Harshita is an Esports writer at EssentiallySports. While she has been writing most of her life, her career as a writer began three years ago in Marketing.  She has been captivated by the power of storytelling and its ability to inform, inspire, and provoke change.

As a video game enthusiast, she enjoys playing Uncharted 3, Asphalt and Fall Guys.

In her free time, she enjoys reading and writing short fantasy fiction stories the most.

PlayStation fans are in for a treat. Sony has announced a drop in PS5 price as its first standalone console sale debuts. With the announcement, the PlayStation 5 [https://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/playstation-5/] console will see its first-ever drop in price. The new price will be as low as $449.99 in the US and £399.99 in the UK. With Xbox [https://www.essentiallysports.com/category/xbox/] also coming to the market with all guns blazing, Sony’s move may yet again help to boost sales of its flagship console. While critics often complain about how Sony makes it mandatory for players to possess a PlayStation 5 to play some exclusive PS titles, the deal may be a game-changer in the ongoing Console Wars. PLAYSTATION 5 DISCOUNT MAY DECIMATE THE COMPETITION Xbox and PlayStation are the two leading console manufacturers in the world. With the Nintendo Switch [https://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/nintendo-switch/] being considered in the handheld gaming PC domain, Sony and Microsft are in constant war against each other. With that in mind, a price drop for the PlayStation 5 will surely make it an attractive purchase option for those who crave the exclusive PS experience. With rumors of an affordable PlayStation 5 arriving soon [https://www.essentiallysports.com/esports-news-heres-how-sony-playstation-fans-could-get-their-hands-on-an-affordable-ps-five-in-two-thousand-and-twenty-three/], this discount will also be another reason to head over to Camp Sony. [https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/playstation-5-new-hardware-news.jpg] What’s more interesting about the sale is that it even comes with a standalone price cut. Unlike other bundle deals, this particular sale will see a further drop in the MRP of the console. Hence, for those who are looking to pick up the PS5 before Spider-Man 2 [https://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/spider-man-2/] is released, this will be the perfect time to get your hands on one of these gaming beasts. Read more Everything You Need to Know About the Latest PlayStation 5 Pro Rumors [https://www.essentiallysports.com/esports-news-everything-to-know-about-the-latest-playstation-five-pro-rumors/] While the deal is only available in Monoprice as of now, fans believe Walmart and Best Buy will also stock the discounted PlayStation 5 consoles soon. PLAYSTATION MAKERS TRYING TO RETAIN THE LEADING POSITION IN THE MARKET The FTC-Xbox deal hasn’t panned out as Sony wanted it to. Despite their concerns over Microsoft gaining an undue advantage in the market if they receive exclusive rights to titles like Call of Duty and Apex Legends, US Judge Corley has rejected preliminary injunction pleas. [https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/Sony-PlayStation-5-PS5-8-scaled.jpg] In such circumstances, a price cut is being perceived by fans as a strategic move to help Sony get back its leading position in the console market. How are you viewing the discount? If you’re looking to pick up one of these bad boys, let us know in the comments. Watch this story Everything We Learnt from PlayStation 5 Exclusive Spider-Man 2 Story Trailer [https://www.essentiallysports.com/stories/esports-news-everything-we-learnt-from-playstation-5-exclusive-spider-man-2-story-trailer/] 

PlayStation 5 to begin standalone sale soon massive price drops announced for
the US and Europe by Sony, will be available in multiple stores.

Diptarko loves to watch and follow football. He keeps a close watch on EPL with
some not-so-frequent keeping track of the other major European football leagues.
He supports Brazil as a national team. His favorite FPS game is Battlefield 1,
and he has played a lot of FIFA and some PES with friends. His other hobbies
include watching art films and going on hikes. He can’t, and won’t, go through
the day without music blasting from his speakers all day. He is a metalhead and
fan of DC Comics. For him Batman is the only acceptable superhero and From Hell
the greatest graphic novel ever.

