Nintendo Switch will be available in China from December 10
Nintendo is set to release the Switch console in China on December 10. To this end, the Japanese game company has signed an agreement with the Chinese Tencent. The Switch is sold in China for roughly a similar amount as in the rest of the world.
Nintendo reports that the Switch will be released on the Chinese market for 2099 yuan, converted that is just under 270 euros. This version is the updated edition with a longer battery life and comes with a pre-installed trial version of New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe Edition, according to Tencent. According to this Chinese tech giant, preparations are also underway to introduce the Nintendo Switch Lite in China, although it is not yet clear when that release will take place.
During a press conference in Shanghai, both companies indicated that Mario-related games will be available to Chinese users of the Switch in the coming weeks. On December 10, New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe Edition released first, followed by Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Edition and Super Mario Odyssey in the weeks to come. Tencent says it is also preparing the release of the following games: Mario Tennis Aces, Super Mario Party, Kirby Star Allies, Yoshi’s Crafted World, multiple Pokémon games and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of The Wild. The company expresses the hope that Chinese developers will also make content for the Switch.
By officially releasing the Nintendo Switch in China, Nintendo will hope, among other things, that it can reduce the gray import of the console. Analyst Daniel Ahmad of research firm Niko told Bloomberg that nearly ten percent of global Switch sales come from the Asian market, excluding Japan, with China having a significant share through the gray market. According to him, the Switch hardware and software is in high demand in China.
Despite the apparent demand for the Nintendo Switch and the fact that the Chinese market is potentially a huge source of income, the success of the Switch will also depend a lot on how many games will be approved by the Chinese government in the coming period. In addition, smartphones can prove to be a very formidable competitor, as the phones are very popular in China to play on.