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Nintendo Switch

ConsoleVideo game console2017

Nintendo Switch

The Nintendo Switch is a video game console developed by Nintendo and released worldwide in most regions on March 3, 2017. Released in the middle of the eighth generation of home consoles, the Switch succeeded the Wii U and competed with Sony's PlayStation 4 and Microsoft's Xbox One; it also competes with the ninth-generation consoles, the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.

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First released
2017
Made by
Foxconn , Hosiden
Generation
8
Units sold
156.59 million

Overview

The Nintendo Switch is a video game console developed by Nintendo and released worldwide in most regions on March 3, 2017. Released in the middle of the eighth generation of home consoles, the Switch succeeded the Wii U and competed with Sony's PlayStation 4 and Microsoft's Xbox One; it also competes with the ninth-generation consoles, the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.

The Switch is a tablet that can either be docked for home console use or used as a portable device, making it a hybrid console. Its wireless Joy-Con controllers function as two halves of a standard controller and alternatively as individual controllers, featuring buttons, directional analog sticks for user input, motion sensing, and tactile feedback. A pair can attach to the sides of the console for handheld play, attach to a grip accessory to provide the form of a separated gamepad, or be used unattached. The system software supports online gaming through internet connectivity, as well as local wireless ad hoc connectivity with other consoles. Switch games and software are available on physical flash-based ROM cartridges and digital distribution via Nintendo eShop; the system has no region lockout. Two hardware revisions were released: the handheld-only Switch Lite, released on September 20, 2019; and a higher-end version featuring an OLED screen, released on October 8, 2021.

The Switch was unveiled on October 20, 2016; the concept came about following Nintendo's financial losses from poor Wii U sales and market competition from mobile games. Nintendo's then-president Satoru Iwata pushed the company towards mobile gaming and novel hardware. The Switch's design was aimed at a wide demographic of players through multiple modes of use. Nintendo preemptively sought the support of many third-party developers and publishers, as well as independent studios, to help build the game library alongside its first-party games. Standard electronic components, such as a chipset based on Nvidia's Tegra line, were chosen to make game development easier for programmers and more compatible with existing game engines.

Specifications

Manufacturer
Foxconn , Hosiden
Developer
Nintendo PTD
Type
Video game console
Generation
Eighth/Ninth
Released
Original: March 3, 2017 , Lite: September 20, 2019 , OLED: October 8, 2021
Discontinued
EU February 2027
Media
Nintendo Switch game card, Game card , Digital distribution in video games, digital distribution
Processor
Quad-core ARM Cortex-A57
Memory
4 GB LPDDR4
Sound
Undocked: Linear PCM stereo speakers (with pseudo-surround) , Docked: Linear PCM
Connectivity
Wi-Fi 5 @ 2.4/5 GHz , Bluetooth 4.1 , 1 × USB-C , Headphone jack
Online service
Nintendo eShop , Nintendo Switch Online
Input
Joy-Con , Nintendo Switch Pro Controller , Multi-touch touchscreen
Predecessor
Nintendo 3DS , Wii U
Successor
Nintendo Switch 2
Best-selling game
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (70.59 million, ) (list)
Units sold
156.59 million

Models

  • Switch Lite
  • OLED Model
  • Initial version

Model names as listed by IGDB.

Games

29 Nintendo Switch games are written up here, with trophies, patches and what still works online.

See the Nintendo Switch games

More from Nintendo

Sources

The overview is adapted from Wikipedia and shared under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 licence.

Checked October 2026.

Spotted something that's wrong? Tell me and I'll check it.