The Nintendo Switch Lite has been officially revealed and all is well, but remember the months leading up to its announcement when nearly every other day brought fresh rumours and "leaks" with varying levels of believability? It was a tough time to run a Nintendo site, we can tell you.
Well, as it turns out, one of these "leaks" actually turned out to be real, but no one seemed to believe it at the time. Reddit user Thraxmo has shared the following tweet from @PiranhaCapital, which dates back to 17th April and appeared to show a case for the console. The original replies are full of people doubting the image's validity, as you'd expect.
As you can see, the case bears a striking resemblance to the upcoming console and even features the exact same shade of blue featured on one of the launch models. The tweet notes how the case is the same length as the original Switch with one Joy-Con attached, which also turned out to be correct.
We always advise against fully believing in rumours and leaks, and we would have done exactly the same seeing this image back in April, but it's funny how - every now and then, at least - someone on the internet does actually stumble across a legitimate piece of information ahead of time.
If you're thinking of picking up a Switch Lite, this handy guide should come in useful.
[source twitter.com, via reddit.com]
Comments 64
I can't believe there were non believers who said i'll believe it when it's announced. Nintendo has only revised literally 95%+ of their handhelds since the Game Boy.
I can't believe it's not butter.
@BacklogBlues I don't think anyone didn't believe it. They were just sick of seeing all the rumors and fake leaks and wanted to hear it directly from Nintendo. We all knew it was coming at some point.
I've always wondered what I would do if I were in the position of having secret information that would excite fellow nerds. I'm pretty sure I'd keep from posting it online, but I might send it to a couple trustworthy friends. Who might themselves send it to some trustworthy friends, and on and on until it makes its way online anyway despite my intentions.
I love big flashy reveals, and Nintendo knows how to handle those moments excellently. As interesting as it is to read rumors and leaks, it doesn't compare to to being awestruck at some trailer at the very end of a Nintendo Direct. But that still doesn't keep me from reading articles about links out of unrestrainable curiosity.
No doubt the Switch Lite was in production before the official announcement which means the Switch Lite will have the bad analog sticks. They didn't even acknowledge that there was a problem until after the official announcement.
It's just sad that this cynical world has lost all it's faith in rumours.
That cool.... Still wont believe supposed leaks or rumors. It's no fun knowing ahead of surprises, and its exhausting.
I still dont believe it. The announcement by Nintendo was a hoax.
@BacklogBlues as someone who took everything with a mountain of salt, I think there was never any doubt that Nintendo would revise the hardware eventually. For me the doubt was always whether the “leaks” of a smaller console that dropped several of the machine’s unique selling points had any validity.
A Switch that can’t be docked? Where the Joy-Cons can’t be easily removed and shared with a pal? Sounded dubious...
I didn't want it to be real... I still want a clamshell mini Switch...
Good point @gaga64 a Switch Pro/more efficient Switch does make more since IMO than a switch less Switch.
Honestly, I still doubt this. We will see. Until I actually see one for real, it’s ALL speculation
Talk about whiplash
Why is this not available for pre order yet?
@BacklogBlues But they almost never revise their home consoles. As Switch is acting as both, I can see why some people weren't going to count their chickens before they hatched.
@Patron Yeah, I know Nintendo have announced it and everything but they’ve been wrong about things in the past. Remember when they said Mario’s second name was Mario and Luigi’s full name was actually ‘Luigi Mario Mildred McHaribo’?
I won’t believe a thing until it’s officially confirmed by my dad.
It's only 8:30am local and i've already been proven wrong @Ralizah. Since i only play my Switch in handheld i didn't give it a second thought calling it a handheld and not a hybrid like it is. My bad
Less flippantly, despite doing the measurements, it’s worth noting that the OP didn’t actually get his hands on this. The OP himself posted further down the page:
“No, picture was posted on Chinese social media. Might be fake. I dig the color though, hope whatever the mini is, it comes in lots of colors.”
@BacklogBlues I mean, they are upgrading the switch with a better battery next month.