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<h2>Apex Legends 2021 - Season 8, Characters, Crossplay, Updates, and Events</h2>
<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-522846" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/20210121204147/96ecc-15994082424546-800-3-1.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="479" />
<h2>Apex Legends: First Release</h2>
Apex Legends was released on February 4, 2019, for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. It is one of the most prominent battle royales, featuring hero shooter mechanics, known for its high-octane and adrenaline-pumping gameplay.

After its release, the game gained immense popularity worldwide and positive critical reception. It was even considered a worthy competitor to the other popular battle royales at the time, like Fortnite and PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds. Although some might say Apex isn't as popular as it once was, there are still millions around the world who jump in daily.
<h2>What is Apex Legends?</h2>
It is a free-to-play battle royale game developed by Respawn Entertainment and published by Electronic Arts. Contenders from all across the Frontier with diverse backgrounds team up on the battlefield for glory, fame, and fortune.
<dl>Apex Legends characters are known as Legends. Each legend having a different set of abilities makes it a very strategic battle royale. Players have to comprehend their legend's abilities and utilize their team's strengths on the battlefield to get the jump on opponents.</dl>
<dl>After releasing in 2019, the game revolutionized the perception of battle royales with its innovative combat. Players have access to Respawn Beacons to resurrect teammates. The in-game voice lines for every legend help players communicate quickly and make the gameplay feel unique.</dl>
<dl>Inventory management is also very efficient, and the Jumpmaster deployment feature allows a team to jump into the action together.</dl>
<dl></dl>
Furthermore, there are regular seasons in the game. Players get to experience a plethora of new content on a seasonal basis. A new season also brings a fresh Apex Legends Battle Pass, with progression features and rewards. Players can compete to unlock new Legends, weapons, cosmetic items, and more.
<dl></dl>
<h2>What is the point of Apex Legends?</h2>
Like other battle royales, the ultimate goal is to become the last man standing. In Apex, up to 20 three-man squads land on a map, search for and equip weapons and supplies to combat opponents.

The game progresses in Rounds, and the shrinking circular zone is called the Ring. The Ring deals more damage over time as it shrinks to smaller sizes. There are a total of 8 Rounds until the final shrinking zone encloses the whole Apex Legends map.

Players have to be on the move constantly for good positioning in the zone. Otherwise, they end up outside the play area, taking constant damage. Ultimately, the last team standing wins the match.

Being an online multiplayer battle royale, the game features different modes. Currently, there are a total of five available Apex Legends game modes: the regular "Play Apex" game mode, Duos, Ranked Leagues, the Firing Range, and Training. Apart from that, a variety of limited-time modes become available during particular events.
<h2>Legends, Weapons, Gear, Attachments</h2>
Each Legend in the game is different with unique abilities, backstory, and playstyle. They are further segregated into four classes: Offensive, Defensive, Support, and Recon. What makes the Apex Legends characters stand out from one another is their uncommon individual tactical, passive, and ultimate abilities.

Players can deal damage to enemies with weapons, including guns and throwables. Ammo and weapon attachments spawn on the ground, and different guns require different types of ammo and attachments.

Other than regular weapons, Legendary Weapons are fully-kitted weapons that spawn with all attachments equipped. Players can also find certain weapons in Care Packages. Such weapons are also known as supply drop weapons and are some of the strongest in the game.

Gear plays an essential part in the Apex Legends gameplay. Players can equip these items which take their own slots in the inventory. Helmets, Armor, Knockdown Sheilds, and Backpacks are the four types of gear in the game.

Moreover, gear has different levels and rarity. Level 1 is Common, Level 2 is Rare, Level 3 is Epic, Level 4 is Legendary, and finally, Level 5 is Heirloom.

Players can apply attachments to their weapons to improve the firing rate, magazine size, recoil, etc. The rarity levels for most weapon attachments vary from Common to Epic. However, some attachments have Legendary variants that come with specific buffs.

Additionally, attachments have different categories. These categories are Weapon attachments, Magazines, Optic attachments, and Hop-Up attachments.
<h2>What planet is Apex Legends on?</h2>
The game takes place in the same sci-fi universe as Respawn Entertainment's Titanfall and Titanfall 2.

