its sales in that year. In June 2019, The Wall Street Journal reported that Nintendo was starting to move some of its production of the Switch and two hardware revisions of

6900-551: The release of Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl . This special edition pays homage to the Nintendo DS Lite Dialga and Palkia edition. On September 26, 2024, a special gold colored edition of the Switch Lite based on The Legend of Zelda was released on September 26 to coincide with the release of The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom . These units also came bundled with a 12-month membership to Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack . The Nintendo Switch

6992-404: The ring, to perform in-game actions of running, jumping, and attacking and defending, respectively. Such features are part of Nintendo's "quality of life" goals to incorporate physical activity alongside the Switch, similar to past titles like Wii Fit . In February 2017, Nintendo president Tatsumi Kimishima stated that it had been "studying" virtual reality solutions, but felt that comfort

7084-422: The side, into which the Joy-Con controllers can be slid to attach them to the Switch unit. An ambient light sensor on the front of the console adjusts the screen's brightness automatically. The model number of the original Switch model is "HAC-001". There are three gameplay modes that can be used with the Switch; "TV mode" with the console slid into the dock to support play on a television, "Tabletop mode" with

7176-439: The sides of Joy-Con when they are detached. A charging grip is available for the Joy-Con, which provides a means to attach a USB-C cable for power. Alongside that, Nintendo released a charging strap that allows players to charge an individual Joy-Con via embedded AA batteries on June 16, 2017. The Switch also supports a wireless controller, called Nintendo Switch Pro Controller, which has a more traditional design reminiscent of

7268-519: The software being used. Nintendo gives the example of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild supporting approximately three hours of battery life. The battery can be charged either while in the dock, or through a standard USB-C connector on the console. The estimated recharge time while the unit is in sleep mode is about 3 hours. Nintendo offers the means for replacing batteries through its customer support. Each Joy-Con has its own non-removable 525 mAh, 3.7 V Lithium-ion battery separate from

7360-467: The system has no region lockout . Two hardware revisions have been released: the handheld-only Switch Lite, released on September 20, 2019; and a higher-end version featuring an OLED screen, released on October 8, 2021. The Switch was unveiled on October 20, 2016; the concept came about as Nintendo's reaction to financial losses attributed to poor sales of the Wii U and market competition from mobile games . Nintendo's then-president Satoru Iwata pushed

7452-472: The younger employees: "I always look for designers who aren't super-passionate game fans. I make it a point to ensure they're not just a gamer, but that they have a lot of different interests and skill sets." Junior developers were also used to help brainstorm ideas of how to make sure the Switch had a longer lifecycle beyond the typical five-to-six years as most other consoles had. Miyamoto, Takeda, and Iwata were less involved, but provided necessary oversight on

7544-410: Was a main concern. Nintendo of America president and COO Reggie Fils-Aimé also cited that existing VR solutions were not "fun" or "social". Nintendo ultimately unveiled a new Labo VR kit in March 2019, using a cardboard headset and viewer placed in front of the console's screen, in combination with attached accessories. Stands and alternate docks have also been created for the Switch to overcome

7636-427: Was appointed as his successor. On April 13, 2018, Nintendo Entertainment Planning & Development general manager Shinya Takahashi revealed that Nintendo was working on a new hardware video game system. Tatsumi Kimishima Tatsumi Kimishima ( 君島 達己 , Kimishima Tatsumi , born April 21, 1950) is a Japanese businessman who served as the 5th president of Nintendo from September 2015 to June 2018. He

7728-499: Was appointed president of Pokémon USA Inc. During Kimishima's early time working there, a number of popular Pokémon games were released. Yamauchi appointed Tatsumi Kimishima to become president of Nintendo of America in January 2002. He was previously working as the head of Nintendo's Pokémon division. Four years after Kimishima's promotion he was promoted again, but this time to the position of chief executive officer and chairman of

7820-496: Was born in Tokyo . After graduating from Hitotsubashi University , he joined Sanwa Bank in 1973, working there for 27 years. Kimishima dealt with corporate planning, international business development, corporate communications, and promotions. During his 27-year tenure at Sanwa Bank, Kimishima was posted in New York, New York ; Los Angeles, California ; and San Francisco, California in

7912-427: Was formerly the president of Nintendo of America from January 2002, succeeding Minoru Arakawa , until Reggie Fils-Aimé took his place in May 2006. He was promoted to managing director in June 2013 and was named the fifth president of the company in September 2015, succeeding Satoru Iwata , who died in July 2015. Kimishima stepped down as president in June 2018 and was succeeded by Shuntaro Furukawa . Kimishima

8004-485: Was given the opportunity to play part of Breath of the Wild live. Nintendo revealed technical details of the Switch, including its worldwide launch date and price, at a press event in Tokyo on January 13, 2017. The event was livestreamed , with an English voiceover provided by Nintendo of America through their broadcast and regional Twitter accounts relaying details in other languages. A Nintendo Treehouse event occurred

8096-427: Was later added to Voez in January 2018 via an update for the game. Another example is Super Mario Party , which does not support Handheld mode. Nintendo stated that the Switch is a "single-screen experience", in that the player either sees the content on the console when it is out of the dock, or on the screen attached to the dock when the console is docked. The Switch cannot feature dual-screen functionality that

8188-553: Was later fully resolved in a system update in September 2021 when it enabled support for Bluetooth Wireless headphone devices without the need for a USB adapter. Around July 2018, Nintendo quietly released Switch units with minor hardware changes and updated firmware to block exploits in the original Switch models that led to the ability to extract ROM images from game cards and software. Nintendo claimed in its case against Team Xecuter and Gary Bowser in February that this hardware change

8280-513: Was offered through the Wii U via its GamePad . Nintendo patented a means of using multiple Switch consoles to create a multi-monitor configuration by arranging them on a flat surface and spanning a single gameplay environment across their screens. This technology was first seen in Super Mario Party . The console, with or without Joy-Con attached, can be placed into the Switch dock, a docking station with electrical connectors to connect

8372-491: Was promoted to the title of "Creative Fellow". The initial conception for the Switch started shortly after the release of the Wii U in 2012. Kimishima stated that when Nintendo was evaluating what new hardware they wanted to produce, they "didn't just want a successor" to either the Nintendo 3DS or Wii U, but instead asked "what kind of new experience can we create?" In an interview with The Asahi Shimbun , Kimishima said that

8464-520: Was specifically the result of Team Xecuter's sales of modified Switch chips that used the exploit. An updated version of the Nintendo Switch under model number "HAC-001(-01)" was announced on July 17, 2019, and was released in Japan and North America in mid-August 2019, and in the United Kingdom in September 2019. This revision uses the Tegra X1 + SoC , a more efficient chipset compared to the Tegra X1 used in

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