Recently, it transpired that there will be a new NASCAR-themed video game releasing soon. Officially called NASCAR Rivals, it definitely promises to be an exciting entry for gamers and fans. The game is expected to launch on October 14th this year and it will be played on the Nintendo Switch. Apparently, teasers for the video game were spotted on the Walmart website [https://www.walmart.com/ip/seort/1801514296]. At first glance, it looks quite similar to the NASCAR Heat 5 game. Additionally, the screenshots showed off different scenes from the game. This includes a picture at the Richmond Raceway [https://www.essentiallysports.com/category/nascar/richmond-raceway/], onboard with Alex Bowman [https://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/alex-bowman/], with teammate William Byron [https://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/william-byron/] and Penske’s Austin Cindric [https://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/austin-cindric/] ahead. Owing to its similarity to NASCAR Heat 5, it indicates that the game might be running on a Unity engine. READ MORE: Chase Elliott Asks Dale Earnhardt Jr. To “Retire From Giving Nicknames” After Being Called the “Young Elvis” [https://www.essentiallysports.com/nascar-news-chase-elliott-asks-dale-earnhardt-jr-to-retire-from-giving-nicknames-after-being-called-the-young-elvis/] WHAT ELSE TO KNOW ABOUT THE NASCAR VIDEO GAME? Another screenshot depicted Bubba Wallace at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. After there, there was a picture of a challenges section, where the player would have to complete certain tasks, with a maximum of 20. NASCAR [https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/2022-05-30T005727Z_2081853106_MT1USATODAY18390824_RTRMADP_3_NASCAR-COCA-COLA-600.jpg]May 29, 2022; Concord, North Carolina, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Busch (18) leads NASCAR Cup Series driver Kurt Busch (45), NASCAR Cup Series driver Bubba Wallace (23) and NASCAR Cup Series driver William Byron (24) during the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports Furthermore, NASCAR Rivals has a split screen where two players can compete with one another. All in all, people are excited to see this game finally hit the shelves. It is listed at $49.99, but the prices may vary, depending on various factors. One thing is for sure, the anticipation will be high and people will be impatiently waiting for October 14th. Until then, they will be content to enjoy the remainder of the 2022 Cup Series season. WATCH THIS STORY: NASCAR Driver Threatens to Cause a Wreck After Perceived Injustice [https://www.essentiallysports.com/stories/nascar-news-watch-nascar-driver-threatens-to-cause-a-wreck-after-perceived-injustice/] Without a doubt, the competition in the real world and in the gaming world will be fierce! 

According to a few screenshots on the Walmart website, fans will be able to know
what to expect from the upcoming NASCAR Rivals video game.

Dhruv George is a Senior NASCAR Author at EssentiallySports, with an impressive record of over 14K articles. From F1 driver Pierre Gasly to Moto2 rider Tony Arbolino, Dhruv has interviewed several racers, establishing himself as an authoritative voice in the world of motorsports. He not only writes engaging content but helps connect readers with some of the biggest racing names thanks to his ability to churn out exclusive interviews.

Dhruv's ambition extends beyond writing, as he aspires to host a successful motorsports podcast with some of the biggest stars in the industry, like Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin. When he's not writing about Stock Car Racing, he can be found reading and writing fan fiction.

Dhruv George

Dhruv George is a Senior NASCAR Author at EssentiallySports, with an impressive record of over 14K articles. From F1 driver Pierre Gasly to Moto2 rider Tony Arbolino, Dhruv has interviewed several racers, establishing himself as an authoritative voice in the world of motorsports. Dhruv's ambition extends beyond writing, as he aspires to host a successful motorsports podcast with some of the biggest stars in the industry, like Kyle Busch.

