Update: We've spoken to a HonSon representative about the product listings in question, and have been told that the company has based these products on "secret" information and that it is waiting for Nintendo to officially confirm the system before putting these items into production; HonSon will then "adjust the model to ensure it can perfectly suit the console". The representative also confirmed that, based on the information it has received, the Switch Mini is (as the name suggests) "a little smaller" than the current version.
Original Story: Despite the countless rumours that have been circulating surrounding a lower-priced 'Switch Mini' console over the past couple of years, Nintendo still hasn't officially revealed that such a thing exists. For all we know, that could be because it doesn't exist, but these accessories designed specifically for such a console could be a key ingredient in the Switch Mini speculation mix.
Believe it or not, we've been talking about the idea of a Switch Mini since April 2017 - just weeks after the real deal released into the world - after analysts predicted a mini variant would launch in 2019. We're now in 2019 and those rumours have been amplified thanks to further, more detailed reports from the likes of Nikkei and The Wall Street Journal.
Now, we've spotted that Chinese gaming accessory maker HonSon has listed a number of accessories specifically designed for a Switch Mini. Some of the images in these listings feature an old mock-up of the console (so we wouldn't pay too much attention to that) but if these products are in production ready for sale, this would suggest that Honson may have received product size info and early schematics for a new Switch console ahead of release.
The image featured at the top of this article, which you can see on Honson's site here, has us particularly intrigued. We can't recall seeing this image elsewhere, and the design of the console looks a little different to previous mock-ups.
Of course, a retailer listing wouldn't usually have us convinced that a new console is definitely on the way, but it's common for new smartphone designs to leak ahead of time as cases and accessories appear online early. Accessory manufacturers need to have exact measurements early enough to produce cases in time for a product's launch, so is this what we're seeing here? While the console design featured in that image might not be 100% accurate, the case itself should certainly be the correct size.
Also, it's perhaps worth noting that back in 2013, Nintendo revealed the 2DS - a cheaper revision of the 3DS - in August. Two months later, the console was available to buy in stores. It's certainly looking possible that we could be about to see a similarly quick reveal and launch here.
We've reached out to HonSon and will update this story if we hear back.
But what do you think? Do you believe a new Switch is on the way? Do you like the idea of a Switch Mini? Fire away in the comments below.
[source honsoncn.com]
Comments 232
Not convinced, but it's plausible.
I definitely think the announcement is coming next month for a September release.
According to the site, "product size: cm"...so I think it might be all speculative?
Hmmmm no. No no no. I won’t believe it until it’s officially announced.
Honson, they're so hot right now.
Gimped Switch for the loss
it actually looks pretty decent if the top image is true
Google image search doesn't come up with anything for that image... maybe Honson mocked it up themselves. Or it could be legit. Looks nice anyway.
No. That's a PSVita.
Personally I want a pro, not a mini.
I expect the switch mini to be half the size of the gameboy micro.
Also these images already have been debunked on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/CreeLikesCats/status/1141004330696433665
Oh sweet, all those products are weightless and “all the images come from the network” 🙄
"Rumour", not "News".
Imagine if the Chinese company mistook some fake renders for the real thing and made a bunch of accessories for something that doesn't/won't exist.
I think I’ve seen that image as a fan mock-up before...
I definitely think there's too much smoke to think its not coming. Thinking otherwise is just being pedantic. Agree with it or not, a Switch Mini is coming.
@WebHead I've seen hundreds of iPhone "mockups" and such for iPhones that never seen the light of day. As recent as a new iPhone SE.
There is a lof of smoke. But no fire. I don't believe any of these rumors, not one bit until confirmed by Nintendo.
A Switch mini that won't be able to dock and have no detachable controllers is no Switch. You won't be able to play with multiple people on one device. You won't be able to use any form Labo. And a smaller screen would make reading onscreen text impossible in MOST games.
No, a Switch Mini is not happening. A Switch Pro will, but not before the PS5 / XBOX 2 launch.
I just can’t imagine that Nintendo are so stupid as to release a Switch version that you can’t play all Switch games on - let’s see someone attempting Fitness Boxing...
But then again, I still don’t believe this rumour.
@Bondi_Surfer Or Mario Party, Snipperclips, LABO, etc.
I have no interest in a Switch Mini as I play my Switch docked 90% of the time. If anything, I’m on the prowl for Switch Pro with more powerful specs. But the idea of a mini is great for the market!
@Hinade The fact that the images have been posted isn't rumour, though.
@Bondi_Surfer You'd still be able to play it - you'd just need another pair of Joy-Con.
@sanderev lol of you say so. People here sure love being pedantic.
SVVITCH Mini i guess...
Not SWITCH Mini.
@Damo and then Nintendo would have to add a caption onto every box to say “requires additional Joy-Con for use with Switch Mini (additional Joy-Con sold separately)”. Which is not implausible for new releases going forwards, but would they bother rereleasing all the 2-year old games with it?
Are the products available to buy now?
It's hard to imagine any company selling products for a console that isn't out yet let alone even been announced.
@Damo Too true, you’d have to buy an extra pair of joy-cons, which makes the pictured Switch Mini an even dumber idea. Too me it’s not a Nintendo-like thing to do - but as this is mere rumour and speculation, we’re all entitled to our opinions
@Damo Not for LABO, that required the detached screen too.
I hope not, those Joysticks look much shorter than on the current Switch and quite convex. The D-pad doesn't look great either.
@gaga64 @Bondi_Surfer : The mentioned examples are games that can't be played in handheld mode (and whether a game has handheld mode support is specified on the back of retail cases), and the Joy-Con requirement can be specified on the Switch Mini box itself, as opposed to revising the cases for such games.
@WebHead People say "they removed the 3D from the 3DS" which is true, but the 3D was never required in a 3DS game. And even on the 3DS all games could be played in 2D.
The Switching mechanic (removable controllers) however IS required by MULTIPLE games. Even first party. No, Nintendo isn't going to remove that. And using "a second set of JoyCon" like @Damo wrote won't fix that. Imagine the support call for Nintendo telling a buyer of MarioParty that in order to play the game they need to buy additional controllers.
And making a smaller Switch with even smaller Joy-Con that are removable would be really painful to use except for very small children. My point here remains, it ain't happening. The only possibility would be if they didn't call it a "Switch" but that would also defeat the purpose.
I'm only interested in a New (enhanced) Switch, not a Switch mini and I don't believe this. Nintendo need to focus on having a New Switch that can handle the engines that will have PS5 and Xbox Scarlett, so that they have third party support in the future.
@sanderev "Imagine the support call for Nintendo telling a buyer of MarioParty that in order to play the game they need to buy additional controllers"
Dude, this is the same company that sold the 3DS without a wall charger.
Betteridge's law of headlines...
Ok, if Joe-Schmo from mydadworksatnintendo.com says there's a new Switch coming out, I'm skeptical. But this is a Chinese company that's gone through the R&D to release accessories for the new Switch. There's money behind this, which in my mind makes it more credible than any recent leak.
I literally come to this site for news like this- a new Switch model would skyrocket Nintendo stock. Some rumors do seem silly, but the ones with credibility are almost like insider trading.
@sanderev Oh I can absolutely see Nintendo doing that, especially if the mini sells for $199-$249. Without the detaching Joy-Cons, Nintendo can make a much thinner, lighter, and more durable handheld. If I can't play 5-10 out of 1500 games because I wanted to save $100, then that's a pretty sweet trade off to me.
@Damo how would you charge those joy cons? I've no problem with a Switch mini and would likely prefer it as I don't particularly like single joy con use or the grip and the vast majority of games will be fine with it, but there are a few nagging issues to get around
@Silly_G fair enough. I didn’t realise that was already specified on those boxes (I get most of my games digital).