Somebody on 4Chan leaked the entirety of Pokemon Let's Go on April 1st 2018. Everybody thought it was an April Fool's joke until the game was officially unveiled.
@celestian1998
Oddly enough I was going to buy the Lite, but a much better battery life has pushed me toward the revised Switch. Strange announcement timing imo...
@Ralizah while the wii u didn't have a revision the wii did. I think the wii u didn't really have one because it sold so poorly. Also even back in the day they did like the top loader for NES so it's definitely not something they haven't done before .
@Soosh yeah it was. Im still getting a lite though, cause the solid shell seems nice. I collect game boys and stuff though, so all handhelds are very appealing to me. Except the vita. Screw sony and their proprietary memory cards
@BacklogBlues and there were "nonbelievers" like me who pointed out that it's not about probability as much as it's about dignity - something that trusting leaks and fakes is equally below. Regardless of how many revisions have happened before, any new one can ultimately just happen or not happen. And it's only really worth talking about if and once Nintendo announces it. End of story.
@BacklogBlues Nobody doubted there would be an iteration of the console at some point. People doubted that it would be the 'Lite' SKU everyone else was assuming. It does remove an awful lot of the functions and complicates the library somewhat with Lite owners being required to now check the box to make sure a game works with their system out of the box if at all. It's not like the 2DS which just removed an already optional and off-by-default feature and still functioned with the entire back catalogue or even like the New 3DS which had a few exclusive new games but still worked with the entire back catalogue.
But they did it and it will sell, I just hope it doesn't create too much confusion or bad blood with customers who buy it as a cheaper, more casual or kid oriented system and then find out that some of the more casual or kid oriented games don't function on it. I wouldn't want to be the parent this Christmas who gets their kid a Switch Lite with Mario Party and a Labo kit.
Although i posted this in an article about leaks @nhSnork. For me i believed 100% that their would be a smaller and better performing Switch coming out the day i made my day 1 purchase of my Switch. So when the rumors started i felt like yea it only makes since since this is what i believed from day 1. Then i thought how can people not believe this. But that was just me.
Leaks from manufacturers are super prevalent especially since there’s such strong incentive to have compatible accessories like cases at launch and it takes a long time to manufacture the hundreds of thousands of devices necessary.
It’s kinda sad, but it has been very hard for completely secret hardware releases for years now. Things like price and software is much easier to keep secret partly because final decisions are made much closer to announcement. Still, even with hardware, the whole picture isn’t always clear because components leak separately.
If you want to be surprised, stay away from leaks and rumors because between the fanboy wishlists that pose as rumors there are plenty of accurate leaks.
@BacklogBlues Yeah, it was logical and expected by many from before the Switch launched. You can see it in comments where we discussed specific form factors.
Harder to accept by some with different experiences and hopes. For instance, some were in denial about 3DS fading where others couldn’t wait so they had different perspectives...
That awkward moment when you log in to nintendolife and see your username in an article. It was literally 1 in the morning and I was like wait wasn’t there a turquoise shell posted months ago?
I doubted because of the issues of tabletop and docked play; and I still think it will lead to confusion. However, my son is now trying to save to purchase it.
No one believed it at the time.
Seriously? Many people believed it.
Let’s face it, countless “leaks” turn out to be true every year...
I hope justice is served to whoever is responsible for this, and I hope Nintendo does move production out of China so this doesn't happen again.
@Ralizah NES, SNES, and Wii all got revisions though.
N64 didn't, and GCN and WiiU were utter failures and didn't live long enough to be revised. So all but one console that wasn't a failure got revisions
Me? I'm still holding out for the Virtual Boy Pro with a color screen and analog sticks.
wow l'm surprised that some people didn't think it was real.
@nhSnork,
True,but some leaks have more credibility than others,I mean the usual leaks of Nintendo's entire E3 direct presentation read more like a fans wish list than anything else,whereas the 3DS XL and Switch mini rumors had far too many sources for them to be fake or wishful thinking,and once accessory makers start putting cases and things out before they should the writing is always on the wall as far as I am concerned,I think the real issue is that certain people did not want to believe the Switch mini rumors as they would have much rather Nintendo put all their efforts into a more powerful Switch pro console,as they themselves have little interest in a cheaper model with features missing,of course the fact this console was never meant to appeal to them in the first place escapes them.
