By Rishi Alwani | Updated: 15 November 2016 17:24 IST
Highlights
The Nintendo Switch may come in two editions
It could be a region-free console
An official Nintendo Switch announcement will take place on January 12
It appears that the Nintendo Switch price may make it more affordable than the recently discontinued Wii U.
You could spend upto $299.99 (around Rs. 20,250) for the Switch depending on the version you want to buy. Much like the Wii U, there will be two editions of it.
“UK specialist gaming retail chain GAME has been informed of the Nintendo Switch’s wholesale price to retailers, and is planning on selling their basic SKU (stock keeping unit) of the system in stores for £199.99,” a post on LetsPlayVideoGames reads. “We have also learned that a separate SKU featuring more internal storage and a packed in game is planned to sell at £249.99. We have heard rumours as to what this pack in game is, but we currently have only one source on this information so we are unwilling to talk about that pack in title at this time. Both our sources have told us that additional Switch Pro Controllers are expected to sell at launch for £39.99 at GAME.”
This will, if Nintendo’s plans bear fruition, result in a dollar pricing of $249.99 (approximately Rs. 17,000) and $299.99 (around Rs. 20,250) respectively.
“Lastly, we have been told that Nintendo is planning for the Switch to be close to direct conversion price comparable across regions, which we have been told is tied into their push for the system to be region free. This would in theory put the USA price of the system at approximately $249.99 and $299.99 (This is based off conversions, not any insider information).”
This comes after LetsPlayVideoGames reported that the Switch could sport a March 17 release date and information on the Nintendo Switch developer kit.
As we’ve seen with the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U, Nintendo has not exactly been consumer-friendly with its region-free policies, locking both consoles to the territories they’re sold in with regards to games, digital purchases and the like. This could be a big plus point if true, particularly for those of us in countries like India where Nintendo does not have an official presence.
Prior to this, several reports pegged the price of the Switch to be on the higher side.
"A long-in-the-works revamp to the company's consoles -- the NX, with reveal coming next week -- is liable to come at a price that will result in a "major" disappointment for volume sales, the firm Macquarie says," according to a post on investor website Seeking Alpha. "Speculation is putting the price of the new console between $300 and $350, in line with competing consoles, vs. the Wii's former discount to rival boxes from Sony and Microsoft."
We discuss everything you need to know about Nintendo Switch and whether it’s likely to come to India on Orbital: The Gadgets 360 Podcast. You can either subscribe to via iTunes or RSS or just hit the play button below.