Nintendo will release its new Switch console on March 3, 2017 for $299.99, according to an announcement from the company in Tokyo today.
The console is in the form of a tablet that can be connected to a TV and includes a pair of detachable “JoyCon” controllers. Each of them includes motion and feedback sensors. The tablet’s screen will have touch functionality. One of the JoyCon controllers will have a screenshot button so you can share your achievements on social media and, in the future, it will also have video recording. It will also have an infrared camera to detect the movement of a player’s hand.
The Switch will include 32GB of internal storage, which can be expanded with Micro SDXC cards. Battery life in tablet mode will range from 2.5 to 6 hours, depending on the game, according to Nintendo. For example, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, which is also coming to the Switch console on March 3, will drain the battery in about 3 hours.
That's all the information Nintendo revealed in its hour-long presentation, which was livestreamed around the world. It spent the rest of the presentation talking about the games coming to the platform. It said that in total, around 80 games are currently in development for the Switch.
Some of these will be: Super Mario Odyssey, Splatoon 2, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Xenoblade 2, Dragon Quest XI, Minecraft and more.
Also, game developers from Europe who were at the event announced that the game Skyrim will be ready for the new console and Electronic Arts promised a FIFA game.
Nintendo also said it will offer online gameplay for a fee through a monthly service. It will be free at launch, but you'll have to pay starting in the fall. Subscribers will also be able to download and play a retro game from the Nintendo Entertainment System and Super Nintendo Entertainment System libraries for free.
Various stores in Greece are taking pre-orders for the console at a price other than $299.99. We are waiting to see what will happen in the Greek market regarding the final purchase price.