@Damo True. And that backfired for them badly. They don't want to make that mistake twice.
@ItsOKToBeOK Like I said I've seen that before. These companies go after rumors, why? well because if Nintendo DOES announce a Switch mini then they have the first accessories on the market. If they don't you only lose on R&D.
A Switch costs 300 dollar. A set of Joy-Con cost 80 dollar. A Switch mini for 250 dollar would be a very bad business decision. A Switch Mini for 200 dollar, well I don't see that happening either. Also playing tabletop with a smaller screen.. No, not user friendly.
@carlos82 There are few niggles to get around, but as I said in the other comment, this is a company that is perfectly OK with selling a portable console without the means to charge it. In comparison, charging Joy-Con is minor stuff
@sanderev It could still be docked. Could be a cable or a new design of dock that's sold separately. Also, I would guess you could still connect Joy cons wirelessly to it for multiplayer as well as docked play. I also think you could use Labo, at least some of it. It's not a big deal if you can't though. But some Labo things would be compatible if the mini Switch has the ability to synch with regular old Joy cons. We'll find out soon enough I guess.
Obviously Nintendo are happy to pass all the required information onto HonSon Group Electronic Co., Ltd as they are company that they hold in high regards and have never done anything official with them previously.
I often wonder how much smaller firms are just using these situations to get their name out there, unfortunately all to often we all tend to fall for it too!
Can't for the life of me understand how people can't wrap their heads around the benefit of a cheaper switch mini. Ahh well if it does end up being true I will certainly be getting 2 without a doubt.
@sanderev “The Switching mechanic (removable controllers) however IS required by MULTIPLE games”
It’s not required. What is required is support for wireless controllers which you can still do even if the console had one pair of affixed joysticks. They can simply state that some games may need an extra pair of JoyCon to function, which will mostly be relevant to docked mode.
No different to how you can dock a console with the JoyCon attached and use a Pro controller. Very few games force JoyCon and motion controls on the player and those that do have already made concessions anyway in that it prohibits portable play, so this one extra scenario where second controllers are required isn’t that big a deal for many I suspect. Nintendo has shown itself that it’s willing to not support every mode the Switch is capable of with its software, so what’s asking for a seperate controller for some small selection of titles.
In fact if this console supports docked mode, which I assume it would still, the overarching assumption will be that extra controllers are required for obvious reasons, and therefore Mario Party and the like could be supported still. Out of the box this would be aimed at portable play though, something Mario Party and potentially a few others don’t support anyway, at best requiring tabletop mode.
@sanderev Also, I love the new zoom feature on Switch. I use it every so often in both docked and handheld play.
@SamusLv7 Me too! I would love a Switch that can support higher frame rates in more games, and retroactively in older games! I also don't think a Switch Pro could come close to competing with PS5 or Xbox 2. Those things are beasts designed for 4K at 60fps. It'll quite awhile before a portable can swim in those waters.
@Damo and a separate joy-con charger. So say goodbye to any money you saved on buying the mini version.
And still people refuse to believe Nintendo are planning any revisions to the Switch..
@Damo in fairness a lot of companies keep the costs down by not including a charger/psu these days as if its using USB power the assumption is you already have one. Big N and Sony did the same thing with the mini consoles and things like the Kindle or Chromecast dont have them either.
Making a device that fundamentally changes its functionality(no joy con sharing, not table top, no motion controls, additional controller needed for docked play) is a bit different. Even compared to the 3DS>2DS your taking away a universal feature that doesnt really affect gameplay not making certain games unplayable(at least without buying additional hardware)
That being said I dont think its out of the realms of possibility that they would do this but the cost savings for the consumer would need to be significant enough to make it worthwhile.
If they do go down this road I'd love to see them expand the functionality for party/group/active games and add optional functionality for Wiimotes(would only need a IR detector), Wii U game pads and the balance board.
@Wavey84 Interesting post. I like your history of the PS4. I'm also excited about higher frame rates being introduced in console-land. I'd be very interested in Nintendo making games at frame rates higher than 60!
@Ogbert cm means centimeter which is a length unit
Well there sure is a bottleneck of 1st party switch releases in September...
@elpardo1984 Chargers weren't included with the NES/SNES Classic/PS Classic because it used a common charging standard - the 3DS doesn't. It's an exclusive charger created by Nintendo.
@elpardo1984 I think the Switch mini can have 1 motion sensor(like one motion sensor from one joy con), no AC adaptor, no dock (but still be dockable), no rumble, no detachable joy con(but still able to synch with old joy cons and pro controllers), and be sold for $199 U.S. It would be an awesome gaming device for a good price. Such an amazing library of physical and digital games for anyone who likes any kind of games (Tetris, Mario, Doom, Mortal Kombat, Fortnite, old NES games, Hollow Knight, etc). We'll see what happens...
@chardir Yeah, it's not about saving anyone money. It's all about getting the system in people's hands! Whether they only buy 3 games or buy tons of games, controllers, a dock, etc it's considered a success if you get the device in people's homes.
@Damo Ah fair enough I didnt realise it was a proprietary connector assumed it was some form of USB.
@60frames-please I think you're right if they get it right. As long as they position it is a kids/secondary model (and dont give it any functionality that the Switch original doesnt have). From a marketing perspective they dont want people moaning that they are having to buy all of these extras, so it needs to be clear this is for you if you dont want/neex those features. ie for kids who just want to play Fortnite and Pokemon and are on an upgrade path from the handhelds not the physical consoles or a multi device household where you already have the dock/joy-cons available.
@elpardo1984 Yup. It was the same one that shipped with the DSi (not the Lite).
@RadioHedgeFund You mean like a bottleneck like launch titles for a console redesign?
Seems legit...
But good luck playing co-op DIng Dong XL in "kick-stand mode" with that thing!
I want a better Switch not a worse Switch
With the current poot joycon quality on the sticks, its important to be able to switch out the sticks. The drift problem is absolutely horrible and I already have it on 2 out of 4... not good Nintendo!
So basically on a design like this you can throw away the whole thing when one of the sticks gets the drift problem. Unless they solve it (they better!)
@60frames-please but it is about saving money. If they aren't going for a lower price point then they could just have full detachable joycons. Removing the batteries, wireless, IR/motion sensors will allow them to sell it cheaper - that's a lot of the draw, but is also limiting.
I can see there's a market for it, especially in Japan where Switch is basically the leading handheld now anyway, but it still seems crazy to remove the very features that the console is named after (yes, exactly what they did with 3DS...).
@Jester151 Thats the pro/XL/, it will come but needs a title to launch alongside it and cant see at the moment what they would launch alongside it(as in a big Nintendo system seller not a port) that would have a noticeable difference in graphics than other switch models other than maybe either Bayonetta or Metroid P4. The former could work and may be why they are tight lipped about it so far.
Don’t worry, folks aggressively worded their comments of disbelief in every Nikkei rumor article here which includes the 3DS and Wii U before launch and the 3DS XL variant, all of which were confirmed in time.
Now it’s the Switch’s turn after that magical 2 year shelflife period, and that too will come to pass because Nikkei and Wall Street Journal aren’t targeting game forum readers for a laugh with these reports, while every other Nintendo rumor does!
@chardir Yeah, it is about saving money. Nintendo has to manufacture it more cheaply and it has to sell at a lower price point. I still think it could have one motion sensor, no Joy con batteries (since there's no detachable joy cons), and an ability to synch with regular joy cons and pro controllers. Subtracting the dock, AC adaptor, and making manufacturing more efficient could possibly knock $100 off the current Switch price. Hopefully we get to find out soon. And hopefully there is a more powerful high frame rate Switch coming soon too.