Dhruv George | Senior NASCAR Author at EssentiallySports

EssentiallySports

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Dhruv George is a Senior NASCAR Author at EssentiallySports, with an impressive record of over 14K articles. From F1 driver Pierre Gasly to Moto2 rider Tony Arbolino, Dhruv has interviewed several racers, establishing himself as an authoritative voice in the world of motorsports. He not only writes engaging content but helps connect readers with some of the biggest racing names thanks to his ability to churn out exclusive interviews. Dhruv's ambition extends beyond writing, as he aspires to host a successful motorsports podcast with some of the biggest stars in the industry, like Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin. When he's not writing about Stock Car Racing, he can be found reading and writing fan fiction.

https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/Dhruv-George-1-96x96.png

Dhruv George is a senior Motorsports author for EssentiallySports, having
authored nearly 12000 articles spanning different sports like F1, NASCAR,
Tennis, NFL, and eSports. He graduated with a PG Diploma in Journalism from the
Xavier Institute of Communications. Dhruv has also conducted interviews with F1
driver Pierre Gasly and Moto2 rider Tony Arbolino. He has been an ardent
follower of motorsports sport since 2001, holding Carlos Sainz Jr. and McLaren
in high regard.

https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/Dhruv_George.png

Chase Elliott Asks Dale Earnhardt Jr. To “Retire From Giving Nicknames” After
Being Called the “Young Elvis”

NASCAR: Federated Auto Parts 400

Aug 14, 2022; Richmond, Virginia, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Joey Logano (22) and NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Larson (5) lead a restart during the Federated Auto Part 400 at Richmond International Raceway. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports

NASCAR: Federated Auto Parts 400 - EssentiallySports

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REVEALED: First Look at the NASCAR Rivals Video Game for Nintendo Switch

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<h1 style="text-align: center"><b>NASCAR Cup Series: Origin, Teams and More</b></h1>
<h2 style="text-align: center"><strong>What is the NASCAR Cup Series?</strong></h2>
NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing) is the authorizing body for stock-vehicle racing in North America. It was established in 1948 in Daytona Beach, Florida. Currently, the organization fields four types of tracks: Intermediate tracks, Superspeedways, Short Tracks and Road Courses.

[caption id="attachment_2675743" align="alignnone" width="5162"]<img class="wp-image-2675743 size-full" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/2024-02-20T005209Z_1919194866_MT1USATODAY22564783_RTRMADP_3_NASCAR-DAYTONA-500.jpg" alt="NASCAR" width="5162" height="3322" /> Feb 19, 2024; Daytona Beach, Florida, USA; NASCAR Cup Series drivers Corey LaJoie (7), Kyle Busch (8) and A.J. Allmendinger (16) race three wide for the lead during the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports[/caption]
<h2 style="text-align: center"><strong>NASCAR Cup Series Origin</strong></h2>
The first-ever NASCAR race was held at Charlotte Fairgrounds Speedway on June 19, 1949 and Christian David "Jim" Roper was the victor after racer Glen Dunaway was disqualified for making illegal adjustments to his car.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">On this day in 1949, NASCAR held its first-ever "Strictly Stock" race.</p>
Thirty-three drivers raced at Charlotte Speedway, six of which were future NASCAR Hall of Famers. Jim Roper was declared the winner following a disqualification to Glenn Dunaway. <a href="https://t.co/yBUDRcRxVo">pic.twitter.com/yBUDRcRxVo</a>

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) <a href="https://twitter.com/NASCAR/status/1670832065690972160?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 19, 2023</a></blockquote>

<h2 style="text-align: center"><strong>Why is it named Cup Series? </strong></h2>
The NASCAR Cup Series is the pinnacle of the racing arrangement in the NASCAR classification. The arrangement started in 1949 and was called the Strictly Stock Division. The series was subsequently known as the Grand National Division from 1950 to 1970.

Then, in 1971, it started renting its naming rights to the R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company and was alluded to as the NASCAR Winston Cup Series till 2003. From the next year onwards, the series came to be known as the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series till 2007 after a partnership with Nextel.

Sprint obtained Nextel in 2005 and 2008 saw the arrangement being renamed as the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Sprint remained the sponsor of the NASCAR Cup from 2008 to 2016. It was reported in December 2016 that Monster Energy would be the sponsor; therefore, the arrangement was renamed the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series from 2017 to 2019.

However, after decades of name changes, in 2017, the organization finally decided to shed off its old image and simply be named as the NASCAR Cup Series, with series sponsors being called 'Premier Partners'.
<h2 style="text-align: center"><strong>What is the format of the Cup Series?</strong></h2>
The NASCAR points system has been a complicated affair to say the least. Over the years, the organization has tried several iterations, namely the Latford system, the Chase and the current elimination playoffs format among others, to discern one that would be fair to each driver.