@NEStalgia,
I am still waiting for a Wii U revision where you can take the console anywhere you want,as the tablet part will be the console,and there will be a dock of some kind that will also let you connect it to a T.V.,can't see Nintendo doing this because it would be far too popular.
@johnvboy That's the dumbest idea I've ever heard. No way they'd ever do that.
@Spoony_Tech we all knew a new switch was coming. Nobody expected it to be so underwhelming though.
@Desrever What I did when I was in that position was keep quiet as not to break my NDA (I can't afford the penalties) and laughed at the fake leaks and people believing them.
Throw enough mud at the wall and something is bound to stick.
And yes, the Switch Lite is in fact mud. A distinct downgrade.
The one odd thing comparing leak to to be released product, is that the Switch logo and writing are mirrored from the actual unit. The unit’s existence is not worth to to me just because it seemed like a downgrade, sorta why I feel like people are burned as a result. If you ask me; I DO NOT think a “Pro” model with such drastic improvements is happening the next year, or at all.
"The tweet notes how the case is the same length as the original Switch with one Joy-Con attached,"
So you guys at Nintendo Life are the half-cup-full type
A rumour remains a rumour until it is confirmed...
I was firmly in the camp of the Switch Mini not existing as rumoured. And even with it confirmed, I still struggle to see why Nintendo released a Lite in the form that they have - I've have switched it up, and gone with a clam-shell to protect the thing in kiddy-hands.
I'm intrigued to see what happens with the animated Switch logo, and the iconic finger-click - as it's now only relevant to half their Switch SKUs
@Bondi_Surfer
I also really like clam-shell designs, the 3/DS systems were really really good for just carrying around be it in a pocket or bag or whatever. Also would have really liked a self-enclosing Switch Lite. But I guess nowadays even kids are so used to un-covered tablets and smartphones, that the whole notion changed. People pay more attention not to damage screens, and also, screens have become stronger. We DO see a lot of broken screens on smartphones all around.. but I think the difference is, smartphone accidents are much more prone to happening because they are mostly used single-handed and in busy situations (walking around etc). Someone playing a Switch is holding it in both hands, and focusing on it, so in theory it is more secure. As for storing it away, well like I said, the screens are always becoming sturdier.
@gamekill Yeah, good points. Although I'd chuck a clam-shell Switch in a bag, along with my keys and whatnot. Whereas for the current Switch iterations I have to have a separate bag (I currently use a neoprene wine-bottle holder which works perfectly!)
@Heavyarms55 to be fair, they very distinctly want to signal that it is indeed a downgrade, it seems, considering the reveal made sure to compare it directly to the "flagship nintendo switch". So they definitely want to signal it's a lesser model designed for a price conscious consumer, kids, etc. The same way 3ds is "a great first console for younger players"
@NEStalgia I suppose. Thing is, for the downgrade, the price cut isn't enough. It's a Switch that doesn't Switch, and I don't care who argues that it is a brand name now, the Switch Lite is half a Switch, so it should cost half as much and be called what it is: Game Boy Switch.
It's good to see from all those leaks that one of them was right. What were the odds of that?
If you think seriously, other than the colour options, most of would have produced an almost 100% mock-up. Slightly smaller, proper d-pad and integrated controllers, and minimal design change. That was ultimately the Lite.
@Franklin who downvoted this, you monster
@BacklogBlues Most Nintendo fanboys have issues with diversity.
On REDDIT of all places, I don't even go there anymore 🚫
@Heavyarms55 I suppose if you're thinking about it as "half a Switch, it should be half. Though, the console itself is really more than half of the whole package. No dock, no detachable controllers, but it has the screen, control inputs, and of course the actual computer inside. So it's more like 66% of the Switch, which is where the price is?
But more importantly, 3DS established "Nintendo handhelds are $199" and it sold very well. So it makes sense that it's successor is the same price (which is "generous" since prices tend to go up in this stuff between generations.)
