After months of idle speculation and numerous unsubstantiated leaks from accessory makers, this morning Nintendo of America officially announced the release of the upcoming Nintendo Switch Lite system. Following the naming convention of the mega-popular Nintendo DS Lite, this new take on the Switch hardware is a smaller, cheaper alternative to the original hybrid console with a specific focus on handheld play.
Available September 20 at a price of $199, the new Switch Lite is compatible with all games that support handheld mode, but it lacks a kickstand (for tabletop mode), docking/TV output capabilities (for TV mode), and independent Joy-Con controllers (and is thus missing their innovative HD Rumble and IR Motion Camera features). Other differences include a smaller overall footprint with non-removable controls, a lighter weight, and a smaller screen—5.5″ as opposed to the original Switch’s 6.2″.
The Switch Lite will also feature multiple color options: yellow, gray, and turquoise available at launch, with a special Nintendo Switch Lite Zacian and Zamazenta Edition with cyan and magenta buttons and illustrations of the two new Legendary Pokémon launching alongside Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield this November.
As someone who plays almost exclusively in handheld mode, I find this new product enticing, although I do feel like I’ll miss the extra screen real estate of my tried and true Nintendo Switch. You can check out more information at the Switch Lite product site, and I’ll be providing pre-order links and my own hands-on impressions as soon as both are available!
Yay! Now I finally have a reason to give my kids the “old” one! 😀
Yeah, at $200, I think the Switch can finally begin to move from shared family system to personal gaming system. I worry a little about the text size in some titles (like the game I’m reviewing tomorrow) on that 5.5″ screen, but stuff like that could conceivably be fixed via software patching.
We’ve got two Switches, and may get a third. Our Switches are constantly going from docked to handheld though, so the lack of TV out support would be a deal breaker for me. If your primary play mode is handheld though, I could see the Lite being a compelling offering, especially if you’re looking at getting multiple devices.
With a price point just barely above the 2DS XL, I wonder what the introduction of the Switch Lite means for the future of the 2DS XL? I know folks have been asking that question since the Switch originally came out, and the DS line has continued to soldier on. But the new Switch Lite is a dedicated hand held. And previously handheld-only series like Pokemon are coming to the Switch.
I totally agree, Jay. With the exception of my daughter and girlfriend playing Minecraft couch co-op, our Switches seldom go in the dock for anything other than charging, so a handheld-centric model will likely work well for us. For those who wanna play on the big screen? Not so much.
The price point (and the total lack of 3DS attention at this year’s E3) does make me think that the Lite is being positioned as the successor to the 2DS/3DS line. I’ll surely grieve when the 3DS hits the shortly forthcoming end of production, but it certainly had a good run.