A combination of star systems, the Outlands, on the extreme edge of The Frontier was captured by a conglomerate of several mercenary companies known as the Mercenary Syndicate, at the end of the Frontier War. The group of mercenaries settled as the ruling body of the region, thereby rekindling an age-old bloodsport and renaming it as the Apex Games.

Currently, there are two Apex Legends maps, both of them situated in the Outlands. While Kings Canyon is located on the planet Solace, World's Edge, introduced in Apex Legends Season 3, dwells on the planet Talos.
<h2>Is Apex Legends cross-platform?</h2>
At the <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/apex-legends-cross-play-imminent-with-possibility-of-other-features-in-the-future-esports-news/">EA Play Live</a> showcase in June 2020, Respawn Entertainment announced that Apex Legends will be coming to Nintendo Switch and Steam in Fall 2020. Consequently, Respawn will also enable Apex Legends to cross-play with the Switch/Steam launch.
<h2>Details</h2>
<table style="height: 270px" width="524">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><strong>First  Release            </strong></td>
<td>February 4, 2019</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>Latest Release</strong></td>
<td>Apex Legends Season 6 began on

August 18, 2020</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>Spin-Offs</strong></td>
<td> Titanfall's (2014) Battle Royale spin-off</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>Developers</strong></td>
<td> Respawn Entertainment</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>Genre</strong></td>
<td> Free-to-play, First-person shooter,

Battle Royale, Online multiplayer</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>Platforms</strong></td>
<td>PS4, Xbox One, PC,

Nintendo Switch &amp; Steam (Fall 2020)</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

