The Nintendo Switch, initially codenamed NX, is a gaming device manufactured by Nintendo. A hybrid of a tablet computer and handheld game system with an optional HDTV dock, the Switch is part of the eighth generation of video games that includes the competing Sony PlayStation 4 and Microsoft Xbox One families. As a home console, it is the fifth to succeed the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. As a portable, it is the fourth to succeed the Game Boy Color. The system debuted worldwide on March 3, 2017.
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The Switch is a multimode tablet with an HDTV dock and two Joy-Con controller units that can adapt to any gaming environment. When snapped into the included frame, the Joy-Cons form a gamepad; and when attached to the Switch, they form a handheld. They can also be used independently when the tablet is in a free-standing position. The device also possesses 32 GB of onboard flash storage for games and user data, with expansion of up to 2 TB via microSD flash storage cards. When docked, the Switch operates as a typical set-top unit, and can output to a television screen via HDMI in full 1080p resolution.
A second variant, the Switch Lite, was released in Summer 2019 alongside a refresh of the Switch with updated internal components. Targeted specifically at mobile players, the Switch Lite does not support docking and is configured as a handheld by default, effectively supplanting all prior portables made by Nintendo itself.
Games for the Switch are distributed on Nintendo Switch cards, a departure from the previous three generations' use of optical storage, as well as via digital distribution with a Nintendo eShop. Players can also subscribe to the Switch Online premium suite and access select titles for previous Nintendo hardware, in addition to expanded online functionality such as cloud save and restore.