After giving us a sneak peek at its new hybrid console last October, Nintendo will finally share all the relevant details about the Switch during a live presentation in Tokyo, Japan on Thursday night at 8:00 PM PT / 11:00 PM ET. According to Nintendo, the event will focus on the price, release date and initial lineup of games that will be available for the Switch at or around its launch in March.
While Nintendo has been characteristically tight-lipped about the specifics of the event, several credible leaks have given us an idea of what we might learn tonight when the company takes the stage. For example, while The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild should be an obvious inclusion, there are also rumors suggesting that Nintendo has been preparing a Mario Kart 8 remaster with new courses and characters.
The pressure is also on for Nintendo to bring more third-party developers into the fold this generation, so don’t be surprised if the company spends a significant amount of time focusing on third-party titles.
We also hope to learn more about how Nintendo will build an online ecosystem that can compete with PlayStation Plus and Xbox Live. In the past, Nintendo has failed to deliver accessible, functional platforms to allow gamers to play online with their friends, but that would be an unforgivable oversight in 2017.
Once the presentation has ended, Nintendo plans to pick back up again on Friday morning at 6:30 AM PT / 9:30 AM ET with a Treehouse Live stream showcasing some of the games announced at the event. Finally, on Friday afternoon, BGR and other media outlets will go hands on with the Switch.