So as "half a Switch" it's overpriced. As "66% of a Switch" it's priced right, and as "4DS" it's priced right/generously. I think we can say from experience the mass market will buy the latest Nintendo handheld at $199, so it's hard to say they priced a new handheld wrong, unless you compare it to full Switch and say "well it doesn't do as much."
On the other hand, you're buying the actual Switch console (technically with a better processor than the launch day full Switch) minus the docking ability and removable controllers (and of course a smaller screen which may be a plus to some), and an upgrade to even more features is less than twice the price.... One could say the normal Switch is a bargain in that sense.
Technically, at launch I think Switch was selling close to margin. It was a lot of tech at a "low" price, but had to undercut Sony/MS's $400. Heck if Sony/MS does the expected $500 this time around, Switch Lite is trivial pocket change in the console space.
I still can't believe they did this. Was kinda silly to do this. Still better to have done an upgrade vs this lite crap. Just me I guess.
@NEStalgia I can see your argument but I just don't agree. The lack of TV functionality, detachable controllers and HD rumble are all core aspects of the Switch removed. The TV functionality alone I would rate as 40% of the appeal of the Switch.
That the Switch Lite still plays the games I wouldn't even factor in to the evaluation. That's the one thing they obviously could never cut. That's not even on the table. But if you do factor it in then it is the only thing that really matters. But of course it plays the games, I was comparing how the devices play the games. And from that standpoint calling the Switch Lite half a Switch is being generous.
The problem was no one else was able to be able to find more info as well. I figure something like this was coming but how it looked was harder to know. But I think most figure they would do this considering 2DS to 3DS and 3DS XL so you could figure something like this was coming.
@Heavyarms55 Not really. The only core aspect of a Switch is the ability to run Switch software. That's the core functionality of the machine. Everything else are features that enable various ways of displaying/interacting with the software. Both devices have the core functionality - playing Switch games. The "big" switch has a TV out and the little one uses only its own screen. The big one has detachable controllers as a result, and the little one doesn't. Those may be important features to you and me, but they're not core features. They're options some consumers have a preference for for $100 additional. (as Lite customers will see it.)
Plus consider the sales of Nintendo handhelds versus consoles. Most Nintendo customers are used to buying handheld-only Nintendo devices, and used to paying around $200 for it. The Lite is exactly the device the average Nintendo customer expects from them. So even though TV functionality may be 40% of the appeal to you, it probably isn't so to most of their customers.
All in all, "Pay 50% more, get TV out and a snap-in snap-out controller" is actually pretty unappealing to >50% of the traditional Nintendo customer I'd bet.
Some of it is the optics of the "big" model representing a tremendous value (both a handheld and a home console for 25% less than a PS4 at launch) preceeding a Lite.
Put another way, if, in 2015, Nintendo had sold a 3DS model with a slightly bigger screen than an XL, rumble, a clip-on controller, and a TV out, for $300, do you bet the NL comments would have been praising the 3DS Super, or or do you think people would have been ridiculing the 50% up-charge for the "exact same console" with a TV out. I can almost hear Yorumi's comments in my head on that one
@NEStalgia It's true that the ability to play games is the most core aspect. I'll give you that. But I still don't agree about the rest. I will not recommend the Switch Lite to anyone it is an inferior product and does not have enough justification for the price tag. That is my stance and I am sticking to it. You can suggest otherwise to people if you want, that's your stance and you're entitled to it.
I don't agree with statements like "Most Nintendo players are casual gamers looking for cheap games and consoles." I think that perception only comes from the fact that Nintendo has for years offered a cheaper product than its competitors. That's all.
@Heavyarms55 I don't mean to say most Nintendo players are "casual" specifically. But the numbers speak for themselves when you compare Nintendo's handheld sales to their console sales: Most Nintendo players buy Nintendo handhelds, not Nintendo consoles. That part is absolute, it's their own numbers. It's been that way since 1989. (I still have my DMG-01 (with Tetris!) I'm part of that statistic! )
A big Switch still costs 50% more than a Lite, and both get you access to the games you want to play/the kids want. That price difference is make or break for a lot of consumers. A Switch Lite is preferable to no Switch!
