Nintendo’s got a brand-new video game console in the works.
We’re not talking about that adorable miniature NES console that everyone wants this holiday, but an entirely new game console capable of playing modern games.
We’re talking about the Nintendo Switch: both a home console that can be played on your living room TV and a portable console that can be played on-the-go, all in one.
Thus far, we know a decent amount about the Switch.
It's set to launch in March 2017, and it's capable of powering modern games. What does "modern" mean in this instance, compared with other game consoles? That's still unknown - what we do know is that Switch is capable of powering the upcoming "Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild," and that looks pretty fantastic.
We also know that there's a press event for Nintendo Switch in New York City that we're attending - that's on January 12, 2017.
And as of very early on Tuesday morning, we know that Nintendo's hosting a livestream event to debut far more details on the Nintendo Switch - that event is happening in Tokyo, but Nintendo's streaming it live:
Ready to stay up late? You're gonna have to, it looks like - 11 p.m. if you're on the east coast US (like us)!
Nintendo's expected to announce a release date, price, and far more details on what games will show up alongside the Switch next March.
So, what should we expect? We've got some educated guesses based on recent rumors and leaks.
First, some sad news: It's looking unlikely that "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild" will be ready for the console's launch in March. Rumors give it a 2017 release date, albeit one beyond March; Nintendo hasn't commented on the rumors.
And now, some good news: It's possible that a brand new "Super Mario" game will be ready for the console's launch in March. A new 3D "Super Mario" game was shown in the first Nintendo Switch reveal trailer:
That's the one rumored to arrive alongside the Switch in March - it looks like the latest evolution in the 3D Mario series that started way back in the mid-'90s with "Super Mario 64." Will Nintendo show it off more on January 12? Almost certainly yes.
You'll want to bookmark Nintendo's official site and check back on the evening of January 12 to watch the full stream. You can almost certainly watch the stream on Nintendo's official YouTube channel as well.
