Nintendo Switch Ushers in a New Era of Console Gaming on the Go
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and 1-2-Switch Start
a Steady Drumbeat of Great Games in 2017
REDMOND, Wash.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Today’s launch of the Nintendo
Switch video game system means that console-quality gaming is no
longer tethered exclusively to the living room TV. Nintendo Switch lets
people play their favorite games anytime, anywhere and with anyone. The
system launches today at a suggested retail price of $299.99. It comes
in two color options: a version with a set of gray Joy-Con controllers,
and a version with one neon blue and one neon red Joy-Con controller.
“Nintendo Switch makes it easy for anyone to enjoy their games in the
living room and then quickly take them on the go,” said Nintendo of
America President and COO Reggie Fils-Aime. “This versatile system
allows people to play in unexpected places. It’s the kind of twist in
gaming that Nintendo is known for.”
Nintendo Switch comes with the main console, Joy-Con (L) and Joy-Con (R)
controllers, a Joy-Con grip (to which two Joy-Con are attached and used
as one controller), a set of Joy-Con straps, a Nintendo Switch dock
(which holds the main console and connects it to a TV), an HDMI cable
and an AC adapter.
Nintendo Switch connects to a TV at home and can instantly transform
into an on-the-go handheld using its 6.2-inch high-definition screen.
The screen includes capacitive multi-touch capabilities for compatible
games. The left Joy-Con has a Capture Button that players can press to
take instant screen shots of gameplay to share with friends on their
social media pages. The right Joy-Con includes an NFC touchpoint for
interaction with amiibo figures, as well as an IR Motion Camera that can
approximate the distance, shape and motion of nearby objects in
specially designed games. Both Joy-Con include motion controls and an
advanced HD Rumble feature. The Nintendo Switch Pro Controller, sold
separately at a suggested retail price of $69.99, includes all the same
features (minus the IR Motion Camera) and comes in a more traditional
form factor.
Today also marks the launch of the first epic Nintendo Switch game, The
Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, which breaks new boundaries
while honoring the origins of the acclaimed series. The game is
available for both Nintendo Switch and Wii
U* at a suggested retail price of $59.99. New compatible amiibo
launching today for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
include Link (Rider), Link (Archer), Zelda and a Bokoblin amiibo at a
suggested retail price of $15.99 each. A massive new Guardian amiibo is
also available at a suggested retail price of $19.99.
Also launching today is the face-to-face party game 1-2-Switch.
From Wild West gunslinging to safecracking to competitive cow milking,
the 28 games in 1-2-Switch make creative use of a broad variety
of Nintendo Switch features, such as motion controls and HD Rumble. In a
video game twist, the game asks players to stare at one another instead
of at the TV, creating a fun atmosphere that will liven up any party.
Third-party games such as Skylanders Imaginators from Activision
Publishing Inc., Just Dance 2017 from Ubisoft and Super
Bomberman R from Konami Digital Entertainment round out a launch-day
lineup that has something for everyone.
But today is just the start. A steady supply of games will arrive for
Nintendo Switch throughout the rest of the year. Other first-party
Nintendo Switch games on the horizon include Mario
Kart 8 Deluxe (April 28), ARMS
(spring), Splatoon
2 (summer), Fire
Emblem Warriors (fall), Super
Mario Odyssey (the 2017 holiday season) and Xenoblade
Chronicles 2 (2017).
Nintendo eShop, Nintendo’s online storefront for downloadable games, is
ready to go on Nintendo Switch. The shop is the destination for people
who prefer the ease of downloading their games. Both The Legend of
Zelda: Breath of the Wild and 1-2-Switch are available for
purchase and download today. Additionally, for $19.99, people can
purchase the Snipperclips
– Cut it out, together! game, which is exclusive to
Nintendo eShop. In this game, two players cut paper characters into new
shapes to solve dynamic puzzles in a wonderfully creative and
imaginative world. It is even possible for four players to solve puzzles
as a team or compete against each other in various activities. Snipperclips
– Cut it out, together! exemplifies the fun and ease of playing
anywhere with anyone on Nintendo Switch.
Nintendo eShop also provides access to a constantly updated library of
great games from independent developers and publishers. Some of the
digital games available for purchase today from third-party partners
include FAST RMX from Shin’en Multimedia, which is
console-exclusive to Nintendo Switch, I Am Setsuna from SQUARE
ENIX CO., LTD., and both Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove and
Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment from Yacht Club Games, which are
timed exclusives. More than 60 quality indie games are confirmed for
this year, including Blaster Master Zero from INTI CREATES CO.,
LTD., Pocket Rumble from Chucklefish Games, Yooka-Laylee
from Team 17, SteamWorld Dig 2 from Image & Form Games and Runner3
from Choice Provisions.
Nintendo Switch is supported by world-class third-party publishers,
including Activision Publishing Inc., Electronic Arts, Take-Two
Interactive, Ubisoft, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and major
Japanese publishers. Some publishers, such as Bethesda Softworks, are
joining Nintendo for the first time. Players can look forward to major
franchises on Nintendo Switch such as EA SPORTS FIFA, The
Elder Scrolls, NBA 2K, Minecraft, Street Fighter
and Sonic the Hedgehog.
Nintendo Switch features parental controls that let adults manage
content their children can access. For more information about this and
other features, visit http://www.nintendo.com/switch.
*3GB of available storage required on the Wii U system or external drive
to play this game.
About Nintendo: The worldwide pioneer in the creation of
interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan,
manufactures and markets hardware and software for its Wii U™
and Wii™ home consoles, and Nintendo 3DS™ and
Nintendo DS™ families of portable systems. Since 1983, when
it launched the Nintendo Entertainment System™, Nintendo has
sold more than 4.4 billion video games and more than 696 million
hardware units globally, including the current-generation Wii U,
Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo 3DS XL, as well as the Game Boy™,
Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi™ and Nintendo DSi
XL™, Super NES™, Nintendo 64™, Nintendo
GameCube™ and Wii systems. It has also created industry icons
that have become well-known, household names such as Mario™,
Donkey Kong™, Metroid™, Zelda™ and
Pokémon™. A wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of America
Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters for Nintendo’s
operations in the Western Hemisphere. For more information about
Nintendo, please visit the company’s website at http://www.nintendo.com.
Note to editors: Nintendo press materials are available at http://press.nintendo.com,
a password-protected site. To obtain a login, please register on the
site.
Contacts
GOLIN
Rich George
415-318-4342
rgeorge@golin.com
or
Eddie
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213-335-5536
egarcia@golin.com