But by the numbers, the majority of Nintendo's customers buy smaller handheld devices, and not home console devices. So it stands to reason that many of those customers might be more interested in upgrading to the "new handheld" versus the hybrid home console.
You're in Japan, you know the popularity of the handheld there. Even Japan alone is a good argument for the Lite. And even here on NL there's a fairly notable contingent that didn't care about Wii, WiiU, or "the hybrid" and just wanted a more suitable handheld to replace their 3DS.
I'm not buying one. You're not buying one. But I'm calling it now, more people will buy one than buy a big Switch (once you get all the kid sales in there.) If I actually played it on a train or bus or something every day, there's a good chance I'd prefer a Lite to a full size (or would at least want both.) For me, the bigger the screen the better, I'd buy a 12" slate Switch if I could. But if I were using it in random public seating arrangements, I'd find even the current Switch too unweidly for it.
Maybe Lite is "too expensive" - but it's no more expensive than 3DS (when it was current), and is cheaper than the launch of 3DS XL while being bigger and better.
It's not a product I have a use for or prefer to the full size, but I don't think it's inherently an undesirable product, or a particularly bad price for the product. If it looks like a bad price or value it's only because big Switch is such a great price/value. (I'm betting if we had a strong Nintendo instead of a post-WiiU-desperate Nintendo in 2017 it would have been $400 or more. They had to offer a loss-leader to get us back in the door, and it worked. )
@NEStalgia I am in the statistic too. I grew up playing Game Boy Color more than any console I had access to. And have owned every Nintendo Handheld since and before with the only exceptions being the Game Boy Pocket, Light and Micro.
But I think it is a mistake to assume that people like handhelds because they are cheaper than consoles. While that's obviously a factor for some, many people just love the convenience of playing on the go, where ever and whenever they want to (or have time to.)
And yes I am in Japan and know very well how popular portable gaming options are here.
I don't think the majority of handheld gamers prefer handheld because of the cost, I think they prefer it because it is handheld.
Your arguments about the Switch Lite compared to 3DS when it was current are understandable. But not good enough to convince me. I do consider the Lite undesirable and a poor quality in light reality, not what ifs. It is inherently a downgrade lacking in features. You can't deny that.
I am really surprised people think the slightly smaller size is that relevant. It's not much smaller at all, and if you find the current design too big to play on the train or bus or whatever, I really don't think a couple centimeters is gonna make that much difference. I for one play the Switch on the train fairly often, and see others do so too. (and I am gonna say I told you so the first time I see someone say "I put it in my pocket and broke it". The thing still ain't pocket sized!)
While some people might be okay with that downgraded product for the price it is currently at, I still will not recommend it to anyone, for any reason. I consider it an inferior product not worth considering. I will tell anyone who asks that they should consider a used Switch first before even looking at a Lite.
But that's just my recommendation. I'm not, nor can I, nor would I want to, force anyone to do anything. It's their money. There are plenty of things people do with their own money I would not recommend, and things people would tell me I shouldn't do with mine.
@NEStalgia Also the Switch was sold at a profit from day one. If that's what you meant by "loss-leader". Wasn't really sure what you meant with that term. But I agree that if Nintendo had been booming at the time, it probably would have been sold at a higher price.
@Heavyarms55 Personally I still think Nintendo plays loose with hardware "making a profit." Remember WiiU made a profit (with the purchase of one game.) Which is a fancy way of saying it was sold at a loss?
With Switch they say they sold at a profit...but just looking at all the tech packed in there and going rates at the time, add in R&D, it it seems pretty unlikely they were really selling at a profit. Maybe at margin, but profit doesn't seem probable. They have to be careful with that sort of thing. Investors don't like hearing about selling at a loss, yet the individual numbers of cost per unit don't need to go to the shareholders. So it's easy to play a little loose with the numbers, as long as you turn a profit overall, and tell them what they want to hear to placate them. It doesn't actually affect anything, but makes them less likely to breathe down your neck and scrutinize. If you're losing $5 on each machine, you can tell them you're making a profit (even if it's claiming $1), as long as games are really making $8. At the end of the day, you still turned $3 profit. The investors need to be quieted like children otherwise they get flustered....
