Nintendo announces Chinese Switch launch press conference

Nintendo and Tencent have announced a joint press conference to discuss plans to launch Nintendo Switch in China.

The platform holder and Chinese gaming giant Tencent, which is expected to handle distribution, will host the conference in Shanghai on August 2.

According to Kantan Games analyst Dr. Serkan Toto, Tencent recently launched official Switch-related social media accounts.

Foreign game firms typically need to navigate complex regulations in order to release their products in China.

Switch was reportedly approved for sale in China in April, two years after its release in the West.

It’s expected to be sold alongside a free “test version” of New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe.

Nintendo has previously released the N64 and Nintendo 3DS XL in China under iQue branding.

However, traditional consoles including those from Xbox and PlayStation have struggled to catch on in the region, with PC and mobile dominant.

Earlier this month, Nintendo said it’s to move some Switch console production out of China amid the nation’s ongoing trade war with the US.

A spokesperson said Nintendo plans to make the partial production shift to Vietnam this summer in a bid to diversify manufacturing sites.