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Nintendo Switch might soon be available in China

The gaming giant is partnering with Chinese tech company Tencent, according to Reuters.

Abrar Al-Heeti Technology Reporter
Abrar Al-Heeti is a technology reporter for CNET, with an interest in phones, streaming, internet trends, entertainment, pop culture and digital accessibility. She's also worked for CNET's video, culture and news teams. She graduated with bachelor's and master's degrees in journalism from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Though Illinois is home, she now loves San Francisco -- steep inclines and all.
Expertise Abrar has spent her career at CNET analyzing tech trends while also writing news, reviews and commentaries across mobile, streaming and online culture. Credentials
  • Named a Tech Media Trailblazer by the Consumer Technology Association in 2019, a winner of SPJ NorCal's Excellence in Journalism Awards in 2022 and has three times been a finalist in the LA Press Club's National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards.
Abrar Al-Heeti
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The Nintendo Switch debuted in March 2017. It became the fastest-selling console in US history. 

Óscar Gutiérrez/CNET

Nintendo will reportedly start selling its Switch console in China.

The Japanese video game maker is partnering with Chinese tech company Tencent, according to a Thursday report by Reuters. Authorities in China's Guangdong province, where Tencent is based, reportedly agreed to let the company sell a test version of the New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe Switch game. That decision would allow for sales of the Switch nationwide, people familiar with the matter told Reuters. 

China has relaxed its restrictions on gaming consoles in recent years, allowing for the sale of devices like Microsoft's Xbox One and Sony's PlayStation 4.  

Nintendo and Tencent didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Nintendo Switch debuted in March 2017. It became the fastest-selling console in US history after selling 4.8 million units in the first 10 months of its release. Nintendo is expected to sell 17.3 million consoles globally in 2019, according to market research firm Strategy Analytics.