When I started this series back in April little did I know it would be almost a year until Nintendo’s next console, which we now know is called the Switch, would be released.  Nor did I expect it would only be late October before we found out anything.  The plan was to have these features coming out each week in the lead up to E3, assuming the console would be unveiled then.  When we found out that it wasn’t I said I’d do a follow up article after it was announced, but then I didn’t expect we’d get a bit of info to then have to wait until January to find out more.

The lesson from all this?  Don’t try and second guess Nintendo.  It is one that perhaps we all should have learnt by now, but it seems it is worth repeating.

So this post-reveal round-up isn’t as fully detailed as expected.  We did indeed find out about the Switch console in a three minute reveal trailer.  We found out the name, of course, the form factor, the controllers and how it works.  There are many things that remain unknown though - the exact release date (still saying March 2017), the cost, the games, the specs and even aspects of how it will work.  

We now know that Nintendo is going to reveal these details on January 13th, so we’ll revisit my predictions fully then.  In the meantime let’s look at what I predicted in light of what we already know.  For those wondering, I’m keeping this series name as this should be the penultimate instalment and I’m rather fond of the pun.

The first instalment was dedicated to third parties and that still remains a question mark.  The trailer did feature Skyrim and NBA 2K17, but the developers were quick to state that it is not indicative that those titles will come to Switch, just a showcase of the kind of power and usability the console has.

We do know that over 30 third parties have already begun work on games for the console, putting it in a stronger position than the Wii U was unveiled.  This is good for many reasons, but not least a strong indication that in spite of poor sales of the Wii U third parties are not put off releasing games for the Switch.  Clearly there is an interest in how the console can be used and Gamasutra asked developers if they want to develop for it and there seems to be a strong interest in the console.

Subsequent rumours since the unveiling has suggested that we'll get Just Dance 2017 (hardly surprising), a Ubisoft-developed Rayman/Mario RPG crossover and we will indeed see Skyrim.  There are also rumours that Ubisoft's Beyond Good & Evil 2 will come to the Switch and may even be exclusive.

In the second instalment the controller came under the spotlight and now we know a lot more about what the Switch controller is (or should I say, what the Switch controllers are), but some mysteries still remain.

The main controller is most like the Wii U GamePad, although when you look at the two together now the Wii U GamePad looks quite chunky.  The GamePad was in itself a good idea that looked to capitalise on the growing trend of playing games on mobiles and tablets, but it was limited by its range and was seldom used for little more than screen mirroring.  The Switch may do away with the dual screen angle.  It has not been confirmed but the console was shown in the dock at home, although of course you might be able to use the Switch controller and the TV at the same time and display different things.  However, the Switch allows you to take the controller with you wherever and even has a kickstand to support on-the-go gaming.  When we polled our forum members about how frequently they use the GamePad for off-TV play the results were about 50/50, but the beauty of the Switch is, if done right, it is open for both ‘sides’.  Love using the GamePad wherever you go?  You can go further now!  Never used it?  You don’t have to!

There is still a lot about the controller that we don’t know.  What is the battery life like?  Rumours suggest it’s not strong (about 3 hours) and for this reason and others Nintendo will be marketing it as a home console rather than a handheld.  Is there a touch screen?  Do the JoyCons have IR?  Will there be different variations of the JoyCons in the future?  

However, as with Nintendo’s last few consoles were in the position whereby we could have multiple controller setups confusing matters.  The Switch was unveiled with a Pro Controller as well, bringing important console parity to make third parties more likely to port games.  They work in the same kind of way, so it might be less of an issue with the Switch than it was with the Wii U (depending on if developers make games that require the screen and thus eliminating the Pro Controller), but we don’t know if game-specific JoyCons will come out and thus add to the number of controllers we have knocking around.  

My predictions about the launch and the reveal were really off the mark, but there is still we don’t know about.  We know it is coming in March, but it will be January before we know specifics.  How Nintendo plans to market this is important - is it a home console or a handheld?  Is it both?  If they push the handheld side too hard will they be able to show the cost is justified?  They have a potentially large marketing hurdle to get over and on the one hand it makes sense to wait until after Christmas, a time of marketing noise, to start addressing it.  However, the post-Christmas period is also usually quieter in retail, which is a blessing and a curse (less competition but less attention).  There also might be people that choose to buy another console at Christmas because details about the Switch won’t be revealed after that.

The price is going to be an interesting one and is already a highly debated point on our forums.  Speculation is running between £200 and £350 with various justifications.  We won’t find out until January, but the higher the price the greater the challenge will be for Nintendo to justify it, particularly if people see it as “just” a handheld.  Those in the UK also face the potential problem that our currency has been on a downward slope since June and certain political events are due to take place around the same time as the launch, which could affect the pound further (in either direction) and Nintendo may not be willing to take a risk with the cost in the UK and we could see us paying more than other regions.  Nintendo has already stated the Switch won’t be sold at a loss, but they have listened to consumers expectations about console prices.

We still know practically nothing about how online will work with the Switch.  Now that we know the form factor new questions are raised - will there be a sim card slot for on-the-go online gaming?  It would not work for competitive online games due to the slower speeds, but it could work for Pokémon Go type titles and maybe even an expanded StreetPass with online elements.  How will third parties with always-online titles such as Destiny approach the Switch?  They could say “works in home mode only”, but then would they risk the potential confusion/backlash if customers do not pay attention and get frustrated they can’t play it on the go?

Then we come to Nintendo themselves.  I mentioned how kids that grew up with Nintendo consoles are now in their thirties and many have either dropped gaming as a hobby or have moved on to other consoles (either as their primary or sole console).  These people however potentially have less time to play games then when they were young, so if they’re smart they can tap into this market - “are you too busy to play at home, or does your kid want to watch TV, then you can take this anywhere - that boring train journey can now become your chance to play home console games”.  

Couple this with Nintendo’s rich catalogue of titles and beloved IPs and there’s a good chance the console could be seen as a viable alternative to the PS4 and Xbox One providing the third party support is strong enough.  If they can get the big franchises that are popular across the gaming spectrum - your Call of Duty and FIFA games - then the ‘on-the-go’ appeal might be stronger for some than the power supplied by the competitors.

Recent rumours suggest that a version of Pokémon Sun and Moon will be coming, tentatively titled Pokémon Stars, as well as the Mario game shown during the trailer and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, which will miss the launch according to rumours.  Those are the three franchises MCV said some time ago would come during the first six months, although it seems Pokémon may slip until later in 2017.  Altered versions of Splatoon and Mario Kart 8 seem likely as they were shown in the trailer, while rumours suggest Super Smash Bros and Mario Maker will also be getting ports/enhancements and Pikmin 4 will arrive on the Switch (which seems fairly certain given we know it exists and is unlikely to land on the Wii U now).

What Happens NX Switch?

We wait.  Again.  At least this time we know when we’re going to find out more information and hopefully the January 13th event will provide all the details we’re looking for - what games are coming?  How are third parties going to get involved?  What is the cost?  When does it launch?  Is it a touch screen?  Is it digitally backwards compatible?  

We just have to wait until January now.  The initial reveal will be enough for some people, while some are clearly hankering for more information.  Hopefully knowing when it will come will help some people.  A large issue with the initial reveal is we were left waiting for months before we knew it was going to happen and then we only found out on the day itself.  A known end is easier to bear, but this Christmas will test if it is enough for those that have been unsure.

Join us again in January when we should know a lot more about the Switch, but in the meantime feel free to let us know what you think in the comments section below.