Apex Legends

Apex Legends 2021 &#8211; Season 8, Characters, Crossplay, Updates, and Events Apex Legends: First Release Apex Legends was released on February 4, 2019, for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. It is one of the most prominent battle royales, featuring hero shooter mechanics, known for its high-octane and adrenaline-pumping gameplay. After its release, the game gained immense popularity worldwide and positive critical reception. It was even considered a worthy competitor to the other popular battle royales at the time, like Fortnite and PlayerUnknown&#8217;s Battlegrounds. Although some might say Apex isn&#8217;t as popular as it once was, there are still millions around the world who jump in daily. What is Apex Legends? It is a free-to-play battle royale game developed by Respawn Entertainment and published by Electronic Arts. Contenders from all across the Frontier with diverse backgrounds team up on the battlefield for glory, fame, and fortune. Apex Legends characters are known as Legends. Each legend having a different set of abilities makes it a very strategic battle royale. Players have to comprehend their legend&#8217;s abilities and utilize their team&#8217;s strengths on the battlefield to get the jump on opponents. After releasing in 2019, the game revolutionized the perception of battle royales with its innovative combat. Players have access to Respawn Beacons to resurrect teammates. The in-game voice lines for every legend help players communicate quickly and make the gameplay feel unique. Inventory management is also very efficient, and the Jumpmaster deployment feature allows a team to jump into the action together. Furthermore, there are regular seasons in the game. Players get to experience a plethora of new content on a seasonal basis. A new season also brings a fresh Apex Legends Battle Pass, with progression features and rewards. Players can compete to unlock new Legends, weapons, cosmetic items, and more. What is the point of Apex Legends? Like other battle royales, the ultimate goal is to become the last man standing. In Apex, up to 20 three-man squads land on a map, search for and equip weapons and supplies to combat opponents. The game progresses in Rounds, and the shrinking circular zone is called the Ring. The Ring deals more damage over time as it shrinks to smaller sizes. There are a total of 8 Rounds until the final shrinking zone encloses the whole Apex Legends map. Players have to be on the move constantly for good positioning in the zone. Otherwise, they end up outside the play area, taking constant damage. Ultimately, the last team standing wins the match. Being an online multiplayer battle royale, the game features different modes. Currently, there are a total of five available Apex Legends game modes: the regular &#8220;Play Apex&#8221; game mode, Duos, Ranked Leagues, the Firing Range, and Training. Apart from that, a variety of limited-time modes become available during particular events. Legends, Weapons, Gear, Attachments Each Legend in the game is different with unique abilities, backstory, and playstyle. They are further segregated into four classes: Offensive, Defensive, Support, and Recon. What makes the Apex Legends characters stand out from one another is their uncommon individual tactical, passive, and ultimate abilities. Players can deal damage to enemies with weapons, including guns and throwables. Ammo and weapon attachments spawn on the ground, and different guns require different types of ammo and attachments. Other than regular weapons, Legendary Weapons are fully-kitted weapons that spawn with all attachments equipped. Players can also find certain weapons in Care Packages. Such weapons are also known as supply drop weapons and are some of the strongest in the game. Gear plays an essential part in the Apex Legends gameplay. Players can equip these items which take their own slots in the inventory. Helmets, Armor, Knockdown Sheilds, and Backpacks are the four types of gear in the game. Moreover, gear has different levels and rarity. Level 1 is Common, Level 2 is Rare, Level 3 is Epic, Level 4 is Legendary, and finally, Level 5 is Heirloom. Players can apply attachments to their weapons to improve the firing rate, magazine size, recoil, etc. The rarity levels for most weapon attachments vary from Common to Epic. However, some attachments have Legendary variants that come with specific buffs. Additionally, attachments have different categories. These categories are Weapon attachments, Magazines, Optic attachments, and Hop-Up attachments. What planet is Apex Legends on? The game takes place in the same sci-fi universe as Respawn Entertainment&#8217;s Titanfall and Titanfall 2. A combination of star systems, the Outlands, on the extreme edge of The Frontier was captured by a conglomerate of several mercenary companies known as the Mercenary Syndicate, at the end of the Frontier War. The group of mercenaries settled as the ruling body of the region, thereby rekindling an age-old bloodsport and renaming it as the Apex Games. Currently, there are two Apex Legends maps, both of them situated in the Outlands. While Kings Canyon is located on the planet Solace, World&#8217;s Edge, introduced in Apex Legends Season 3, dwells on the planet Talos. Is Apex Legends cross-platform? At the EA Play Live showcase in June 2020, Respawn Entertainment announced that Apex Legends will be coming to Nintendo Switch and Steam in Fall 2020. Consequently, Respawn will also enable Apex Legends to cross-play with the Switch/Steam launch. Details  First  Release             February 4, 2019  Latest Release Apex Legends Season 6 began on August 18, 2020  Spin-Offs  Titanfall&#8217;s (2014) Battle Royale spin-off  Developers  Respawn Entertainment  Genre  Free-to-play, First-person shooter, Battle Royale, Online multiplayer  Platforms PS4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch &amp; Steam (Fall 2020)

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<h3><strong>Nintendo Switch - History, Sales, Current Market Value, Popular Games</strong></h3>
<span style="font-weight: 400">Nintendo Switch is one of the most popular gaming consoles on the face of this planet. The reason behind this is not just the legacy that its creator holds but also the fact that the console captures a majority of a market that is not very passionately captured by others, or it would be better to say that not many consoles had the potential to do the same. Although there are a number of competitors in the market now, back when Nintendo Switch was released in 2017, no one stood even close.</span>

[caption id="attachment_1680207" align="aligncenter" width="1920"]<img class="wp-image-1680207 size-full" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/Nintendo-Switch-1-4.jpg" alt="" width="1920" height="1285" /> Image Courtesy: IMAGO[/caption]
<h2>History of Nintendo Switch</h2>
<span style="font-weight: 400">Nintendo Switch is <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/category/nintendo/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nintendo</a>’s latest Primary console. It is the first home console ever to provide its users with a hybrid functionality. This console was released on March 3, 2017 worldwide.  </span><span style="font-weight: 400">The console was instantly met with a positive reaction all thanks to its innovative functionality and launch library. The most popular among its launch titles was <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/the-legend-of-zelda-breath-of-the-wild/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild</a>, which usually gets credit for its success.</span>

