Forgot password
Enter the email address you used when you joined and we'll send you instructions to reset your password.
If you used Apple or Google to create your account, this process will create a password for your existing account.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Reset password instructions sent. If you have an account with us, you will receive an email within a few minutes.
Something went wrong. Try again or contact support if the problem persists.
Category:
News
Nintendo

Tencent is Now Allowed to Sell the Nintendo Switch in China

Image of Aaron Greenbaum
Aaron Greenbaum
|

Published: Apr 18, 2019 12:36 pm

This article is over 5 years old and may contain outdated information

Earlier today, Reuters reported that the multinational corporation Tencent Holdings is now allowed to sell the Nintendo Switch in China. Even though the Switch released worldwide two years ago, it was never sold in China because it had to wait for approval from the Guangdong Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism.

Recommended Videos

While complex regulations in China prevented Nintendo from bringing the Switch to the country until today, market analyst Gu Tianyi from Newzoo is confident the console will prove extremely popular in China. Tianyi believes the Switch’s handheld capabilities will be a “great fit” for the country since it has a large mobile gamer population, and franchises such as Super Mario, The Legend of Zelda, and Pokemon already have established fan bases in China.

Unlike other regional versions of the Nintendo Switch, Tencent will distribute the Switch with test versions of New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe, as that was apparently a stipulation from the Guangdong Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism.

This partnership isn’t a first for Nintendo and Tencent, as they previously collaborated to port Tencent’s MOBA title Arena of Valor onto the Switch outside of China. On the flipside, however, Nintendo’s presence within China is a long and winding tale.

Despite the country’s large gamer population, the Chinese government placed severe restrictions on what foreign games and game consoles could and couldn’t be sold in China. The government even banned numerous consoles, which resulted in creative solutions such as the China-exclusive iQue line to sell a limited library of Nintendo 64, Game Boy Advance, and Nintendo DS/3DS games.

More recently, Nintendo teamed up with NVIDIA (whose chip powers the Nintendo Switch) to produce the Nvidia Shield Nintendo Special Edition. This version of the Nvidia Shield was sold exclusively in China and designed to play older Wii and Gamecube titles, including Super Mario Galaxy, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, and Punch-Out!!

Only time will tell if Nintendo and Tencent’s partnership will pay off and if the Switch proves successful in China.

Twinfinite is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more about our Affiliate Policy
related content
Author
Image of Aaron Greenbaum
Aaron Greenbaum
Aaron was a freelance writer between June 2018 and October 2022. All you have to do to get his attention is talk about video games, anime, and/or Dungeons & Dragons - also people in spandex fighting rubber suited monsters. Aaron largely specialized in writing news for Twinfinite during his four years at the site.
facebook