While the earlier system saw drivers being awarded points on the basis of prize money in a particular race, in 1972 a new format was introduced. This time the points were awarded on the basis of laps completed. However, even that came with its own flaws and just two years later, in 1974, the organization introduced point calculation based on a mathematical formula. However, given the complexity of the equation, Bill France Jr, the former CEO of NASCAR decided to step in and call upon his close friend Bob Latford, to come up with an efficient way, which later came to be known as Boot Hill Format or the Latford Model.

With equal points awarded in all races, as New York Times aptly put it: <em>"Mr. Latford set up his points scale to reward consistency rather than flashes of brilliance, and drivers seem to like it that way."</em>

This system was perhaps the longest-running one during that time, being replaced in 2003, by The Chase format. Currently, the NASCAR Cup Series operates on the Playoff Format. The schedule consists of 31 oval races, 4 road course races, one street track race, and 4 non-championship races to be held on ovals. This also includes 16 playoff races, with four elimination rounds, namely, Round of 16, Round of 12, Round of 4 and Championship 4.
<h2 style="text-align: center"><strong>NASCAR Cup Series Teams</strong></h2>
As of 2024, the NASCAR Cup Series has 16 full-time teams participating and three manufacturers, namely Toyota, Chevrolet and Ford. As for the team with the most number of victories and championship, Hendrick Motorsports has has an undebatable upper hand, with 305 Cup Series wins and 14 drivers championships.
<h2 style="text-align: center"><strong>NASCAR Cup Series Venue</strong></h2>
The first championship race was reportedly held at Martinsville Speedway, a half-mile oval, on October 16, 1949. Currently, the final race of a Cup season is held at the Phoenix Raceway, which is a one-mile, low-banked tri-oval race track located in Avondale, Arizona, near Phoenix.

[caption id="attachment_1351857" align="alignnone" width="1920"]<img class="wp-image-1351857 size-full" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/2022-11-07T003206Z_1075855806_MT1USATODAY19376372_RTRMADP_3_NASCAR-CUP-CHAMPIONSHIP.jpg" alt="Joey Logano NASCAR" width="1920" height="1289" /> Nov 6, 2022; Avondale, Arizona, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Joey Logano (22) races in the final laps of the Cup championship at Phoenix Raceway. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports[/caption]
<h2 style="text-align: center"><strong>NASCAR Cup Series Championship</strong></h2>
The NASCAR Cup Series hosts three different championship under one name: The Driver's Championship, the Owner's Championship and the Manufacturer's Championship. The driver's championship as the name suggests is the award given to the driver that has emerged as the winner at the end of a season. On the other hand, the Owner's Championship aims to reward the team at the top of the points standings. The driver with the most championship wins are Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt and Jimmie Johnson. Additionally, Rick Hendrick-owned Hendrick Motorsports has won a record-breaking 14 championships till date.

<img class="alignnone wp-image-1195372 size-full" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/ezgif.com-gif-maker-3-78.jpg" alt="Richard Petty Dale Earnhardt NASCAR" width="1850" height="1253" />

On a similar note, the Manufacturer's Championship sees Original Equipment Manufacturers(OEMs) being awarded a championship based on how races their cars managed to dominate and the points accumulated. In this regard, US-based manufacturer Chevrolet has racked up the most Cup Series wins at 42, followed by Ford at 17, and Toyota at 3.
<h2 style="text-align: center"><strong>NASCAR Cup Series Track Types</strong></h2>
As mentioned earlier, the NASCAR Cup series organizes its races on four different types of tracks, namely, Intermediate tracks, Superspeedways, Short Tracks and Road Courses.

