Nintendo Switch 2 hits South-east Asia markets ahead of schedule but leaves Malaysia on ‘pause' for now
KUALA LUMPUR, May 30 — Nintendo has revealed that the new Nintendo Switch 2 game console will be making its way to South-east Asia much earlier than previously announced. Unfortunately, Malaysia is somehow missing from today's revelation despite being included in the original announcement back in April.
Nintendo Switch 2's original release timeline for Malaysia
On April 2, Nintendo announced that the company plans to release Switch 2 in selected markets within South-east Asia between July to September 2025. Malaysia is among such markets, together with Singapore, Thailand, and the Philippines.
Fast forward to now, Nintendo has officially marked June 26, 2025 as the release date for Switch 2 in Singapore, Thailand, and the Philippines. There was no mention of Malaysia in the announcement.
Nintendo announced that the company plans to release Switch 2 in selected markets within South-east Asia between July to September 2025. — SoyaCincau pic
Should gamers in Malaysia be worried?
Well, Switch 2 is still there on Nintendo Malaysia's website. In addition to that, the April announcement is also still being shown on the website.
We take that as a sign that Nintendo is still committed to launching Switch 2 in Malaysia. So, don't panic just yet.
Meanwhile, a similar situation occurred with the PlayStation 5 before. In October 2020, Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) confirmed the launch date for the console for Singapore but at the same time, the company removed the estimated Holiday 2020 launch date from PlayStation 5 websites for other South-east Asian markets, including Malaysia.
A month later, only then SIE finally revealed the launch date of PS5 for Malaysia. Naturally, it was a blistering success to the extent that you can't get your hands on the console during the launch day if you didn't pre-order.
So, yeah, we don't think gamers should lose their sleep over today's announcement. As long as there is still a sign of commitment from Nintendo, we will eventually see Switch 2 being made available in our market.
Unlike Microsoft, which still has not officially launched Xbox in Malaysia after 23 years...and counting. — SoyaCincau
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Malay Mail
34 minutes ago
- Malay Mail
The story behind a simple bowl of noodles at PJ SS3's Restoran 33
PETALING JAYA, June 2 — Throughout my years of writing about food, I have come to realise it really goes beyond just the taste of the food. Behind each bowl or dish that we're served, there's always a story, whether it's happy or sad, as it represents someone's life story. Like this bowl of noodles — blanketed with nuggets of minced pork — served with a bowl of clear broth, fish balls and pork balls. It looks ordinary. In fact, it's probably too simple, making me wonder if anyone would make a beeline to this stall to eat this, but somehow it's become a bowl of noodles I really don't mind driving back to my old neighbourhood to relish again. In this crazy world where outlandish meals like overflowing bowls of curry mee jam packed with all kinds of ingredients go viral for its abundance rather than the taste of the curry, where does this bowl of noodles stand? It took me sometime to figure out which stall served the noodles so use this as a reference point. — Picture by Lee Khang Yi For this stall owner, a woman known as Chew, it's her heritage, passed down from her parents who operated this stall about 50 years ago. Back in the old days, this stall offered beef noodles with a minced meat topping. It came with beef broth, where handmade beef tendon balls, soft tendons and tender beef accompanied the noodles. Sadly, that skill for making those beef tendon balls was lost after the older generation passed away. When the mad cow disease struck, the stall pivoted to cleverly tweak their recipe, serving pork with a similar seasoning as the topping and using chicken broth paired with commercially sourced fish balls and pork balls. Each bowl is accompanied by this light broth (left) with fish balls and pork balls and the all-important homemade chilli sauce (right) with calamansi lime juice. — Picture by Lee Khang Yi Once operated by Chew and her sister, she is now on her own as her sibling has decided to hang up her apron. She gallantly continues business in the morning at this coffee shop in PJ SS3. I must admit I didn't even know of this stall's existence despite residing in SS3 as a child, until I read about it on social media. Don't knock her food despite its minimalist look. My small bowl (RM8) with loh shue fun and those minced pork bites was demolished in no time; the empty bowl a sign of supreme satisfaction. Chew spends time to drive flavour into her minced pork, slowly cooking it in a sauce until it's a dark brown and tender. 