Nintendo Switch Deals

The first mention of the Nintendo NX

Nintendo’s late president Satoru Iwata fired the starter pistol on the speculation over Nintendo’s next console in March 2015, saying “let me confirm that Nintendo is currently developing a dedicated gaming platform with a brand-new concept under the development codename “NX””. Iwata’s mention of a membership service that would encompass the 3DS, the Wii U and the NX caused a further stir, with speculation centering around where the NX would sit within Nintendo’s console offering if they were to continue with the 3DS as the flagship handheld and the Wii U as the dedicated home console.

The NX gets a launch date

Any doubt as to whether the NX was to be a fully fledged new piece of technology rather than an upgrade on either the DS range or the Wii U was extinguished in April 2015 when, in an investor’s meeting, the Japanese gaming giant revealed the release date for the new hardware as March 2017.

Breath of the Wild unveiled as a launch title

Although Nintendo disappointed many of their legions of hardcore fans by not revealing any details whatsoever about the NX at the E3 expo, they did offer a tantalising glimpse of the future by revealing that the upcoming The Legend of Zelda title, The Breath of the Wild, was to be released on both the Wii U and the NX as a launch title. Creator of the Mario and Zelda series Shigeru Miyamoto stated that Nintendo weren’t more forthcoming about details of the NX because they feared that it would be copied if they revealed information too far in advance of launch.

Hardware rumours abound

In late July, various leaks centering on the specifics of the NX’s core design and some of the technology it would be using began to be reported. Most significant was the speculation that the NX would be an unusual hybrid concept that was capable of functioning as both a home console and as a portable, courtesy of a pair of controllers that could attach to either end of a tablet-like body. Further rumours linked in the NX to Nvidia’s Tegra mobile processor chip, and suggested that the console would use cartridges like those of the 3DS rather than less handheld-friendly discs.

The Switch is officially unveiled

Following months of speculation, the Nintendo Switch – as it is now known – was unveiled. As had been previously rumoured, the Switch is a hybrid device capable of being played in both handheld and console modes. The official announcement was accompanied by a launch trailer that showed the three main ways the console could be used; as a traditional console-TV-controller set up, as a portable with the Joy-Con controllers attached, and in tabletop mode using the built in kickstand.

The date is set

At a livestreamed event in Tokyo, Nintendo unveiled further details of the Switch’s hardware, showcased some of its launch titles playing on the system and, most importantly, revealed the worldwide launch date for the console; March 3rd. The event showcased Nintendo’s dedication to the system, which many argued had been lacking from their pre-launch promotional efforts for the Wii U. This enhanced backing culminated with a spot during the Superbowl in the US.

Another sales milestone

Less than a year after launch, the Switch hits 14.86 million units sold, putting it more than a million ahead of how many consoles the Wii U sold over the course of its entire lifetime. There’s no denying it; Nintendo have a hit console on their hands.

It’s great news for gamers too, with the more consoles sold the more AAA games the system is likely to receive.

Switch on

The Switch is launched on March 3rd and almost immediately sells out worldwide, with estimates suggesting that the system sold between 1.5 and 2 million units in its first week, a record for a Nintendo system. The Switch was aided by its launch title The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, which was released to critical acclaim, with many reviewers suggesting it deserved to be part of the conversation about the best game ever.

Nintendo share price rockets

Despite worldwide shortages of the Switch, it continues to sell in incredible volumes, and rarely stays in stock for long anywhere. The Switch’s early unbridled success does much to put minds at ease about Nintendo’s ability to make up ground after the Wii U, with the Japanese company’s share price reflecting that. In May, it hits a seven year-high.

E3 offers more reasons to be cheerful

Even with expectations high for what Nintendo would announce at the annual E3 convention, Nintendo arguably surpassed them with a slew of game showcases that left fans in little doubt as to the long term prospects of the Switch. A Kirby game, a Pokemon RPG, Metroid Prime 4 and a Yoshi game represented a predictably strong first party lineup, while Rocket League was a surprise third-party announcement, joining Skyrim with a Q4 2017 launch.

Stock worries ease

Supported by an increasingly strong lineup of games, including Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Splatoon 2, the Switch continues to perform fantastically well, although stock is now easier to find generally. Nintendo also announces a new Mario Odyssey hard bundle for the Switch, to sit alongside the Splatoon 2 bundle launched in July.

Odyssey begins a legacy

Super Mario Odyssey, the Italian plumber’s first sandbox-style adventure in years, is released. It achieves critical acclaim to rival that given to Switch launch title Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and has gamers asking if any console has ever had two better games in its first year. Critics predict that Odyssey and Zelda will duke it out between them for the honour of ‘game of the year’ titles in a year that will go down in even Nintendo’s storied history.

The jewel in the crown

Nintendo caps a superb year with Switch launch title The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild winning Game of the Year at the Game Awards 2017. They use the award to announce the launch of the second piece of DLC for Breath of the Wild, which features the game’s first story expansion. Also announced are Switch ports of Bayonetta 1 and 2 and a new Switch exclusive, the third game in the series.

Switch going strong

After several months of excellent sales numbers, fantastic games and increasingly solid stock levels, Nintendo revise their sales target for the Switch. Having originally forecast 10 million units sold by March (a year into the console’s life cycle), they now aim to have moved 14 million units. The PS4 sold a similar amount, while the Xbox One hit around 10 million. The 14 million mark is also significant, as it would mean that the Switch had surpassed the Wii U’s lifetime sales in under a year. Nintendo are back.

Mini Direct lays out the Switch’s upcoming titles

With E3 2016 announced games like Metroid Prime 4 and Pokémon still a long way off, Nintendo launch a Mini Direct to unveil some upcoming games. The most significant announcements are a new edition of Mario Tennis, Mario Tennis Aces, a remastered version of the classic Dark Souls, and a re-release of Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze. Also previewed are DLC and updates to Super Mario Odyssey, Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle and Pokken Tournament DX.

Nintendo LABO launches

Nintendo have always been known for their out of the box thinking, and LABO is an example of just that – as well as thinking with the box. LABO enables gamers to create their own cardboard creations and bring them to life with Switch software. April sees the first two kits launch, the Variety Kit and the Robot Kit, which lets players build a backpack and becoming a Godzilla-size robot, rampaging through a city.

Undocked

Nintendo begins selling a version of the Switch in Japan without the dock and AC adaptor. The logic behind the move is that they want to encourage those who live in a house with a Switch, but who don’t own one themselves, to buy a console without having to pay for a dock they don’t need. No word is given when we might see a similar option in the UK.

20 million

Nintendo announce that 19.67 million Switch consoles have been sold as of the end of June, meaning that by the point they make the announcement, the total is more than 20 million. Nintendo also have set an ambitious target of selling 20 million units between April and March 2019. While they’ve sold around 2 million so far, with Super Smash Bros Ultimate and two new Pokemon games on the way, don’t rule it out!