<strong>Popular Games</strong>

<span style="font-weight: 400">However, the most popular Nintendo Switch game is <strong>Mario Kart 8 Deluxe</strong> This kart racing game from the Mario franchise was released at the same time as the Switch. Thanks to the hype of the console and the game, it has gone on to remain their undisputed leader in sales. As per the reports from the end of 2022, Mario Kart remains at the top of the best-selling Nintendo Switch games with a mammoth <strong>52 million</strong> copies sold.  </span>

<span style="font-weight: 400">The top position was at risk at one point, but the end of the pandemic stopped that wild run. At one point, in Switch's journey, <strong>Animal Crossing: New Horizons</strong> was a game that gained instant popularity thanks to its chill nature and its availability during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. Many credits this game for keeping them happy during this trying time. Released during the lockdown period, this game was unstoppable and was easily the favorite to topple Mario Kart 8. </span>

<span style="font-weight: 400">However, that pace dropped due to many reasons, with <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/esports-news-animal-crossing-new-horizons-fans-give-up-on-the-game-despite-nintendo-scheduling-a-maintenance-update/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">unimpressive updates being one of them</a>. Nevertheless, the brilliant fame saw it become the second most successful game with a little over 10 million short of taking the top spot. And all this in a short span of two years.</span>

Further down the list, <span style="font-weight: 400"><strong>The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild</strong>, <strong><a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/pokemon-scarlet-and-violet/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pokemon Scarlet and Violet</a></strong>, <strong>Super Smash Bros. Ultimate</strong>, and <strong>Super Mario Odyssey</strong> prove their popularity as a few of the Switch favorites with their sales.</span>

<strong>COVID-19 turned out to be a boon for Nintendo</strong>

<span style="font-weight: 400">The COVID-19 pandemic only helped raise the popularity of the Nintendo Switch. The console sold more, and it is the newly launched game <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/animal-crossing-a-new-reality-in-the-pandemic-new-horizons-esports-news/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Animal Crossing: New Horizons broke several sales records</a>. It broke the record at Nintendo for being the fastest-selling title in Europe after one year of sale.</span>

If that wasn't satisfying enough the next one will do the job. New Horizons had<a href="https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/animal-crossing-has-broken-nintendos-first-year-sales-record-in-europe/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> sold 31.18 million copies</a> dated December 31, 2020. In the same year, Nintendo Switch sold 27.3 million consoles. It is also to be noted that ACNH was not out till March 2020, making this stat even more stupendous.

[caption id="attachment_1680216" align="aligncenter" width="1920"]<img class="size-full wp-image-1680216" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/Animal-crossing-.jpg" alt="" width="1920" height="1280" /> Image Courtesy: IMAGO[/caption]

<span style="font-weight: 400">Although the game has won many hearts doesn't mean it was flawless. Even the record-breaking console had its flaws. The biggest criticisms of the Switch are its low graphical power, a commonly known issue with its Joy-Con controllers, and its lack of a customizable user interface. </span><span style="font-weight: 400">While there was no fix for the graphical power, Nintendo failed to <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/esports-news-nintendo-games-takes-the-first-step-to-improve-the-joy-con-experience-for-its-users-free-of-cost/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">address the Joy-Con-related issues</a> for the longest time and they have yet to do anything about its simplistic user interface.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400">Paying heed to these problems could have won more hearts, but they did their best and produced new things. Since its release, Switch has received several new features such as Bluetooth headphone connectivity, media transfer, and game folder creation through numerous updates.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400"> Nevertheless, the hybrid console has done what it was intended to do. Since its release, the Switch has sold <strong>122.55 million units</strong> as of December 2022, making it the <strong>third</strong> best-selling game console in the world, and the <strong>second</strong> best-selling Nintendo console behind Nintendo DS, which stands at 154.02 million units sold. The top of the overall list is the PlayStation 2 with over 155 million sales.</span>

<strong>Although untouchable, Switch might finally have competition</strong>

<span style="font-weight: 400">The Nintendo Switch has been untouchable in the market for a long time. Its uniqueness has been the major reason why it stood out when compared with other consoles in the market. Nintendo sells to its own niche, hence its popularity is never threatened by its several rivals. </span>

