Some of the new Nintendo Switch Starlight game stations are already being shipped to locations in healthcare facilities and hospitals across the United States. These handheld gaming stations are the result of a collaboration between the Starlight organization and Nintendo of America. Starlight is a children’s charity. Its mission is to bring “happiness to seriously ill children”. [Thanks, Go Nintendo!]
Starlight Gaming Stations are designed to comply with infection safety protocols, and the newest Starlight Nintendo Switch line will feature more than twenty-five preloaded games from a variety of genres. According to its website, Starlight will also “explore options for the game unit to become portable”.
Starlight game stations, in general, are nothing new and have been manufactured in collaboration with Nintendo of America for more than twenty-eight years. To date, Starlight and Nintendo have distributed a total of 7,200 gaming stations to 800 locations.
Donations to Starlight facilitate play time for sick children, but can also serve to provide patience with “comfortable and colorful” hospital clothing. Another charity, called Extra Life, has a similar goal to Starlight and also distributes games to children’s hospitals. People who wish to make a donation can do so in a variety of ways through Extra Life. For example, they can sign up to raise money for streaming games. They can also participate by watching streams, promoting other streams, raising awareness or through direct donations.