- Title: Nintendo Switch launches in North America
- Date: 4th March 2017
- Summary: GROUP PLAYING A 'PASS THE SODA SHAKER' GAME
- Embargoed: 18th March 2017 01:56
- Keywords: Nintendo Switch gaming launch demo gaming console
- Location: NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES; LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES; UNIDENTIFIED FILMING LOCATIONS
- City: NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES; LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES; UNIDENTIFIED FILMING LOCATIONS
- Country: USA
- Topics: Arts/Culture/Entertainment,Video Games
- Reuters ID: LVA00666JLHSP
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: The much anticipated Nintendo Switch hit stores on Friday (March 3, 2017) in North America.
In the United States, the official launch was in New York City where fans lined up to be the first to get hold of one of the new consoles, whereas on the West Coast in Los Angeles, fans and media were invited to try out the console in a hands-on demo day.
Whereas Nintendo's competitors, Sony (Playstation 4) and Microsoft (X-box One) are veering off into bigger budget gaming with larger capabilities and better effects, Nintendo traditionally has focused on creating new ways to play games with its hardware.
"Well you know Nintendo always likes to do something different so this is a console, a home console, that truly delivers on that 'play anywhere' message," said Nintendo's Assistant Manager of PR, David Young. "You can sit it in its dock at home and play it on your big screen TV and you can grab it and take it with you and play it anywhere. We also know we have a broad range of audiences with Nintendo. We have young players, we have kids, we have families - with the Wii we expanded that to parents and grandparents - and Nintendo Switch can reach out to all of those people because it has that same kind of charm but there's also going to be some serious gamer games on it as well so it's got a little something for everybody."
At the event at the Raleigh Studios in Hollywood, they showed how the console could be easily taken anywhere by creating a space where attendees could sit as if they were an airplane passenger.
There were also numerous booths where media and fans could try out the new games which showed the capabilities of their new Joy-Con controller.
Young said "Well the Nintendo Switch has a lot more capabilities. It's got high definition graphics and some different abilities that connect wirelessly and things but certainly the Joy-Con controllers - it started with the legacy of the Wii remotes so there's a lot of different kinds of motion things that are built into it but it's even refined even further. So there's this new thing called HD Rumble. You're able to really feel things in the game. It gives you different types of vibrating feedback. For instance, if this were a water glass filled with ice cubes and I moved it around like this, I could feel the different ice cubes in the glass so it's just a refinement of what we've done before."
Nintendo is also breaking the unwritten gaming laws by releasing the console in March, whereas traditionally games and consoles are launched around October to build up to the holiday season worldwide.
"Well, part of it had to do with content," explained Young. "We wanted to make sure we had some great games to come out at launch. This allows us to build up momentum towards the holidays. Some of the gamers and the first adopters can spread the word on how good Nintendo Switch is."
Although the console has had its official launch, many fans of Nintendo will be hard pressed to get hold of a console as only two million of them have been released worldwide for the month of March. Young said more will be released later in the year saying "We're just getting started." - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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