<span style="font-weight: 400">However, new players have entered the race and the one threatening it is <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/steamdeck/">Steam Deck</a>, which can now be considered a better alternative. An <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/esports-news-is-steam-deck-in-trouble-asus-rog-unleashes-a-game-changer-in-portable-gaming/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">even better player is set to step into the field</a> as ASUS 'ROG Ally' is said to be the 'best in the world' after boasting its features recently.</span>
<h2><b>Nintendo Switch Components - Details, Costs and Differences</b></h2>
<span style="font-weight: 400">Nintendo Switch comes in three variants, <strong>Original</strong>, <strong>Switch Lite</strong>, and <strong>OLED</strong>. </span><span style="font-weight: 400">The original is the first model ever launched for this console which costs <strong>$299.99</strong>. Switch Lite is a lighter model that comes without a dock and an extended battery life costing <strong>$199.99</strong>. The OLED model comes with a larger OLED display and an updated Dock with a LAN port. Along with these, the price increase is also not small. The expensive of the lot, the OLED variant costs <strong>$349.99</strong>.</span>

<strong>(Note: The above-mentioned price are subject to change from time to time depending on the offers)</strong>

[caption id="attachment_1680206" align="aligncenter" width="1920"]<img class="size-full wp-image-1680206" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/Nintendo-Switch-2-1.jpg" alt="" width="1920" height="1222" /> Image Courtesy: IMAGO[/caption]

<span style="font-weight: 400">The Standard Switch package comes with basic accessories such as a charging adapter, a dock, and a pair of <strong>Joy-Con controllers</strong>. Switch Lite only comes with a charging adapter. </span><span style="font-weight: 400">The adapter is used for charging the console and powering the dock in dock mode. </span><span style="font-weight: 400">Joy-Cons can be detached from the console and used as individual controllers for offline multiplayer game sessions, adding to the flexibility of this system.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400">Nintendo <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/esports-news-after-a-year-of-its-release-is-the-nintendo-switch-online-expansion-pack-worth-it/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">introduced an online connectivity feature for Switch</a> called <strong>Nintendo Switch Online</strong>. Users can purchase this service in tiers and receive various perks with more expensive tiers. For example, its most expensive tier called Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pass offers a bunch of DLCs and a library of its older systems to subscribers.</span>
<h2><b>What are some of the best games to play on Nintendo Switch?</b></h2>
<ul>
 	<li><strong>The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild + DLC - </strong>One of the largest games on Nintendo Switch and its first blockbuster. It was a launch title and many purchased Nintendo Switch to take this game on the go.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
 	<li><strong>Splatoon 3 Bundle (Game + Expansion Pass) - </strong>Prime multiplayer-only franchise for Nintendo gamers.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
 	<li><strong>Metroid Prime Remastered - </strong>Nintendo decided to bring their most popular classic franchises to their hybrid console. Hence they remastered<a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/metroid-prime/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Metroid Prime</a> and released it on this console.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
 	<li><strong>Pokemon Scarlet and Violet - </strong>There's a reason every new Pokemon game created new sales records when it launches. These games add a new open-world twist to this classic series.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
 	<li><strong>Persona 5 Royale - </strong>Persona 5 Royale had been a long time coming to Nintendo Switch. This critically acclaimed Japanese Role-playing Game should be played by anyone with a love of story-based RPGs.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
 	<li><strong>The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (Complete Edition) - </strong>World renowned monster hunter comes to Nintendo Switch. And this game looks way better than anyone would have expected.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
 	<li><strong>Animal Crossing: New Horizon - </strong><a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/animal-crossing-new-horizons/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Animal Crossing</a> makes a transition to base building and crafting with this latest entry. What's best is that its release window was such that its peaceful nature made it very successful.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
 	<li><strong>Super Mario Odyssey - </strong>The only mainline <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/super-mario-bros/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Super Mario</a> game that launched on Nintendo Switch. The game is still considered one of the best platformer titles ever made. Its fanbase is such that they still await a sequel.</li>
 	<li><strong>Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - </strong>The latest in Nintendo's long-running assemble fighting series. The cast of this fighting game really does justice to its ultimate moniker. Featuring almost all characters ever seen in this series.</li>
 	<li><strong>Metroid Dread  - </strong>Metroid Dread made the original sidescrolling series mainline. Fans were really blown away by the visuals gameplay and style of this game. So much so that there are already rumors of the sequel.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Nintendo Switch Specifics</h2>
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><b>Product</b></td>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">Video game console</span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><b>Type</b></td>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">Home Console, Hand-Held Console</span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><b>Owner</b></td>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">Nintendo</span></td>
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<td><b>Country</b></td>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">United States, Japan</span></td>
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<td><b>Introduced</b></td>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">March 3, 2017</span></td>
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<td><b>Official</b> <b>website</b></td>
<td><a href="https://www.nintendo.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>https://www.nintendo.com/</b></a></td>
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<td><b>Models</b></td>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">Nintendo Switch Original, OLED, and LITE</span></td>
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</table>