That definitely looks like a 3DS dpad....
@Wavey84 Yeah, I don't care what the resolution is, I would die for F-Zero running at 120fps. Any Nintendo game really, but especially a fast moving one like that. 1080 Snowboarding and Waverace would be incredible at 120fps! I'm pretty sure I would even like for menus to be running at 120fps!
Please Please Please Nintendo
2x Micro SD slots.
@WhiteTrashGuy A good sign. That’s the audience for this variant. Personally I’d prefer the DS lite dpad, that one was perfection
@NinChocolate
Yeah it was. My poor DS Lite has seen better days. I told my daughters that if the mini comes out I might get them one, as their 2DS' are on their last legs!
Wish they'd hurry it up. I'm waiting for this announcement to buy a Switch. Need to know what this new version will offer to see which version is best!
Mini switch, no detachable joy cons, no dock, no HD rumble. Yer, it'll be cheaper.
This seems legitimate these companies get the specs from the manufacturing centres, so someone's making a handheld with these specs.
@Damo has anyone worked out a rough size comparison from that image?
The biggest issue I have with this render is the controller layout. Adding the D-Pad follows common practice by Nintendo on Handheld consoles but why would you need another Joystick on the right side? These are not removable and any vertical rendered graphics would be played in one view only. So that would add unneeded cost and weight to the unit.
I also doubt they would add a dedicated button to each side of the unit for Home and screen capture. This could be accomplished a number of other cost saving ways. The other big problem is the unit in the render is set up as a dockable console which does not make sense if this is a mini Switch. They would have to issue a new dock which adds complexity to the manufacturing costs and confuses the user. "IF" this is real they will create or modify a small open stand where you can plug in the cable.
The other problem with this whole concept is the market share of the 3DS/2DS. It has been dropping and some of that is because of software development but even with that it is shrinking. The Switch popularity is also speeding that up due to its hybrid nature. Nintendo has acknowledged they have no titles under development for the 3DS/2DS so possibly they are looking at a mini Switch because Nintendo says it is still an important product for them. My guess is they have something coming but it has to be a breakout product or they lose the step in gamer(children, casual) who is not ready to commit more money.
This render could be a Chinese market model only since they are diving into that market and the retailer does not have final imagery yet.
Close. But I feel that Nintendo is going to opt for circle pads rather than analog sticks. The joy-con analog sticks are notorious for having drift issues. If the Switch Mini used the same design then the repair/return rates will be atrocious.
@Dethmunk
Essentially I agree with you. If you piece together all of the comments made by Nintendo employees, including the president the picture is becoming clearer. They are working on the next model but with the changes in the market and the delicate balance of their relationship with third party developers a new Switch is one to two years out. Any sooner and they ruin the momentum they have with the Switch.
What is the bottom right indentation? Key chain enclosure?
Not sure about this rumour but I would buy a Switch mini for my 8 year old in an instant, it would be perfect for her. If specs are ok then could even see myself getting one as I play handheld 99% of the time
Looks like to be a handheld-only-console.
I doubt it's real, but I'd like for it to be. The cheaper price point would make the system more accessible for some people, and this sort of model is perfect for children and handheld-centric gamers.
I wonder if u could still pair an extra set of joycons to the system to allow u to still play in table top with friends, labo, boxing, etc
@WebHead
Expect of course, all this is based on pointless speculation and rumors without one single piece of evidence whatsoever. There is no part leaks, there is no leaked tech specs, there is nothing, but nevertheless everbody is building this so much up, that it has become a reality, even if there is absolutely no proof for it's existence.
Nintendo always reveals revisions a few months before launch so people still buy the older hardware. They even admitted that they delayed the New 3DS in Europe so people would buy the old stock.
I know that this is a mockup but... D-pad? Finally!
The Screenratio looks rather wreid.... too extreme in the widht..
And the corners look too round I think.
Sure the Switch Mini will come soon... Many things like a decent digital Cross instead of 4 Buttons on the left make sense anyway.. but this is 99% just a mockup.
I'm not sure it means much, since a lot of companies make speculative mock-ups all the time. But that switch mini mock-up looks really clean, to be honest.
Might be a thing, but I certainly hope not.
@blockfight lmaooo
@zocker-hias for sure sure it’s a mock-up, but is it based on good info?
@Dethmunk
If you think more in the sense of a NEW 3DS it makes more sense...
Many Switch games use an adaptive resolution: Breath of the wild, Mario Odyssey, Doom, Wolfenstein, etc. If these games run in a Pro Model with a much more maxed out resolution and a more sable framerate would be nice. Maybe even go so far that the Pro Model gets Docked Performance on the go and in Docked Mode just preforms more stable than now with a good 1080 output. (Many demanding Games get just to 720 docked)
I think Witcher 3 could be the first game to profit from such a boost.
@Wavey84 I don’t think Nintendo needs that, at least right now. Their tech for the Switch has been outdated for quite some time now (longer than 2.5 years) but it hasn’t slowed them down at all. I see a pro version happening but its still going to have lower specs than the Scarlet. Nintendo has always been about game quality over hardware quality and it’s working for them so I don’t think they have to do much in the hardware department. More quality of life things would be much appreciated though
I believe it the moment it's out, not earlier.
Switch Mini would be welcome. Increasing the userbase and a good alternative for people who only care for handheld mode. Make it slightly more powerful so that it can last longer despite being handheld only.
On the other hand, releasing a Switch Pro would be really stupid at this point. The Switch is still at the point where it can run the most demanding games, like The Witcher 3, which is more than good enough for the time being. Especially for a tablet.
Mobile tech evolves really fast. Waiting until the new PS and MS consoles release will give it another year and a half to do so. Creating a Switch Pro by then will make it vastly more powerful than it would be now. And it might even be able to run the most demanding next gen PS and MS games in a downgraded form once again. They just have to wait a bit, until its A. actually needed and B. mobile tech has evolved to the point where it can run next gen games as well.
Especially if Sony and MS remain so obsessed with upping the rendering resolution for their next consoles, a Switch Pro might run all their games again. Because the trade off for all those extra pixels will be the actual graphics not improving that much at all.
Although not yet confirmed I fully expect the revisions to be true. A Switch Mini makes complete sense. It will get even more people owning a Switch.
As for an upgraded Switch. - that makes sense as well. A pro model. With the new X Box and PS5 on the horizon, 18 months time, an upgraded version to enable the flow of ports to continue would be a sensible move. At the end of the day it is what Nintendo do.
Nintendo are not going to try and compete with Sony and Microsoft anymore - the Switch proves that but they have now fully proved that they will survive on their own terms.
A little boost of power wouldn't go amiss at at all and it would secure Nintendo’s place at the table throughout the next generation.
Nintendo know that and that's why I fully expect the new models to be announced before this Xmas.
I bet it could be a knock off haha.
And WSJ has been saying this for months! They are going to keep saying this and whenever it does come, they'll pat their own backs and say "see we told you"
Of course a mini and XL are going to eventually come. When they come is up in the air.
Doesn’t depict Star Fox Grand Prix on the screen, so it must be fake.
@BlackenedHalo I am aware. I was pointing out that there is no number to tell us how many centimetres, which would be added if they knew the dimensions of the potentially upcoming Switch Mini.
It is coming, I predicted they would do this before the Switch even launched. It is a no-brainer to make a more affordable less powerful unit and it will sell a ton.
@Damo @Bondi_Surfer @sanderev
Sure 3DS to 2DS was a thing, but Wii Mini was a thing before that.
