It After months of waiting, it finally happened. Months of speculation was brought to a close as Nintendo finally revealed some more details about their next console: the Switch.

Previously labelled the NX, bold claims were tossed around how this would be a hybrid console capable of playing games both at home and on the go. These claims turned out to be true and, as previously detailed, the Internet collectively exploded. We had thought this might happen, but never had we expected this! It was a shock in the best possible way, both for Nintendo fans and the general gaming populous.

Then came the livestream announcement. January 12th finally arrived, and people from across the globe sat glued to their monitors. Is this worth my money? What games will be on this console? But now it's over, and the world has been left with some juicy details to ponder and salivate over.

After a countdown and flashes of red and white, the program opened with a word directly from Tatsumi Kimishima, the current president of Nintendo. He discussed the very positive response from the release trailer and dropped the official launch date for the console: March 3rd, 2017. It's scheduled to be a simultaneous worldwide release and is will cost $299.99 in the U.S. And unlike previous Nintendo systems, the Switch will not be region locked, meaning games and software bought or downloaded from anywhere in the world will work on any Switch device.

He also discussed that the console would support online multiplayer, a staple of modern gaming, along with smart-device compatibilty. What was really surprising to long-time Nintendo fans, however, is that Internet will be a paid service on the Switch, similar to the Playstation Network or Xbox Live on their respective systems. Ever since the Gamecube all the way up to the Wii U, Nintendo's online play has always been free. So why the sudden change? Only time and future details will tell for sure.

The reigns of the show were, with pun intended, switched over to Shinya Takahashi, Nintendo's lead software director and general manager. He opened with reminiscing about the company's lineage of consoles, describing how elements of each are in the Switch's DNA before getting into the technical specs of the system. There will be three different modes of play: TV mode, Tabletop mode, and Handheld mode, as well as putting the much-wondered about question of how long the battery will last to last. Depending on the game, the Switch will have a battery life between two and a half to six and a half hours without recharging. That's about the lifespan of a charged 3DS, so quite impressive!

Takahashi then moved off the stage where a video began to play demonstrating the Switch's controllers, or joy-cons. Along with being full controllers with shoulder buttons, the joy-cons can read amiibo data, take screenshots and video, have gyroscopic sensors for motion control, a gesture camera, and an HD rumble feature. Not bad for something that fits in the palm of your hand.

A number of new games were presented to start off the Switch's official library; first was a party-oriented game called 1,2, Switch! where players do not use a screen to play with each other...

...and ARMS, a 3D arena fighting game similar to Pokken Tournament utilizing the joy-cons' motion control setup.

Neither of these titles were the ones fans were expecting out of Nintendo out the gate, but it seems like the company anticipated this. For as soon as this was finished, the debut trailers for the two titles swiftly followed: Splatoon 2 and Super Mario Odyssey.

Splatoon, the Wii U's killer app, was Nintendo's first new intellectual property in many years. Their take on the team-based shooter genre proved to be a great success, and the company stated their intention to regularly update the game and hold seasonal events, giving many the impression this was to be their Overwatch or Team Fortress 2 as those games have seen much acclaim over the past decade. Not only that, it gave us perhaps the most awkward moment in the presentation of what was a man claiming to be a scientist wielding plastic guns dabbing and positioning his body into a number two.

The latest Super Mario title Odyssey, only having a glimpse given away during the Switch trailer, was then shown to the pleasure of many. It featured the titular hero running and jumping about what appeared to be New York City and a stylized Mexican village, locations we haven't previously seen in any Mario game (though the idea of Mario in New York may drudge up memories of his ill-fated cinema experience, but we don't talk about that). Judging by what we've seen, this venture seems to take inspiration from both Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Galaxy which is certainly a good thing.

Picking up the pace a bit, several trailers and teasers for new games were shown in rapid succession. Xenoblade 2, a JRPG in what looks like Final Fantasy VII style, Koei-Tecmo's Fire Emblem Warriors, Atlus' next Shin Megami Tensei title, and Square Enix's somewhat oddly-titled Project Octopath Traveller. Bethesda officially confirmed The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim would be ported to the Switch, SUDA51 himself announced a future for Travis Touchdown in a possible No More Heroes sequel (also promoting Nintendo's openness for indie titles), and Electronic Arts promised to bring FIFA to the system.

After such a flurry of what looks to be great titles, some people were expecting a break from it. But without warning, a full-on advertisement was shown, not only demonstrating some of the Switch's already known features but giving consumers a peek of what other games are to come. SEGA's Project Sonic, Ubisoft's Rayman and Just Dance franchises, Minecraft, and many, many more.

As the event began to wind down, many were left wondering about one last thing. One last cherry on top of the sundae. And once again, Nintendo delivered. After a quick interlude with the head of Nintendo of Europe Satoru Shibata, the screen then transitioned to the head of Nintendo of America Reggie Fils-Aime having a friendly conversation with Shigeru Miyamoto and Eiji Aonuma, two of the masterminds behind some of the company's stalwart franchises like Super Mario, Donkey Kong, and Metroid.

They discussed the title everyone was anticipating, teased everyone about the one crucial question everyone had: when would it come out? But that answer didn't come from these three. Instead the torch was passed back to Tokyo, and finally, after months of waiting, the fans got what they came for. It was... well, see for yourself.

The question had been answered. Breath of the Wild was to be a launch title. And there was nothing more to say. The presenters said their thank yous and goodbyes as fans all across the globe (myself included) picked their collective jaws off the ground. It was a perfect end to all the excitement.

In my last article, I said that all eyes are on Nintendo. It's far to early to see if they have truly succeeded. But if this whole presentation, and the fans' reactions and excitement is any indication, it's a good bet that we're in for something truly special.