Nintendo Switch

Nintendo Switch &#8211; History, Sales, Current Market Value, Popular Games Nintendo Switch is one of the most popular gaming consoles on the face of this planet. The reason behind this is not just the legacy that its creator holds but also the fact that the console captures a majority of a market that is not very passionately captured by others, or it would be better to say that not many consoles had the potential to do the same. Although there are a number of competitors in the market now, back when Nintendo Switch was released in 2017, no one stood even close. Image Courtesy: IMAGO History of Nintendo Switch Nintendo Switch is Nintendo’s latest Primary console. It is the first home console ever to provide its users with a hybrid functionality. This console was released on March 3, 2017 worldwide.  The console was instantly met with a positive reaction all thanks to its innovative functionality and launch library. The most popular among its launch titles was The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, which usually gets credit for its success. Popular Games However, the most popular Nintendo Switch game is Mario Kart 8 Deluxe This kart racing game from the Mario franchise was released at the same time as the Switch. Thanks to the hype of the console and the game, it has gone on to remain their undisputed leader in sales. As per the reports from the end of 2022, Mario Kart remains at the top of the best-selling Nintendo Switch games with a mammoth 52 million copies sold.   The top position was at risk at one point, but the end of the pandemic stopped that wild run. At one point, in Switch&#8217;s journey, Animal Crossing: New Horizons was a game that gained instant popularity thanks to its chill nature and its availability during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. Many credits this game for keeping them happy during this trying time. Released during the lockdown period, this game was unstoppable and was easily the favorite to topple Mario Kart 8. However, that pace dropped due to many reasons, with unimpressive updates being one of them. Nevertheless, the brilliant fame saw it become the second most successful game with a little over 10 million short of taking the top spot. And all this in a short span of two years. Further down the list, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and Super Mario Odyssey prove their popularity as a few of the Switch favorites with their sales. COVID-19 turned out to be a boon for Nintendo The COVID-19 pandemic only helped raise the popularity of the Nintendo Switch. The console sold more, and it is the newly launched game Animal Crossing: New Horizons broke several sales records. It broke the record at Nintendo for being the fastest-selling title in Europe after one year of sale. If that wasn&#8217;t satisfying enough the next one will do the job. New Horizons had sold 31.18 million copies dated December 31, 2020. In the same year, Nintendo Switch sold 27.3 million consoles. It is also to be noted that ACNH was not out till March 2020, making this stat even more stupendous. Image Courtesy: IMAGO Although the game has won many hearts doesn&#8217;t mean it was flawless. Even the record-breaking console had its flaws. The biggest criticisms of the Switch are its low graphical power, a commonly known issue with its Joy-Con controllers, and its lack of a customizable user interface. While there was no fix for the graphical power, Nintendo failed to address the Joy-Con-related issues for the longest time and they have yet to do anything about its simplistic user interface. Paying heed to these problems could have won more hearts, but they did their best and produced new things. Since its release, Switch has received several new features such as Bluetooth headphone connectivity, media transfer, and game folder creation through numerous updates. Nevertheless, the hybrid console has done what it was intended to do. Since its release, the Switch has sold 122.55 million units as of December 2022, making it the third best-selling game console in the world, and the second best-selling Nintendo console behind Nintendo DS, which stands at 154.02 million units sold. The top of the overall list is the PlayStation 2 with over 155 million sales. Although untouchable, Switch might finally have competition The Nintendo Switch has been untouchable