Folks in Japan can now buy a Nintendo Switch without a dock for a much cheaper price, perfect for those who are willing to play the system in handheld mode at all times.
Nintendo says the "Switch 2nd Unit Set" is for households who already have a Switch hooked up to a TV set and therefore don't need a second dock, but who are we kidding here? It's obviously for players who don't care much about playing Switch games on their TV.
Nintendo Switch Without A Dock
The dockless Switch costs JPY 24,980 — about $226, which is $73 cheaper than a standard Switch package. It comes with two Joy-Con controllers, with the HDMI cable and Joy-Con grip obviously not included in the bundle. Surprisingly, it doesn't come with the standard AC charger. A dock and adapter set costs JPY 9,698 when sold separately — about $88 — but users can opt for alternative charging solutions or buy from third parties.
The dockless Switch bundle is now available to purchase at My Nintendo Store. Customers can even customize the color of their Joy-Cons, an option that's missing from the U.S. market. There's no word yet on whether this Switch bundle will ever make it outside Japan. As The Verge notes, the reason Nintendo is selling this might be because Japanese households often don't have more than one TV, and buying a dockless Switch would make more sense in that regard.
Probably Not Coming To The US, Though
If it ever reaches stateside, there would probably be a lot of people who will buy this instead of a standard Switch package. In a recent thread at the Nintendo Switch subreddit, many players admitted to playing exclusively in handheld mode; some even say it's exactly the reason why they bought a Switch in the first place.
But by selling a dockless Switch, Nintendo risks confusing its audience as to what the Switch is. The Wii U, largely a failure, was deemed a marketing disaster. Nintendo has a killer concept with the Switch: a home console you can instantly take with you. If it suddenly takes the dock away, then it would be easy for people to think of it as just a handheld device. Of course, the Switch is far more powerful than any handheld gaming device out there, but more often than not, clear and unambiguous marketing is key.
What do you think? Should Nintendo sell a dockless Switch in the United States? As always, if you have anything to share, feel free to sound them off in the comments section below!