Nintendo took a console famous for Wii ware and VC and took out the internet. No internet at all. They then sold the internet-less bundled with arguably one of Wiis best online games, MKWii. And they made it Netflix red, b/c the Wii was also famous as a Netflix streaming box. But no Netflix. Imagine how many phone calls Nintendo help support got about that little box that couldn't do anything the Wii was known for. Didn't stop them from selling it though.
https://www.destructoid.com/wii-is-the-most-popular-console-for-netflix-streaming-207510.phtml
But worse than Wii MI I, yes worse, Microsoft is selling an Xbox 1 SAD without a disc drive for $249. The system is known for having an Ultra blu-ray as PS4 doesn't. It's a great home multimedia device, but they stripped a large chunk of that away, but only took $50 off the MSRP. And the box is still huge, they just took the drive out, no redesign at all. So yeah, things get made and sold like that.
@carlos82 Joy-con charging is 1 of my few issues as well. But there are already two ways around that - the $30 Charging Grip, and a Switch which Nintendo would like you to have for yourself before buying 1 of these for your kids - so it's not an insurmountable obstacle. My guess is they'd make a stand, I'm pretty sure I've seen 3rd party ones. In Japan they probably sell a pair of Joycon bundled with the stand when this launches, may take awhile to come West.
It wouldn't surprise me if this launches early ne t year alongside Animal Crossing. AC is such a simple game to make, wouldn't surprise me if it's nearly complete and they're just waiting on the hardware.
But more likely this gets announced it September, sold in Pokémon bundles in November. Google "3DS Pokémon bundles", Nintendo can't get enough of those. No reason to announce this until just before launch.
@frabbit https://lmgtfy.com/?q=hs-sm809
I hope that's not real. Built-in controllers were the worst part of the Wii U. Analog sticks always rot after a few years and the only fix would be to buy a new console.
Will this old rumour ever die? Yawn...
@Powerglove15 The 3DS worked out fine, as well as every other handheld Nintendo console, if anything we would likely get a similar sliding analogue stick on the left and right and it would be a non issue.
I really wonder why the very idea of a Switch mini seems to disturb you people so much. Its not hurting you. What products nintendo releasea are their business. Man some of you take this hobby way too seriously.
Looks super fake IMO
@rjejr The XBONE SAD does make me very sad indeed.
@Phantom107 It’s not likely they would care. I had the same problem on one joycon and also the circle pad on my first 3ds. Fortunately the parts themselves are incredibly cheap on ebay. You just have to be willing to open your joycon or console to swap it out. Both work fine now.
@WebHead It's less that people are disturbed and more that people simply find the idea mind boggling. Especially since they haventbseen it confirmed to begin with.
A "Switch Mini" has never made much sense to me. How much smaller could the screen reasonably be and the console still be playable in handheld?
Also, if they release something like this, folks had better be very certain that Nintendo has gotten the Joy-Con drift problem sorted out; otherwise, you're going to have send your entire console in for repairs every time they break.
I'll stick to my regular Switch thanks. I like that I can mix and match Joy Con. Frankly I don't see a Switch Mini making that much sense. All the mock ups look the same size as the regular Switch and frankly you wouldn't want the screen to be any smaller. Sure you could remove the Joy Con aspect but then you're basically just making a Vita and the price difference likely won't be that much. If parents want a budget first video game system for their kids, there's a 3DS/2DS with incredible value and a huge library. Then when they get older and can handle a more complex system, get them a Switch!
Whether legit or not it's coming.
They want to fold in 3ds kids into the structure so will need to come out with a kid friendly i.e. robust model whole the console is on the ascendancy.
As for the pro. I certainly want one so I hope it materialises.
@blockfight This made me spit out my coffee lol
I saw this info on @Cptn_Alex twitter account first.
D PAD!!!!!!!!!!!
I hope this is real!
I'm sorry, but I completely fail to get the point or appeal of a mini Switch, it's already portable and I've never once had an issue with its size...but that's just me.
@rjejr
Remember also the Wii "Family Edition"? :3
It was the same shape as the regular Wii, but arrived with no support for GameCube games or controllers, and didn't even have the vertical stand included. What a rip-off.
As someone who plays my Switch in handheld mode almost 90% of the time, I'd be up for a Switch mini - take out the removable joycons and HD rumble and maybe add a second cartridge slot? Yes please
@Brady1138
A smaller switch would be helpful to me. I travel, and like to pack light. Last couple of trips I took, I brought my 3DS instead of the Switch, because it's smaller and easier to stow in my carry- on ( and the battery life is better).
A Switch mini in the Japanese market where they already offer a dock-less/ Switch-less option, will sell big time. The extra portability will be key to the Japanese consumer that may currently be playing 3DS or Vita, devices with a smaller footprint and much, much lighter
@xanderten50
Agreed! I rarely detach the joycons. I would welcome a uniform, single- bodied switch unit. No matter how secure the joycons are attached to the switch, there's always a slight bit of creek, and/or play on them. It's always bothered me, I would like it to be a more conventional, solid portable unit.
M'kay....While the console may not look like that, this almost confirms to me that something is definitely coming this year.
@AG_Awesome
same.
idk why people seem so salty about a Switch mini existing lol. Not only is it inevitable, like literally every other Nintendo handheld console, but it's been long enough that this time frame pretty much makes sense for such an announcement. I'm more interested in the rumored stronger SKU though
@Flipbot Yes indeed, and I have no problem opening up joycons. But if it's a one-piece-device.. then I don't want to instantly void the warranty when opening up the console to fix it.
@SamusLv7 Problem is, will mobile tech be able to do this? Or do this at a price point Nintendo is comfortable with. It will be interesting to see.
To compare: the Switch is about 500 gflop. XB1 is 1.3 Tflops, PS4 is 1.8 Tflops, PS4 Pro is 4.2 Tflops, XB1X is 6 Tflops. Next Xbox and PS5 are supposed to be around 24 Tflops.
@Fighter_Hayabusa exactly! Sometimes it just feels a bit 'off' to me and I'd love a solid, all-in-one console!
The joysticks look like fat donuts and nothing like the current switch ones They don't even look like they could rotate without hitting the body. This angled view leaves many questions.
@Bondi_Surfer You'd still be able to play games like that. It's just that you'd need to buy a set of Joy-Con.
@WebHead Pedantic is not the word you're looking for, btw.
Switch mini makes more sense to launch this year. Portable only at $199 with new Pokemon games coming. It's the logical hardware successor to 3DS. A Switch Pro probably is in the works, but makes more sense to launch next year in 2020 to keep Nintendo relevant in the conversation with the impending PS5 and Scarlet launches. I'm not expecting any kinda true Switch successor until at least 2022.
@jeb_leeds I think the idea is they would work like the 3DS analogue pad
@Pod I remember it, but usually nobody else does so I don't post about it b/c then people call me a liar. 😝
Worst thing about it, to me, was it was a stealth launch. There was no big announcement, they just seemed to start selling a Wii w/o GameCube support for the same price in the same bo w/o telling anyone what they stripped out. Even the name, Family Edition, seemed like something they only came up with after they went on sale when people finally noticed.
As bad as the Wii MIni was they made it obvious it was different and lowered the price.
I think Switch Vita is a given, it will sell bucket loads in Japan, they still buy the Vita there, still, but the price will determine sales elsewhere. Though Pokémon and AC bundles will sell as well. But I think it's meant to be a 2nd Switch, they may even sell it without a charger. One way or another it's coming.
They need to address the stick drift that results in having to buy new joycons before making a console where they are unremovable.