When it comes to Intermediate tracks, it simply means <em>"any track greater than one mile in length, with the exception of both Daytona and Talladega" </em>according to the official NASCAR website and currently the Cup Series drivers compete on the following Intermediate tracks/Speedways :
<ul>
 	<li>Atlanta Motor Speedway (1.540-mile, Quad-Oval)</li>
 	<li>Charlotte Motor Speedway (1.500-mile Quad-Oval, including a 2.280 miles Road Course)</li>
 	<li>Darlington Raceway (1.366-mile, Egg-Shaped Oval)</li>
 	<li>Dover Motor Speedway (1.000-mile, Concrete Oval)</li>
 	<li>Homestead-Miami Speedway (1.500-mile, Oval)</li>
 	<li>Kansas Speedway (1.500-mile, Tri-Oval)</li>
 	<li>Las Vegas Motor Speedway (1.500-mile, Tri-Oval)</li>
 	<li>Michigan International Speedway (2.000-mile, D-Shaped Oval)</li>
 	<li>Nashville Superspeedway (1.333-mile, Tri-Oval)</li>
 	<li>New Hampshire Motor Speedway (1.058-mile, Paperclip Oval)</li>
 	<li>Phoenix Raceway (1.000-mile, Dogleg Oval)</li>
 	<li>Texas Motor Speedway (1.500-mile, Quad-Oval)</li>
 	<li>World Wide Technology Raceway (1.250-mile, Egg-Shaped Oval)</li>
</ul>
On the other hand, Superspeedways ae oval road courses of two miles or longer. Currently, the NASCAR Cup Series has the following Superspeedways:
<ul>
 	<li>Auto Club Speedway (2.000-mile, D-Shaped Oval; Currently not in use)</li>
 	<li>Chicagoland Speedway (1.500-mile, D-Shaped Oval; Currently not in use)</li>
 	<li>Daytona International Speedway (2.500-mile, Tri-Oval)</li>
 	<li>Kentucky Speedway (1.500-mile, D-Shaped Oval)</li>
 	<li>Pocono Raceway (2.500-mile, Triangular Oval)</li>
 	<li>Talladega Superspeedway (2.660-mile, Tri-Oval)</li>
</ul>
The short tracks (less than 1 mile in length) that are part of NASCAR are:
<ul>
 	<li>Bristol Motor Speedway (0.533-mile, Oval)</li>
 	<li>Eldora Speedway (0.500-mile, Oval; Currently not in use)</li>
 	<li>Iowa Speedway (0.875-mile, Oval)</li>
 	<li>Knoxville Raceway (0.500-mile, Oval</li>
 	<li>Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum)</li>
 	<li>Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park (0.686-mile, Oval)</li>
 	<li>Martinsville Speedway (0.526-mile, Paperclip Oval)</li>
 	<li>Milwaukee Mile Speedway (1.015-mile, Oval)</li>
 	<li>North Wilkesboro Speedway (0.625-mile, Oval)</li>
 	<li>Richmond Raceway (0.750-mile, D-shaped Oval)</li>
</ul>
As for Road Courses, NASCAR makes use of the following race tracks:
<ul>
 	<li>Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (2.459-mile, Currently not in use)</li>
 	<li>Chicago Street Race (2.14 miles)</li>
 	<li>Circuit of the Americas (3.426-mile)</li>
 	<li>DAYTONA Road Course (4.170-mile, Currently not in use)</li>
 	<li>Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course (2.400-mile, Currently not in use)</li>
 	<li>Portland International Raceway (1.967-mile, Currently not in use)</li>
 	<li>Road America(4.048-mile, Currently not in use)</li>
 	<li>Sebring Raceway (3.741 mi, Currently not in use)</li>
 	<li>Sonoma Raceway (1.99-mile)</li>
 	<li>Watkins Glen International (2.45-mile)</li>
</ul>
<h2 style="text-align: center"><strong>NASCAR Cup Series Crown Jewel Races</strong></h2>
While NASCAR has several racetracks that it competes on, there are a couple venues that are held in high regards. Currently there are four such venues/races, namely the Daytona 500 held at the Daytona International Speedway, the Coca-Cola 500 held at the Charlotte Motor Speedway , the Brickyard 400/Verizon 200 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Southern 500 at the Darlington Raceway.

Till date, Hendrick Motorsports vice chairman and retired NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon has the most number of Crown Jewel race wins (21), followed by Legacy Motor Club team owner Jimmie Johnson (14) and retired NASCAR driver Bobby Allison (13).