'Sang mee' is the preferred choice for noodles with the regulars. — Picture by Lee Khang Yi Try it with sang mee or egg noodles, a crowd favourite, as those al dente strands are a perfect pairing with the topping. Drizzle that deep red homemade chilli sauce over your noodles for an added punch. Its mellow spiciness has just a slight zing, thanks to calamansi lime juice versus those who use vinegar for a sharper piquancy. One may think the broth is flavourless judging from its light look but don't be fooled. Previously using beef in their offerings, the stall pivoted to offer pork instead, tweaking the seasoning to suit their customers' tastes. — Picture by Lee Khang Yi Brewed from pork bones and chicken carcasses, it's naturally sweetened making it a great pairing with the fish balls and pork balls. These may not be home made but the pork ball isn't overloaded with fillers and has a distinct meaty flavour. Even the two types of fish balls are good with a slight bounce. The big size for the noodles is RM9, which is an upgrade for the noodles of your choice rather than the topping. Out of all the numerous coffee shops that dot this neighbourhood, this place tends to have sparse offerings and was famous for its chap fan for lunch but that stall owner has recently retired. It's right behind the super popular Sin Chew Chicken Rice at Restoran New Pom Pom. This coffee shop was popular for its economy rice stall and is found just behind Restoran New Pom Pom. — Picture by Lee Khang Yi Pork Noodle Stall Restoran 33 2, Jalan SS3/35 Taman Universiti, Petaling Jaya Open: 6.30am to 12pm. Closed on Sunday. *This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal. **Follow us on Instagram @eatdrinkmm for more food gems.
Free Malaysia Today
2 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Aaron-Wooi Yik win S'pore Open, third title this year
Malaysia's world No 3 pair Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik had to come back from a first-game loss to beat their South Korean rivals. (Bernama pic) PETALING JAYA : Reigning Asian men's doubles champions Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik created a personal record today by winning the Singapore Open title, their third crown in a year. It was no walk in the park for the world No 3 pair as they had to come back from a first-game loss to beat the dogged 10th ranked South Korean pair Seo Seung Jae-Kim Won Ho 15-21, 21-18, 21-19 in 65 minutes. Aaron-Wooi Yik captured the Badminton Asia Championship title in April and Thailand Open crown two weeks ago. This is their first title in Singapore. The two pairs have played each other twice with both winning once each. In a post-match interview, Aaron attributed today's victory to their mental strength in focusing on the tense match, despite being fatigued having played three tournaments back-to-back. 'We told ourselves not to rush but to keep playing one point at a time. We thank the fans here and back home for the motivation and support. This win is not only for us but also for all of them,' he said. The two-time Olympic bronze medallists won US$74,000 (RM315,296) as the winners of the Singapore Open while the runners-up won US$35,000 (RM149,126) in the World Tour Super 750 event. Aaron-Wooi Yik, who were recently-crowned Malaysian Sportsmen of the Year, have now won a total of five titles in their career. Today's victory also ends Malaysia's 17-year title drought at the Singapore Open in the men's doubles event. The last time a Malaysian pair won the title was Zakry Latif- Fairuzizuan Tazari in 2008. Aaron-Wooi Yik had a remarkable run in Singapore as they defeated some of the world's top pairs, namely Denmark's Rasmus Kjaer-Frederik Sogaard, Japan's Takuro Hoki-Yugo Kobayashi, compatriots Man Wei Cheong-Tee Kai Wun and India's Chirag Shetty-Satwiksairaj Rankireddy en route to the final.
