Nintendo Unveils Cheaper Version of Switch Gaming Console

Nintendo introduced a cheaper version of its portable Switch gaming console, as the company seeks to expand the potential market for games, according to Bloomberg.

The Switch Lite will retail for $199.99, or $100 less than the original device, in time for the all-important holiday shopping season. The new console will be released Sept. 20 and comes in yellow, gray and turquoise, the company said in a statement.

Nintendo shares have rebounded this year on optimism that the cheaper Switch, a stronger pipeline of games and a potential entry into China will help overcome last year’s missteps and broaden Nintendo’s customer base beyond dedicated fans. Still, analysts have struggled to understand how much a lower priced device will expand the Switch’s market. In April, Nintendo gave a muted financial forecast that stunned investors and analysts, sending shares sliding.

The original Nintendo Switch, which launched in March 2017, allows people to play in three different modes, handheld, tabletop and television, while the Switch Lite is designed for handheld mode. When the hybrid console originally debuted, it was seen as classic Nintendo, a new gadget that broke the norms of conventional video games.

So far, the Switch has struggled to find customers beyond a core fan base. The company shipped 17 million Switch consoles last fiscal year and forecast 18 million for the current period, less than analyst projections for 18.5 million. The cheaper Switch is aimed at expanding the market so more people will buy the company’s games.