Nintendo's newly announced gaming system, the Nintendo Switch, has already skyrocketed to popularity, primarily due to its unique capability of functioning as both a tabletop console and a handheld device.
The feature was the main highlight of the announcement video for the Nintendo Switch, as it showed gamers utilizing the various forms of the system across several situations.
What makes the feature possible, however, was not mentioned in the video. Powering the Nintendo Switch is a custom Nvidia Tegra chip, which is the same one used by the company in its Shield line of mobile video game hardware.
"Nvidia gaming technology is integrated into all aspects of the new Nintendo Switch home gaming system, which promises to deliver a great experience to gamers," Nvidia wrote in a press release announcing the company's participation in the development of the new console.
It should be pointed out, however, that the concept for the Nintendo Switch is not an entirely new one. The console is actually being considered a spiritual successor to the Nvidia Shield, with the mobile device also providing the possibility of a gaming experience that is the same both at home or on the go.
Nvidia, popular for the powerful graphics cards that it makes for PCs, released the Nvidia Shield in 2013 which was powered by the Nvidia Tegra chip. The Nvidia Tegra is a small chip that can be fitted inside a portable device, but it was powerful enough to make the games look great, even good enough to be streamed onto a TV. This was a prelude to the tabletop-handheld transition made possible by the Nintendo Switch.
The Shield, however, did not take off. Nvidia went on to refine the technology and released other devices in the line such as the Shield Tablet and the Shield set-top box. However, the problem was that, because the devices were running on Android, there were no games that were available that would allow them to take on the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One.
Meanwhile, Nintendo, after decades of dominating the video game industry, has fallen behind Sony and Microsoft. The company's previous console, the Wii U, did not have the technology to attract gamers away from the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One, despite Nintendo holding the rights to franchises such as Super Mario, Legend of Zelda, Kirby, Super Smash Bros. and many more.
With Nvidia and Nintendo coming together for the Nintendo Switch, a solution has been provided to both their problems. With Nvidia gaining access to a treasure trove of games and Nintendo finally upgrading its technology, the Nintendo Switch is looking forward to success once it is released in March 2017.