There is a long industry tradition of selling a revised console going all the way back to Atari 2600/Intellivision days. So the idea of a revised Switch console isn't shocking especially with the sudden death of the 3DS software releases. The part that is difficult is the joy-con issue, as it looks like they are breaking one of the console's defining features.
Made in China, lol. Wont buy anything from Made in China at all!
@azoreseuropa
Most electronics, or at least the components of- phones, game consoles, tablets, are indeed manufactured in China.
Likely, the device you made your comment from, was made in China.
It's China so it could be literally anything. It could be official, or it could even be one of those Android devices stuffed into a Nintendo console shell a la GPDXD.
My guess is reveal in July and release in September. If it's 199.99, the big N will dominate the holiday season... If it's 249.99 or more... Not so sure.
My issue with the whole "Switch mini" is that most of the mockups I've seen have non-detachable Joy-Cons, thus defeating the entire concept/purpose of the name "Switch". My feeling is that IF they re-design the Switch, it will still have detachable Joy-Cons, but maybe a more sleek tablet with a more edge-to-edge screen with less bezel.
@Darknyht I wonder if it will have the mirroring function like the Wii U so you can still play on a TV... Or maybe you will just hook it to an HDMI tv port and play only using normal wireless controllers.
@sanderev it wouldn’t be Nintendo telling Chinese case manufacturers the specs of a new machine as that twitter post alludes to. They get info from supply chain contacts that likely work in manufacturing and have access to that information which should be under an NDA.
They can sell info on upcoming products for big money so the case makers can be first to market with a case and make a lot of money themselves.
I hardly think they “debunked” this on Twitter...
If they can get a light version of Switch out of the door with a copy of Pokemon for around the $199/£190 mark, then I fully expect their share price to go up 30% overnight.
I'd suggest it's guaranteed to happen at this point.
Switch Pro is different. Not convinced that's a thing - certainly not this year anyway.
I strongly doubt these pictures look accurate. It's too generic to be the legit Switch Mini. The dimensions may indeed be accurate, for case fit purposes, but I doubt the appearance of the unit is close to what we'll actually see. However, I imagine, @heavyarms55, that the real Switch Mini will have circle pads, if it doesn't attach actual joyon. It's a compromise, but that's the whole point of the mini....a smaller, durable, pocketable, cheaper alternative to a real Switch. If I were to have an interest in a smaller pocketable Switch to compliment my big Switches, I'd probably desire Circle pads - I wouldn't want thumbsticks sticking up as then I might as well just take real Switch.
Judging by all the comments this is certainly something that has got people talking!
Supposedly if a Switch mini is coming, it will still have a lead to input to a TV but not a dock as such. The main difference will be the built in joy cons which will reduce the size slightly.
It will appeal to a huge market and if its priced below £200 will be a sell out this xmas- especially for younger gamers. Nintendo do revisions really well so it would be stranger if they didn’t do this rather than if they do.
A case of when not if.
It took me 15 seconds to find that concept/moc of a switch mini on google. Ffs, you even reported on the fandesign:
https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2017/04/the_switch_mini_isnt_real_yet_but_these_mock-ups_sure_are_convincing
If that truly was the switch mini, i'd be disappointed in nintendo. Why? The left joystick is not usable in a small handheld form. And in that size, the triggers would be secondary shoulder buttons, for ergonomics sake. You'll be using your middle fingers to support the back of the handheld, no way you're gona use them to press the triggers.
Let's hope the real design copies the PSvita 2000, with two additional shoulder buttons.
It'll probably be out in time for pokemon like the 2ds was
Whatever any new model(s) are like, I really hope the stick drift is fixed. I'm only playing Go Vacation at the moment, but it's irritating.
They ought to do a proper design revision of the existing joy-con. I know there are different versions out there, but nothing that provides a definitive fix for drifting or disconnection.
stupid move from nintendo, now you have two systems and guess wich people are choosing.
they are killing their own product, there is no need for a switch mini.
its the same reason why the sales figures of the 3ds staggered after the release of the 2ds. it was also a mayor dissapointment.
if people cant buy a original nintendo switch thats their problem, eventualy it will be affordable. b
I don't know about built in joycons, I have had to replace so many controllers in just a year since Fortnite came into my household, the UP and the shoulder buttons wear easily.
What if the switch pro is un-switchable? What if the switch pro is a dedicated home console? With maybe streaming controllers like the Wii U for handheld mode. (With a better tablet controller design albeit) and maybe have a disc drive so it can be backward compatible.
That would embarrass the normal switch with its slim bezels, I hope that means a refresh.
@SamusLv7 I don't think that is going to happen. The new systems have way too much under their hood to bring them to a portable. It would be great, but it would likely catch fire if pushed into a handheld with all that processing and the heat it would generate.
@Bondi_Surfer It's not a dumb idea, and most games don't use the Joy-Cons like your example. It's coming, it will be huge, and sticking your head in the sand won't change that.
I think that they will release a switch which is bascially the same size as the current one, but with a bigger screen and less bezel, that way all the existing joy cons will still work. But it might come with more simplified joy cons ie. no hd rumble etc.
And they might do some minor fixes and improvements and it will be called the New Switch
I like the mini idea but it basically isnt a switch anymore
it might be one of many concept designs for a Switch mini plus the Smash Ultimate pic is horribly cropped in
@rjejr
Yeah, it probably is coming. If nothing else, then because, as you say, it WILL sell in Japan. Smaller, easier to carry, much cheaper to manufacture.
Though I'm really not a fan of the idea, as it will also NOT support a plethora of titles, unless one were to buy separate joycon.
Animal Crossing has been postponed until Spring to coincide with a new handheld console.
I don't think Animal Crossing is a game that would sell a Pro console, so it looks like it will be a smaller handheld.
I don't see the logic in selling a slightly smaller Switch, the screen size is small enough. But an updated DS machine, lighter with a bigger better screen, and a slot for a Switch card and a DS card. Maybe no duel screen, but keep the folding lid.
SWITCH DS (duel system)
But the switch is handheld. Not a lot of people who already have the switch will want to buy this. A switch pro, however...
I’m not against a Switch Mini, but I’m against gossip being reported as news.
@sanderev
Eh, I don't think that "no detachable controllers" means its no switch. I personally think the Switch mini will attach to the T.V. even without a dock, if its able to connect to the T.V. via cable its fine with me, I just want to be able to pocket it.
I tend to believe that a switch mini is plausible more so now than before now that several sources have cited this thing is in the works.
They took the 3D out of the New 3DS and it was still considered a DS console, so removing detachable Joy Con's isn't going to change the console dramatically. You will need a real controller Pro or otherwise should you attach this thing to a T.V. is all
A switch that can’t switch isn’t a switch.
@Bondi_Surfer You could play anything on this Switch mini. But you might need to purchase some additional joycons or a dock or a docking cable, etc.
@rjejr
The reactions to this are so amusing. I wonder if there are just a bunch of new Nintendo fans because of the Switch and they just don't know Nintendo. Good posts for reminders.
But besides all that, this is a good idea. Switch is not small enough for kids or to truly replace 3DS/2DS. This might not be either, but it is much closer and a $200 price point seems maybe feasible (which means $230 at least, right?)
The biggest incompatibility is 90% of Labo stuff — Which, by the way, my son finally dug into; Vehicle one has been most engaging so far. Joy-cons should come with a charging base at their current cost anyway.
The big key, for me, is that this is the real second Switch in the household, which I think we've discussed. It's not going to take the main TV as much anyway. It is a clear trade off for price and portability against flexibility.
