Nintendo Switch to use Immersion’s TouchSense Technology

Following the Nintendo Switch Presentation, there’s a little bit of news that went largely unnoticed amidst all the game announcements, trailers, gameplay videos, etc.. It’s about Immersion, who presents itself as the “leading developer and licensor of touch feedback technology”.

What does Immersion have to do with Nintendo? Well, it turns out that the Nintendo Switch is going to use the company’s TouchSense Technology. The two companies signed multi-year agreement, that will see Immersion adapt its TouchSense technology to the new Nintendo Switch system. As part of the agreement, Nintendo also receives a license to Immersion’s patent portfolio. 

But Nintendo isn’t interested in keeping that technology to themselves: all game developers will be to use the TouchSense software suite to design games for the Nintendo Switch, and provide “immersive touch-based gaming controls”.

This is a pretty interesting announcement, and in more ways than one. The most obvious is this: why would Nintendo go and spend money to licence a technology that users cannot benefit from while the console is used on the TV? So far, we haven’t seen any game or feature using the touchscreen, so this is quite intriguing.

Also, the wording in the press release it’s pretty clear: the technology hasn’t been adapted yet, so it’s not something that Nintendo is planning to use in the near future. But if they went and paid for it, that means they intend to use later down the line. But for what? That’s the 1 million dollars question… One thing’s for sure: we’re yet to see the full picture regarding the Nintendo Switch.

Source: Immersion