The Nintendo Switch Lite, announced Wednesday, July 10, will start at a cool $199.99 compared to its predecessor’s $299.99 price tag. In a new video, Nintendo General Producer of the Switch Yoshiaki Koizumi said players the world over are already enjoying Nintendo Switch and its growing catalog of games.
“I’d like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to each of you,” he said. Koizumi said this Autumn, the Switch will be joined by a new addition to the family. “Introducing the Nintendo Switch Lite,” he said. “This version of Nintendo Switch is dedicated to handheld play. And as such, it’s compact lightweight and easy to take with you on the go.”
The Switch Lite will come in a variety of three colors: grey, yellow and blue, and Nintendo will also release a special Switch Lite Pokemon edition. “Adding Nintendo Switch Lite to the lineup gives gamers more color and price point options,” said Nintendo of America President Doug Bowser. “Now consumers can choose the system that best suits how they like to play their favorite Nintendo Switch games.”
Currently, the original Nintendo Switch, launched in 2017, has sold more than 34.74 million units worldwide and 187.52 software units for the device. The versatility of the device attracted players, giving them the ability to play it handheld, on a screen or in tabletop mode. The removable Joy Con controllers allowed players to personalize their device by purchasing different colors.
The new Nintendo Switch Lite is a bit lighter than the original Switch, 0.61 pounds compared to 0.88 pounds, respectively. As far as dimensions go, both devices have the same depth, but the Switch Lite is smaller, coming in at 3.6 inches high and 8.2 inches long to the original Switch’s 4-inch height, 9.4-inch length. The screen size of the new device is a little over half-an-inch smaller than the original Switch.
The new device has integrated controls — so no removable Joy Cons on this device or ability to play on a TV. This device will not come with a docking station or HDMI cable or kickstand.
According to Nintendo the new device has the ability to play the catalog of the Nintendo Switch library but will have some limitations. The new Switch Lite will only be able to play games that support Handheld mode — but separate controllers can be purchased to play wirelessly to play those that do not support handheld mode for the Switch Lite.