Malay Mail
2 hours ago
- Malay Mail
What are Malaysians reading? English books shine, but BM titles thrive locally
KUALA LUMPUR, June 2 — When you think of international authors like J.K. Rowling, Stephenie Meyer, and George R.R. Martin, it's evident their books have captivated global audiences, including readers in Malaysia. Closer to home, Malaysian authors like Hanna Alkaf and Tan Twan Eng have also left their mark with English-language titles such as The Weight of Our Sky and The Garden of Evening Mists. Whether international or local, Malaysians appear to have a growing appreciation for English-language literature. This raises an important question: how do Bahasa Malaysia (BM) books compare, and are they resonating just as strongly with local readers? Speaking to Malay Mail, a local bookstore revealed that in 2024, BM titles accounted for 36 per cent of their sales, while English-language books made up the remaining 64 per cent. Amir Muhammad said outside of bookshops nationwide, BM titles sell more than English books. — Picture by Choo Choy May BM titles still dominate overall However, Malaysian writer Amir Muhammad, 52, believes this might only reflect certain bookstores. 'Anyone who has visited the KL International Book Fair (KLIBF), which attracts over a million visitors annually, would see how significant the local BM market is,' he said. At the 2025 KLIBF, Bookiut under the PTS Media Group reported that BM titles made up around 90 per cent of their sales in just four days, with English-language books accounting for only 10 to 20 per cent. Similarly, Iman Publication reported that about 85 per cent of their sales were BM books, particularly in popular genres like comics and self-help. Fatin Iman, 35, CEO of Iman Publication, said that bookstore sales only offer part of the picture. 'In recent years, especially with online shopping, platforms like Shopee have become a popular avenue for publishers to sell their books,' she said. 'From what I know, at least nine or ten publishers focusing on BM titles are now actively selling through these platforms.' Fatin, speaking from a publisher's perspective, noted that the majority of the Malaysian audience is reading more BM titles compared to English ones. — Picture courtesy of Fatin Iman More BM authors, fewer English-language writers Fatin also noted that BM authors outnumber English-language writers in Malaysia. 'At Iman Publication, we publish in both BM and English, but it's relatively harder to find local authors writing in English compared to Malay,' she said. For context, only 15 to 20 per cent of Iman Publication's titles are in English, including novels and non-fiction works. Amir agreed, adding that BM authors tend to enjoy larger audiences. 'For example, which Malaysian English-language author has over 100,000 followers on any platform? I can name at least a dozen BM writers who do,' he said. Visitors browsing a wide selection of books at the Iman Publication booth during KLIBF 2025. — Picture by Yusot Mat Isa BM publishing is thriving Far from declining, the BM publishing scene is thriving, driven largely by social media platforms like TikTok. 'The younger generation — Gen Z — is engaging with BM books through TikTok, where some titles have sold over 10,000 copies just via the platform,' Fatin said. Amir pointed out that BM books continue to dominate where it matters most — sales. 'For example, no local English title can sell 100,000 copies in 25 minutes, which is exactly what happened with Teme Abdullah's new novel,' he said. The evolving publishing scene Authors like Syameen Khalili, 46, and Iqbal Rafiuddin, 32, noted that the Malaysian publishing industry has evolved significantly. 'BM readers today welcome stories that cross genres, such as science fiction or thrillers, infused with elements of romance or comedy,' said Syameen. Iqbal added that the market now features a wider variety of genres, moving beyond the romance and horror-heavy offerings of a decade ago. 'Publishers today are bold enough to print works that were previously deemed unsellable,' he said. 'Ayah, Ini Arahnya ke Mana, ya?' by Khoirul Trian caught the attention of visitors at KLIBF 2025. — Picture by Yusot Mat Isa Striking a balance So, are Malaysians reading more English or BM books? While English-language titles have made strides in reaching international audiences, BM books dominate the local market. 'In the context of the international market, BM books require more effort to achieve milestones on par with English titles,' said Iqbal. Fatin concluded that while English-language books gain visibility abroad, the majority of Malaysians still gravitate towards BM books, particularly in commercial fiction. 'BM non-fiction remains focused on topics like Islam, business, and local politics, while non-fiction in English often covers broader subjects,' added Amir. This year's book fair bears the theme 'Buku: Membaca, Memimpin', ended yesterday after starting on May 23, with over 1,000 exhibition booths by almost 300 local and foreign publishers.
