Following months of rumors and leaks, at long last Nintendo lifted the veil on their next gaming console during a short and to-the-point trailer released on Oct. 20. It's called the Nintendo Switch, and it looks crazy (in a good way).
The 3-mintue video confirms, as numerous reports have stated in recent months, that the machine is indeed a handheld/home console hybrid, one with a detachable controller that can be played on the go and uses game cartridges rather than discs. Not only that, but it appears that the machine's tablet controller can be used in different ways.
Two controller segments can be added to the screen for a controller similar to that of the Wii U tablet, but each individual segment can also be used on its own in certain games. The screen can be propped up by a built-in kickstand and have multiple players play at once, with each player using a controller segment.
What appears to be a more traditional Xbox-type controller is also glimpsed in the trailer, while the two controller segments can also be combined to form one controller. Players can dock the screen into a base unit that looks similar to a Wii when playing at home.
As for games, only one title shown appears to be brand-new, and it's a 3D platforming Mario title. Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild was also shown, as was what appeared to be an entry in the NBA 2K franchise and either a new entry in the Mario Kart franchise or simply Mario Kart 8 ported to the new machine.
Most surprisingly, what appeared to be The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Remastered appeared in the Switch's first trailer, as a gamer took Bethesda's popular open-world RPG on the go. It will be the first time an Elder Scrolls game has released on a Nintendo platform. You can check out some images of the innovative new console, as well as the first trailer, below.
Numerous questions still remain. Pricing details, the console's game launch lineup, backward compatibility and much more remain a mystery, but Nintendo doesn't appear ready to answer for the time being. That being said, Nintendo definitely seems to be upping the ante. Though the NX likely isn't as powerful as the Xbox One or PlayStation 4, the fact that it also doubles as a handheld gaming device will make it much more appealing to numerous consumers, especially given that Nintendo's primary competitor in the handheld console space, Sony, has essentially dropped out of the race. We'll update this post if more details become available.