@Heavyarms55 No I don't mean handhelds sell only because of their price. There's three components. People that buy handhelds because they like handhelds. People that buy the cheapest affordable console because that's what they can afford. And people that buy more consoles because they're more affordable.
A big part of Game Boy's success was it's price point. People weren't as keen to spend so much money on an NES....but the GB was a cheap alternative, and that helped it sell as amazing as it did. Also people wanted a portable console...but both it's spread, and having multiple per family (right up through 3DS) are easily affected by the price point, sure.
I still find it funny that a bunch of people including you are surprised by the Lite, what it is, or it's price point, or see it as some unexpected "Nintendo got it wrong" moment. Several of us already called this exact product, launch time (relative to Pokemon), and price point Jan 2017. It was a done deal...it was inevitable. It was just such an obvious guaranteed product that would have made no sense to not happen! The only part I underestimated is rumble. I thought it would have rumble.
I do agree that it's not that pocket able, but sometimes small size differences really do strongly change the hold-ability/feel of a device. The added rigidity without that little bit of joycon mount flex make it a little more portable friendly as well.
Overall though, just consumer thinking...if you weren't following Switch since 2017. Say you were a 3DS owner. Or still a DS owner. Or even just a mobile gamer. You don't follow Nintendo, or Switch and aren't comparing the models. You see "that new Nintendo" is $199. You see there's another model with more features for $299. You're price concious, and don't really intend to use those features...you just want something like what you had that plays the new games. That $199, just like your old one, is a lot more tempting than 50% more for stuff you're not going to use.
Plus American consumers tend to be more interested in PRICE than VALUE. That's been known since the 90's. People would rather pay $12.99 for a "cake" that's a flat one layer 6" supermarket cake than $14.99 for a nice 8" 2 layer high quality bakery cake. Because it's cheaper. A large portion of people tend to just look at the sticker price of what they're paying and not care about what they get for the money. With that, that's a MASSIVE price difference. It'll matter.
And the size/one piece body will matter for dedicated handheld players.
Heck, even just here, big Switch enthusiasts like JaxonH and Ralizah want one for the smaller form factor (not price) despite having one (or two!) big Switches already. And BlueOcean has been pretty strongly anti-Switch since it was unveiled...he was Nintendo-only before, and a big WiiU & 3DS fan, but the Switch never really appealed to him, and he wasn't happy with the WiiU port situation. He moved pretty much entirely to XBox as his new ecosystem...but now that the Lite was announced, the price point to get access to the games he does want despite not liking the Switch too much was just enough to get him to bite, and he plans to buy one as soon as he's confident the stick drift issue is not going to be a problem for it.
The price point definitely has a strong appeal, I'd say. I didn't think Blue would ever buy a Switch! And that's not the stupid mass market consumer, that's the hardcore gamers and Nintendo faithful!
Add in that a $300 Switch isn't going to be a popular choice for buying one for every kid in the house, while the $200 handheld price point is proven to do just that. And Nintendo said they intended that result back in 2017. I would be stunned if Lite didn't outsell normal Switch. Absolutely stunned. That's not to say normal Switch sales will plummet or anything. But I think a lot of the market will jump in on lite, and double, or triple dip on lite where otherwise they bought one household Switch. I think there's a fair number of existing Switch owning households that might buy 1 or more additional Switches now with Lite. Especially with NSO and cloud saves, meaning the kids can play their TV games on the go with their own Switch. In that sense it still "SWITCH"-es. They log in on the home Switch and it's on the TV, they log in on their on the go Switch and it's on the handheld. it's a lot more connected to the TV still in multi-Switch homes than 3DS ever was (I still have bad memories of MH3U data transfers....)
I’ll definitely agree history shows that handhelds generally do much better. I love my switch, I have 2 actually, and I’m certain that Switch lite will outsell the big switch.
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