in the market for a long time. Its uniqueness has been the major reason why it stood out when compared with other consoles in the market. Nintendo sells to its own niche, hence its popularity is never threatened by its several rivals. However, new players have entered the race and the one threatening it is Steam Deck, which can now be considered a better alternative. An even better player is set to step into the field as ASUS &#8216;ROG Ally&#8217; is said to be the &#8216;best in the world&#8217; after boasting its features recently. Nintendo Switch Components &#8211; Details, Costs and Differences Nintendo Switch comes in three variants, Original, Switch Lite, and OLED. The original is the first model ever launched for this console which costs $299.99. Switch Lite is a lighter model that comes without a dock and an extended battery life costing $199.99. The OLED model comes with a larger OLED display and an updated Dock with a LAN port. Along with these, the price increase is also not small. The expensive of the lot, the OLED variant costs $349.99. (Note: The above-mentioned price are subject to change from time to time depending on the offers) Image Courtesy: IMAGO The Standard Switch package comes with basic accessories such as a charging adapter, a dock, and a pair of Joy-Con controllers. Switch Lite only comes with a charging adapter. The adapter is used for charging the console and powering the dock in dock mode. Joy-Cons can be detached from the console and used as individual controllers for offline multiplayer game sessions, adding to the flexibility of this system. Nintendo introduced an online connectivity feature for Switch called Nintendo Switch Online. Users can purchase this service in tiers and receive various perks with more expensive tiers. For example, its most expensive tier called Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pass offers a bunch of DLCs and a library of its older systems to subscribers. What are some of the best games to play on Nintendo Switch? The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild + DLC &#8211; One of the largest games on Nintendo Switch and its first blockbuster. It was a launch title and many purchased Nintendo Switch to take this game on the go.  Splatoon 3 Bundle (Game + Expansion Pass) &#8211; Prime multiplayer-only franchise for Nintendo gamers.  Metroid Prime Remastered &#8211; Nintendo decided to bring their most popular classic franchises to their hybrid console. Hence they remastered Metroid Prime and released it on this console.  Pokemon Scarlet and Violet &#8211; There&#8217;s a reason every new Pokemon game created new sales records when it launches. These games add a new open-world twist to this classic series.  Persona 5 Royale &#8211; Persona 5 Royale had been a long time coming to Nintendo Switch. This critically acclaimed Japanese Role-playing Game should be played by anyone with a love of story-based RPGs.  The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (Complete Edition) &#8211; World renowned monster hunter comes to Nintendo Switch. And this game looks way better than anyone would have expected.  Animal Crossing: New Horizon &#8211; Animal Crossing makes a transition to base building and crafting with this latest entry. What&#8217;s best is that its release window was such that its peaceful nature made it very successful.  Super Mario Odyssey &#8211; The only mainline Super Mario game that launched on Nintendo Switch. The game is still considered one of the best platformer titles ever made. Its fanbase is such that they still await a sequel. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate &#8211; The latest in Nintendo&#8217;s long-running assemble fighting series. The cast of this fighting game really does justice to its ultimate moniker. Featuring almost all characters ever seen in this series. Metroid Dread  &#8211; Metroid Dread made the original sidescrolling series mainline. Fans were really blown away by the visuals gameplay and style of this game. So much so that there are already rumors of the sequel. Nintendo Switch Specifics  Product Video game console  Type Home Console, Hand-Held Console  Owner Nintendo  Country United States, Japan  Introduced March 3, 2017  Official website https://www.nintendo.com/  Models Nintendo Switch Original, OLED, and LITE

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