Nintendo Switch officially announced

After many months of rumors and speculation Nintendo finally made official the company’s next console which is expected out in March. The Nintendo Switch will be a hybrid home and portable system. The official launch date and price will be announced later. 

At home, Nintendo Switch rests in the Nintendo Switch Dock that connects the system to the TV and lets you play with family and friends in the comfort of your living room. By simply lifting Nintendo Switch from the dock, the system will instantly transition to portable mode, and the same great gaming experience that was being enjoyed at home now travels with you.

Without credible league-licensed sports games driving sales and engagement it’s questionable whether a console can survive. The lack of third party software is big reason why Nintendo has struggled ever since the fad of the Wii vanished. It’s no surprise then that NBA 2K17 is one of the games featured in the reveal teaser trailer.

Will sports gamers find appeal in the Switch? The portable aspect of it makes it intriguing given that the PS4 and Xbox One don’t have that capability. However the system won’t be as high powered as those two and its online community won’t be as heavily populated.

Ultimately third party support will be crucial to its success. All the major players are there for launch, but if the system stumbles and/or consumers don’t support third party software, it could end up abandoned like the Wii U or PlayStation Vita. There’s definitely more potential here with the Switch that suggests it may be able to avoid their fate.