Nintendo Unveils New Console: The 'Nintendo Switch'
by Ian Bush
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Nintendo hasn't had a new presence in the living room since 2012, when the Wii U was released to a tepid reception.
Now, the gaming company is prepping a console that looks as comfortable at home as it does on the go.
The Nintendo Switch is a hybrid.
"It marries not only a home console -- the kind of thing you see with the PS4 and Xbox One -- but also a handheld device. It's kind of like a tablet," explained Gamespot.com managing editor Justin Heywald.
For gaming on a TV, that portable player is hidden in a docking station. To fire up Mario or Zelda somewhere else, just slide the controllers onto the sides of the tablet, or prop the screen on its kickstand for a group to huddle around.
Heywald says the Switch could compete with, but also live alongside popular consoles from Sony and Microsoft.
"The PS4 and Xbox One will probably be the number one thing in your home because they're the thing you can watch TV on, they're the thing you can access all your entertainment options. But as a secondary thing for playing fun games with your friends, Nintendo has always done that really well, and I think Switch is going to continue that trend," he said.
It's expected out next March.
You can see a first-look at the Nintendo Switch on Nintendo's official YouTube channel.
