Whenever Nintendo launches a new piece of gaming hardware, third-party manufacturers are very keen to support it with accessories. And if they can get "officially licensed" on to their packaging, all the better. Hori is one of the better known accessory manufacturers supporting Nintendo, and its entire range of Switch accessories leaked just a few days ahead of Nintendo's big Switch reveal event.
The leak comes via Twitter user DroidXAce, with black and white images showing a range of accessories including screen protectors, a stand, a charger for two sets of Joy-Cons, an arcade stick, a joypad, car charger, LAN adapter, case for the Switch handheld, and a case for the game cartridges. You can view them all on NeoGAF.
These are all accessories you'd expect to be offered for a new piece of hardware. But there's one extra detail that potentially reveals more than Nintendo would have liked. Among the accessories is a Zelda Breath of the Wild kit (including a Switch pouch, microfiber cloth, Joy-Con protector, and game cartridge case), a Breath of the Wild sticker set for the Joy-Con Grip controller and Switch stand, and a larger Breath of the Wild-themed game cartridge case. The sticker set clearly lists its availability as "March 2017."
Accessories specifically targeted at supporting a game only really sell well when positioned next to the newly released game. After a few weeks these accessories get heavily discounted so as to clear stock. With that in mind, it's fair to suggest that Hori would only be making Breath of the Wild-themed accessories available in March if the game was going to be available.
It was suggested back in November that Breath of the Wild would not be a Switch launch title because it simply won't be ready in time. Nintendo kept quiet and is leaving all new details for its live presentation on January 12. This Hori leak certainly suggests that we are going to have Breath of the Wild available at launch, which is sure to please fans and make the Switch sell out all the more quickly.
Nintendo's Switch presentation will be streamed at 11pm EST on January 12. You'll be able to watch it live on the Nintendo Switch site, Nintendo's YouTube channel, or on Twitch.