The Nintendo Switch Lite is real, will release on September 20th

After what feels like months of ongoing rumours, apparent accessory leaks and speculation, Nintendo has today finally announced that it will released a trimmed-down, more affordable version of the Nintendo Switch this September 20^th. It’s officially called the Nintendo Switch Lite, comes in a choice of three pastel colours and is significantly cheaper – sub £200, to be exact.

Of course, this new rendition of the wildly successful hybrid console might seem odd in that it won’t support docked play (and therefore cannot “Switch”), but it looks like a great choice for players or parents who want to primarily play fantastic Nintendo games only in handheld. There’s a full breakdown of the differences between models over on Nintendo’s official site, though the released images make it clear that the Joy-Con remain built-in, there’s a true D-pad and it’s a tad lighter in terms of weight.

The Nintendo Switch Lite’s touch screen is also slightly smaller than the original model (5.5 inches compared to the normal Switch’s 6.2-inches). On the plus side, however, the Lite will boast a longer battery life. Here’s a cool infographic that explains it all:

If you're after a more detailed breakdown about the differences between the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch Lite, why not check out our Nintendo Switch vs Lite comparison guide? From design, performance to all the different colours available, we've tracked which model might suit every type of player's specific needs.

This move is extremely similar to how Nintendo handled the launch of the 2DS, paring back some of the Nintendo 3DS' features in order to make it more affordable. Is this enough to finally tempt you into buying a Switch? We think it could be worth it. After all, nobody’s going to miss playing 1-2 Switch too much in our opinion.