X

Nintendo is about to sell a whole lot more Switches

The hybrid console is coming to China on Dec. 10, for $300.

Sean Keane Former Senior Writer
Sean knows far too much about Marvel, DC and Star Wars, and poured this knowledge into recaps and explainers on CNET. He also worked on breaking news, with a passion for tech, video game and culture.
Expertise Culture, Video Games, Breaking News
Sean Keane
switch-crop.png

The Nintendo Switch will be available in China next week.

Sarah Tew/CNET

After months of negotiations, the Nintendo Switch is hitting a massive new market: China. Japanese game company Nintendo teamed up with China's Tencent to bring the hybrid console to the country's 1.3 billion people on Dec. 10. Preorders opened Wednesday, and the machine costs 2,099 yuan (around $300).

The launch will include New Super Mario Bros U Deluxe, with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Super Mario Odyssey hitting the Chinese market in the coming weeks, according to Reuters. The Switch Lite will also be released in China. 

Watch this: Nintendo Switch Lite: 1 month later

Chinese authorities have become more open to games consoles in the last few years, letting Microsoft sell the Xbox One and letting Sony bring the PS4 to the market. The Switch has been available in most of the world since March 2017, and 41.67 million of them have been sold since then.

Last month, Pokemon Sword and Shield became the console's fastest-selling games, having sold 6 million copies worldwide over their launch weekend.

Neither Nintendo nor Tencent immediately responded to requests for comment.

First published at 4:51 a.m. PT.
Updated at 5:19 a.m. PT: Adds more detail.

The Best Nintendo Switch Games to Play in 2023

See all photos