Supply chain information flows pretty freely (smartphone leaks are almost impossible to quell) and accessory makers reveal plenty when they try to get out ahead as you need things on the shelves at release, not after. This has been going on for years and why this isn't just a baseless rumor, but based on facts about what a company is doing with their own money, and it's also why this story is in more places than Nintendo fan sites.
And, yes, look at accessory makers trying to save every last penny in all sorts of categories on say Amazon, they have horribly photoshopped mockups of the products all the time. Since the final product is not revealed yet, they are using images that others have made on the web. Much faster and easier and cheaper than creating your own.
This one image included here is intriguing because I don't think anyone has found it anywhere else — makes that Twitter "debunking" earlier in the comments funny, because it ends with that conclusion as well (as I post).
@NEStalgia If it is more like the concave circle pad on the 3DS, that would probably be okay. But convex on such a short stick seems like it would be really annoying to use. If it isn't quite textured I feel like my thumbs would slide right off it.
@Nomad According to Arstechnica, the accessories will be available to purchase next week
@Heavyarms55 yeah, i definitely don't think that mock up matches real sticks. I suppose e could look at Vita for "smaller than switch" sticks.... They were ok... But the 3ds circle pad both moved better, smoother, and would be far more pocketable.
@iakona23 You couldn't use this Switch Mini with Nintendo's ground-breaking Labo kits, which includes their Virtual Reality stuff. But hey, I'm happy to be wrong, although I'd rather news was reported when it was news, and gossip is highlighted as mere speculation.
Note: if Nintendo release a Mini it doesn't bother me in the slightest - I'm incredibly happy with my Switch. But I don't think Nintendo will release anything like what is shown in those renders. I'm basing my thoughts on zero information (much like this 'news' article), but there are too few benefits with what has been shown (e.g., a smaller screen sounds terrible, no screen protection for kids, less versatility, games that can't be played without purchasing additional peripherals etc...) that I can't imagine we will see anything like this version of the Mini. I guess we'll all see in due time, which is when I'll consider this topic to be actual news.
I will start to care for a new model when the faulty analog sticks are adressed. And then I will never return to the original flawed Switch.
@Bondi_Surfer All good points. I really hope they maintain the display size in the Switch mini and add some kid friendly features.
looks nice. hopefully they dont remove the hd rumble
Analysts? My very first post here, before the Switch was even released, mentioned a mini Switch.
https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2017/02/nintendo_hopes_the_switch_can_be_a_bridge_between_home_console_and_portable#comment3816230
"Obviously the Switch will replace the 3DS, it depends on when. First step will be the option to buy the Switch without the dock and grip - probably by the end of the year."
-Wasn't there an exact product released in Japan about 6 months ago?
"Then next year a smaller, cheaper fully integrated unit (with a proper d-pad and no detachable joy cons) will arrive for those only interested in dedicated handheld gaming."
-So I'm a year premature!
Seriously, this was all so logical; no need for "analysts" to tell us the obvious.
Four days later I repeated much the same, and mentioned Nintendo's upgrade philosophy in respect of a so-called "Pro" version.
https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2017/02/talking_point_considering_nintendos_portable_future#comment3823620
"The Switch will become the portable option for the main reason it already is a portable option. First, Nintendo will sell it without the dock and grip (probably by end of the year), and then a dedicated, integrated, cheaper and smaller unit in 2018. Note Nintendo's revised systems are mostly aesthetic or functional (brighter screen, for example), not performance. New 3DS is the main exception, and even then the performance upgrade is minor and rarely exploited."
@sanderev still doesn't mean a switch mini isn't coming soon.
@aaronsullivan I bought the Labo vehicle kit when it was on clearance at Target for $20.98. So far I've redeemed my 60 Gold coins but that's it. When the weather finally gets nicer I'll sit outside and build it this summer. 3 days of rain, 1 more to go, then summer starts. And whether or not LAbo works with Switch Vita really ahs to do with TV out or not, as the vehicle kit is all TV I think. And maybe they can make a cheap adaptor to get the Switch Vita to fit into the Labo VR headset. We don't have that one yet but it looks like the Switch stays in 1 holder that attaches to all the other builds for VR. But if Labo doesn't work at all w/ Switch Vita, well as few Labo that have sold I don't see that as a deterrent to a Switch Vita, not at all. If you wanna play Labo, get a regular Switch, done. If you want to play XC on 3DS you HAD to get a NEW 3DS, so similar situation, unlike Sony and MS Ntineod had no problem dividing the 3DS ownership between old and NEW 2/3DS.
It doesn't surprise me that some people dont' think this will happen, probably the same people who don't believe in global warming or flat earthers. Nintendo basically said no more 3DS games, what do they expect kids to play on? It's either Switch Vita or phones. Now I suppose other things are possible, like a small clamshell SwitchDS, or a smaller screen and smaller Joy-con, as if they aren't small enough, but they gotta sell something, and cheap. I think we could still get a dockless Switch as well, not sure about the price points if they launch at the same time. Maybe dockless Switch this holiday, Switch Vita next year w/ AC? But I really think Switch Mini Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield bundles for Christmas. I'm not preordering just in case.
A D-Pad would be great...
As long as it's not as terrible as the Pro Controller one.
Don't Focus on the render of the console. focus on the shell. Thats the real part.
And since they build it it will fit some specific hardware. Will this be the Switch Mini noone will know for sure until it is announced. But since they say it is for the Switch Mini i would put some credebility to that.
A Switch Mini would be great for me. With a screen size around 5.5 inch it would be perfect for handheld play. And thats all i want. A new handheld. The Switch is still too expensive for the games it offers to me since i own so many on my WiiU already.
But if this is around 200€ i would get it at release.
@hihelloitsme Nintendo has denied EVERY SINGLE rumor that a Nintendo Switch Mini is in development. Also Switch Mini / Pro rumors have been there since the Switch release.
I think that a Switch Pro makes more sense.
A Switch mini that does not get attached to the TV loses the whole point of the Switch.
To be a home and portable console at the same time + the two player mode with the joycons.
Also imagine how many games would be unplayable due to the limited power.
I hope they do not release such thing.
Oh please, stop this!
That update just screams: "PUBLICITY STUNT"
I won't see it until I believe it.
Well It’d be strange if they didn’t take advantage of the sudden traffic. When the Swich Mini is announced they’ll be ready to make money and I’ll be ready to spend it, and the world goes round
Still a rumour. If this is true, they will get in trouble with Nintendo who probably has a very thorough NDA. HonSon are either liars or giant idiots.
In any case, I wouldn't care about a Switch lite and would only be interested in the official confirmation of a New 3DSwitch Advance SP LL (people who call it "Switch Pro" are idiots)
A Switch mini wouldn’t be aimed at those already with a Switch. It will be aimed at those who don’t own one. It will likely be aimed at the younger gamers as a more affordable option. More users owing a Switch can only be a good thing!
In regard to a Pro model then that also makes huge sense. Extra power to allow ports of a good quality to continue is an absolute must.
The other thing about a pro is that Nintendo have to sort out the abomination that is online play. The app is awful for chat and ruins a lot of games that could be better with simple
Online chat.
All those people saying 'no, I don't want one' - you're not the intended audience. Not sure how this world became so egocentric.
A portable, smaller Switch would be seen as a replacement for 3DS which is getting fewer and fewer releases now. It would save Nintendo having to design for several platforms and would, hopefully, be cheaper to provide a lower entry point for younger and more casual gamers. Any issue with non removable joycons can easily be overcome with a spare set of joycons and the usual software support for other wireless controllers like the Pro controller and Pokeball Plus.
