Nintendo recently launched the trailer for the Switch and all the speculations about it using a cartridge-like Game Card instead of a disc is finally confirmed.
The Switch will be the first console Nintendo is releasing after the Wii U back in 2012, in which they performed poorly. The Wii U only managed to sell 13 million units compared to its predecessor, the Wii, which sold more than 100 million units.
The Nintendo Switch is a hybrid between a home console and a portable device. You can connect it to a TV via a dock. If you want to go portable, you can attach the controllers or the Joy-con to the side of the screen, remove it from the dock and you're good to go.
According to President and COO of Nintendo Of America, Reggie Fils Aime, "Nintendo Switch allows gamers the freedom to play however, they like. It gives developers new abilities to bring their creative visions to life." What makes the Switch different from other consoles in the market today is that Nintendo is moving away from the industry of consoles using discs and instead will use cartridges. It will have cartridge-like game cards similar to the 3DS.
Many are surprised with the move but a cartridge does have its advantages compared to a disc: first, a spinning motor drains the battery of a device more than a bright screen or a high-definition graphics. It's okay to have a spinning motor for a home console since you can plug it. However, it's not ideal for a portable device. Second, it is harder to pirate cartridges. Third, they are kid-friendly. Little kids are known to throw things around and that could break or scratch the disc. Last but not least, games load faster with cartridges.
Aside from the new cartridge-like game cards, the Switch also features a custom-made Tegra Processor made by Nvidia. The Tegra is famously known to be used in smartphones. Nintendo and Nvidia claim that the processor will allow the device to run with high-quality graphics but not drain the battery as much. Nintendo is hopeful it can make it big in the market once the Switch is launched globally in March 2017.