This doesn't in any way stop them also providing a new faster Switch 2 in a year's time if they feel they need to compete with PS5 and Xbox Two (or whatever it's going to be called).
Chinese companies were making cases for an iPhone SE 2 based on rumours so I'm not holding my breath.
@zool If they went down the route of a handheld that supported 3DS games it would be seen as just backward compatibility. Nintendo are letting the 3DS die slowly and with dignity because they're still getting some sales from it (because of price drops and affordability for younger players). I don't think they'd bother, though, for the same reasons (they risk lower 3DS sales if they emulate it on a Switch)
Better to make a smaller Switch to replace the 3DS completely and let people share games easier between the big console and the smaller one.
@graysoncharles New 3DSwitch X Advance SP PRO LL (You forgot the X to be a proper troll ). And yes, it has been confirmed in one of my dreams in which I was a Nintendo Insider (that's a lie, I didn't dream of it).
I hope they don't make a Pro model, and instead release a new dock that contains a supplemental computing device.
The "Dock Pro" would allow games to run at higher resolution, frame rate and added graphical affects when the Switch is docked, and either the current Switch or mini could dock in to it.
There would be no exclusives made for the dock, and when you take your Switch out of it, the game returns to its regular downgraded Switch portable graphics.
My original Joy-Con R stick started drifting to the right just a couple of days ago. It lasted this long since from the launch of the Switch! My sincere hope is that Nintendo issues a techical re-design of the Joy-Con and its analogue sticks, or improves quality control. While you can buy new Joy-Con, it would be pretty disastrous if the built-in sticks of the Switch Mini had similar issues!
Imagine if Nintendo releases 3 new models of the Nintendo Switch.
A slightly updated model that replaces the current version, a mini cheaper model with less functionality (non detachable controllers), and a phone model similar to the Black Shark Helo phone (check it out, it works just like a Nintendo Switch!).
All models able to switch between portable and tv mode.
Would be awesome.
So, wait, what? In case there would be a Switch Mini, it would be smaller than the original?? Impressive news!
@pblive rumour has been that the smaller Switch would not have joycon and would not be able to dock. Keeping the price low.
I don't think a small Switch has to look like its bigger brother.
@aaronsullivan LOL that "Twitter debunk" was too stupid for me to even reply too. 😂.
SMI1 - Look guys, someone is selling Switch Mini accessories, there's a bunch of photos.
SMI2 - I saw 1 of those photos once before.
SMI1 - OK thanks, it must all be a lie then.
@ryancraddock Thanks for the update. Nice to see you guys making the effort and reaching out. 😁
its a believable design, i wouldnt be surprised if it not having detachable joycons be the price (not) to pay for less usability on certain games. i play the switch 90% handheld mode so a market to play exclusively in this mode is probably out there
Only really interested in a Switch Pro with improvements, rather than a small budget model that can do less than the current one.
This is about as real as the news about a Switch Mini from NS Glasses. I received a press release from them for my site. I spoke with Alex about it and he also agreed that it was bogus. Had renders (Different ones than above) and the like. Also spoke with NS Glasses and claimed they too had secret info about the Switch Mini and it is coming out this summer. They also claimed we would hear more about it at E3. The Case listing also uses fan renders and mockups that have been around for a while. So yeah...
It's time,for me,to buy switch mini! 😁
@graysoncharles The capability of Switch to play both on TV and handheld and coop with joycons is not a gimmick like the 3d.
It is its core highlight and what Nintendo was advertising all this time.
I own a 3ds and the 99% of the games do not require the use of 3d. On the other hand the 99% of the Switch games play on TV and handheld, so it's not the same case.
@Pod "unless one were to buy separate joycon"
Or, as Nitneod will likely market it, one were to use the Joycon on the Switch they already own as this one is for the kids.
I know most people don't have more than 1 home console, but plenty of people had more than one 3DS in their house, and at least a few people on here have more than one Switch already in their homes b/c of wives and kids. Some of those may have opted for a cheaper 2nd or 3rd Switch rather than 2 or 3 full priced docked ones if they had the opportunity. This will be marketed towards them.
The other market is young adults w/o kids who also don't haev a TV b/c they watch everythign on their phone and/or tablet so have no reason for a dock. Those peopel probably also won't nplay too many games, liek 1 2 Switch, that require separate Joycon. Though they did work well w/ Super MArio ODyessey so that coudl be a problem. But plenty fo peopel bought a Pro b/c they didn't like the Joy-con, so since Switch Mini should basically a Pro with a screen in it, buying extra Joycon is the cost rather than a Pro for peopel who want anothe rcontrol option.
I've never done a poll, but I think a lot of people who paid $300 for a Switch also paid $30-$60 for a Pro. Buying Joycon for a game you need to play that way is the same thing, kinda. We bought a faux wired Switch Pro for $20 and an extra set of Joycon. People having to buy Joycon for a Switch Mini woudln't stop them from selling it. Anybody who owns a PS or Xbox ALWAYS has to buy an extra controller for multiplayer. Peripherals are part of gaming.
It's official, HonSon will appear in BotW 2 as the maker of everyone's homes!
yay
Good luck with the built-in joycon. I will pass on this one and jump to pro for an upgrade.
These same people claiming how it's false were also the same ones taking Nintendo's comment that Switch was ONLY replacing Wii U (despite saying prior it's replacing NEITHER Wii U NOR 3DS), and still believe it despite the fact that essentially every 3DS franchise has officially (or will soon) move to the Switch. Seems like it's inevitable that a smaller version that then replaces 3DS HAS to come out, how else do they expect to sell Pokemon on a home console when it's historically sold to the handheld crowd?
The fake one above look nicer than the fake ones Olivier Raymond dreamt about.
HAHAHAAHAHAHA "secret information" they just made up. Only a [removed] would believe this
@gamefreak77 Let's Go sold 10 million copies until december.
As convincing as it appeared at first, the moment I saw a large enough version of the image to make out the + and - buttons, I knew it was a mockup. No system with a D-pad would have a 3D shaped + button the way the standard Joy-Cons do, as they'd get too easily confused for in-game instructions. Any genuine version should be circular with the "+" printed on it, like on the Pro Controller.
@graysoncharles Then keep on playing like that, the Switch is a home console as well.
These guys are obviously don't have "secret information", they are just lying for attention
@rjejr
That's a great point you made - that if you get a mini, you'll essentially already have a Pro controller and might just need to buy a separate set of joy-cons for games they would be useful for; and that it's merely the opposite for owners of the original system. Makes sense to me.
I just hope the mini at least is TV compatible, by some means. That's one of the biggest determining factors in whether I get one (whenever it inevitably gets announced). I've held off getting a Switch this long (though SMM2 will have to force my hand soon), so I'd like to at least wait and see how this new option might compare. I'd prefer to wait for whatever Pro version might come, but based on the numerous rumors it sounds like whatever that ends up being might not come around for significantly longer.
It's all but confirmed I suppose.
@frabbit google image search comes up with iPhones
A mini isn't needed. A console with some horsepower under the hood is what's needed.
It's sad it has better analog sticks and Dpad than the regular switch. the joycons for switch are just awful. it's iterally night and day how well I play games on pro controller vs the joycons because of how crappy analog sticks are. I actually found that on joycons i can't even walk in a straight line in botw with my clumsy thumbs. Pro controller no problem. and side scrollers like megaman x collection? forget it. D pad is a must. I bought hori 3rd party left joycon for that and it helped so immensely. what nintendo was thinking with original joycon design was beyond me.
@sanderev Sure you can multiplay on one device. Why not? It will certainly still work with the joycons and pro controller
I just dug up my GBA SP recently, and I have to say... I would really love a clamshell Switch Mini. Folded up, the length and width could be comparable to the screen itself, which would make it wonderfully portable. Plus I wouldn't worry about dust and scratches as much. I'll even take 3DS analog sticks.
But regardless, please PLEASE make the revision models more reliable!! I'm terrified of using my Switch too much.
So it isn’t exactly the model we’ve seen on but similar to that, huh? I think the base model is far nicer than the mock up but then again, size isn’t a big issue for me since whenever I take it out I go out with a backpack or purse.
@rjejr
Accurate assessments indeed. I'm just concerned that two-player-outta-the-box has been such a fundamental principle of the Switch's existence, that if you took it away, it would permanently influence game creators' attitudes towards which games they would make for the system, and which games they would port to it.
Similarly, buying a new Switch would no longer guarantee you two joycon that function with any other Switch. So far, buying a Switch for each of your two kids guaranteed that you could put a dock in their room and one in the living room, and it was possible to gather four controllers for Mario Karting with the whole family.
This kind of "It just works" design mentality in regards to end user options would be conpletely compromised.
I do not think there will be a "cheap" mini.
The Pro might be this size, but have the same size screen as the current Switch. (Will still have detachable controllers of course)
I think the "cheap" version with just be the Pro motherboard but in a durable case that can only be used on a TV + power source.
Durable enough to carry over to you friends in a hurry but no play on the go.
From a production perspective this will make sense because you only have to produce one motherboard and the choose if that board will be put in a "Cheap" or a Pro
And if the "Cheap" do not sell you can recall them an turn them in to a Pro
Well it is certainly plausible, since Nintendo released the 2DS, 2 years after the original 3DS. The "new" variants released four years after, so I would expect the pro version to come out sometime in 2020 or 2021. Handheld revisions shouldn't surprise anyone, especially with Nintendo's history. I already own the original switch, and will probably get the latest upgraded revision. I own both the original 3DS (black gradient) and the regular sized new 3DS (white, with mario/smash bros faceplates).
@Pod "fundamental principle"
You mean like the emphasis on 3D with the 3DS and then Nintendo launched a 2DS?
Switch Mini is probably the cheap kids 2DS.Though I am open to the possibility it could be the Pro for gamers who have no use for 1 2 Switch. If 2 people each have their own Switch Mini then you play local, you don't need to share a screen or share Joycon. Cheaper Switch Mini means more owning, less sharing.
And honesty, is the Switch principle sharing Joycon for 1 2 Switch and bomberman or is it Zelda and Mario on the TV and on the go? My Switch stays docked and I try very hard to never use the Joycon. To me TV out is the biggest hurdle for Switch Mini, b/c it won't fit in the dock, thumbsticks will get in the way. So, either it just works over HDMI mini, meaning the entire dock was unnecessary to begin with, so is USB-C, or it needs it's own dock, raising the price and defeating the purpose.
So maybe, Switch Mini has no TV out. Making it almost useless outside of Japan.
Unless the 2 models the NY TIMES keeps talking about are the Mini, and a set-top no s teen Switch TV to complement it. Meaning neither would Switch.
So as much as I think Switch Mini is coming, I admit I don't know exactly what it will be.
@rjejr
There are more games than 1 2 Switch that would be hampered by lack of joycon, and there many more games than Bomberman that would suffer from new owners not having a detachable controller, as two joycon still make a full traditional controller.
Unless a Switch Mini could AT LEAST still double as a synch-able full dual-analog controller for a different Switch, I would consider such a redesign a complete disaster for the core value of the system.
I think the "switch"-ability principle of Switch is similar to the emphasis on 3D with the 3DS. While it was an attempt at a salespoint, it was a completely non-functional one, and had basically no bearing on game design or accessibility at all.
I do think though, that id they do a "mini" that they will let it function as a controller for others systems. It only makes sense, seeing how the 3DS was allowed to serve as a controller for Wii U.
Personally, I'm hoping for a scenario with a luxury edition, and a budget line edition, both with detachable joycon. Then the original model can be phased out.
@Pod "seeing how the 3DS was allowed to serve as a controller for Wii U."
But only for SSBU. And Nitneod made you pay 99c for the app on 3DS b/c Nintnedo sucks.
https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2015/06/nintendo_download_18th_june_north_america
If it worked on any other games I honestly don't know about them.
I don't think any other Switch will ever work as a controller on another Switch b/c then you'd have 2 screens w/ only 1 working, like Zelda BotW on Wii U. While I suppose that would be a really great idea to use your Switch Mini as a controller for your docked Switched on the TV I dont' see it happening b/c it makes too much sense and Nintnedo refuses to be predictable. It would be nice though.
When Nintneod launched the Wii U they promised Dual Gamepad support. Japan even had separate Gamepad on sale and Reggie said games that supported 2 Gamepads would release later. But as we know they never did.
So the Switch not switching between handheld and TV, not switching between 1 and 2 player on the fly, none of that matters to Nitnedo, they'll say and do 1 thing 1 year, say and do something the year after like the previous year never existed. So they made the Switch 1 way now, with a dock and 2 detachable Joycon, they can make it next year a different way, year after that a different way, just give it kind of different names. Look at 3DS, to 2DS, to New 2DS XL. The 2DS tablet body looks nothing like a 3DS clamshell, and a 2DS clamshell body looks just like a 3DS. They make what they want, they call it what they want, they dont' care.
I hope they call it the Micro Switch.
@rjejr
Oh yeah, I know that Nintendo quite often will make rather little sense in regards to their previous announcements, when things eventually get right down to business.
I'm just talking about my personal preferences here. I certainly HOPE there won't be a Switch mini without detachable joycons.
I also HOPED that Nintendo would've let the Wii act as a wi-fi hotspot for the DS, which was pretty hampered by not accepting modern protocols, and by that dongle, which couldn't be installed on any modern OS, but NOOOOOooo, that would've made too much sense!
I'd also HOPED they wouldn't be silly enough to release the 3DS with screens of different widths, of kill off the Wii U by offering an overprices SKU and a borked SKU at launch and never fixing it, and that they wouldn't go and just botch the art direction of Smash Bros. completely AND afterwards release another round competition breaking DLC.
But here we are.
If anything, I always enjoy the unpredictability that Nintendo provides. I stay for the surprises, and not all surprises can be delightful.
@Pod "kill off the Wii U by offering an overprices SKU and a borked SKU at launch and never fixing it"
Those two SKUs, one at $299 w/ nto enough memory to be worth purchasing, and another at $349 with a game nobody wants and an extra stand nobody needs, was a big reason why the Wii U got off to such a slow start. They gave people options to think about, and by the time they were done thinking neither looked like the way to go. Particularly b/c the Wii was $249 w/ Wii Sports at launch, and the Wii U looked just like a Gamepad for the Wii.
Sorry for all that, but you're the only other person besides me I've seen make that argument. Usually it's about the games or lack of marketing. Really the entire thing was a failure of complacency after the Wii. X1 seems to have suffered a similar fate after 360 did well.
Switch Mini isn't for me either, I'm waiting on the cheaper no screen SwitchTV set top box, so tiny, but I have 2 teenage boys who would get one for $199 so they wouldn't have to share.
@Fighter_Hayabusa
I already know that. That's why I stop buying things from Made in China. For an example, if smartphone are still under China then I have no choice but to buy it because I need it. For kitchen dishes, mugs, etc... No, I will not buy it from them anymore.
@WebHead
“I definitely think the announcement is coming next month for a September release.”
You were right!
But I’m curious. Was it just a wild guess?
@BornInNorway81 yes an educated guess
I'm still skeptical 🤔
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