[caption id="attachment_1691261" align="alignnone" width="1920"]<img class="wp-image-1691261 size-full" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/Jimmie-Johnson-Jeff-Gordon.jpg" alt="Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon" width="1920" height="1280" /> January 20, 2017 - Charlotte, North Carolina, USA - Jimmy Johnson and Jeff Gordon introduce Rick Hendrick at the NASCAR Motorsport USA Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Friday, January 20, 2017, in Charlotte, N.C. Rick Hendrick was inducted into the Hall of Fame with Richard Childress, Mark Martin, Raymond Parks, and Benny Parsons. 2017 NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony - ZUMAw123 20170120_zap_w123_024[/caption]
<h2 style="text-align: center"><strong>NASCAR Cup Series Cars</strong></h2>
NASCAR is an ever-evolving sport and till date, there have been several iterations of the cars used during races. If we go back to the very inception of the sport, the first kind of vehicle that was used used to be called Generation - 1 (1948-1966), followed by Generation - 2 (1967-1980) and Generation - 3 (1981-1991). Later the Generation - 4 (1992 to 2007) was introduced , and then Generation - 5 (2007 -2012) and Generation - 6 (2013-2021) came into play. And currently, NASCAR features the Generation - 7 car that is also known as the Next-Gen.

Anothe notable model was the Generation - 5. Dubbed as the<em> "Car of Tomorrow"</em>, this model featured flaunted prominent front splitters under the bumpers and larger rear wings. Apart from that, according to NASCAR, the car also had <em>"significant safety advancements and a return to symmetrical bodies". </em>

[caption id="attachment_2651610" align="alignnone" width="3461"]<img class="wp-image-2651610 size-full" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/2024-02-16T030626Z_974940649_MT1USATODAY22533198_RTRMADP_3_NASCAR-BLUEGREEN-VACATIONS-DUEL-1-AT-DAYTONA.jpg" alt="" width="3461" height="2307" /> Feb 15, 2024; Daytona Beach, Florida, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Martin Truex Jr. (19) during the Bluegreen Vacations Duel 1 at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports[/caption]
<h2 style="text-align: center"><strong>NASCAR Cup Series debut at the Street Course</strong></h2>
The NASCAR Cup Series has come a long way since its initial days. The organization has always been open to developments and one of the most exciting ones came in 2023,when the tourney made its Street Course debut at Chicago.

In a bid to turn make the schedule even more exciting, NASCAR officials were reportedly in talks with Chicago authorities for a number of years, with one attempt of a Chicago street race even dating back to the 1980s. However, owing to political pressure, that plan failed to materialize. Now, fast forward to four decades later and authorities were finally geared up to host an exciting, first-of-its-kind race in downtown Chicago.

[caption id="attachment_1911252" align="alignnone" width="1920"]<img class="wp-image-1911252 size-full" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/2023-07-03T052154Z_1117738559_MT1USATODAY20983749_RTRMADP_3_NASCAR-GRANT-PARK-220.jpg" alt="NASCAR" width="1920" height="1280" /> Jul 2, 2023; Chicago, Illinois, USA; A general view as cars race along Grant Park during the Grant Park 220 of the Chicago Street Race viewed from the NEMA Chicago buliding. Mandatory Credit: Jon Durr-USA TODAY Sports[/caption]

Designed by race simulation video game developer iRacing, the race aimed to showcase the city's major landmarks such as the Buckingham Fountain, the Grant Park and the Soldier Field Stadium, among others.

The first iteration of the race came in July of 2023, with New Zealand born driver Shane van Gisbergen clinching victory in his first-ever NASCAR race. If that's not iconic, what is?

<img class="alignnone wp-image-2804674 size-full" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/F0HhwcqXoAI3_zb.jpeg" alt="" width="2048" height="1365" />
<table style="width: 75.2357%;height: 264px">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 24px">
<td style="width: 42.239%;height: 24px"><span style="font-weight: 400">Full Name</span></td>
<td style="width: 237.884%;height: 24px">NASCAR Cup Series</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px">
<td style="width: 42.239%;height: 24px"><span style="font-weight: 400">Place of Origin</span></td>
<td style="width: 237.884%;height: 24px">Charlotte Fairgrounds Speedway</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px">
<td style="width: 42.239%;height: 24px"><span style="font-weight: 400">Year of Origin</span></td>
<td style="width: 237.884%;height: 24px">1949</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px">
<td style="width: 42.239%;height: 24px"><span style="font-weight: 400">First Race</span></td>
<td style="width: 237.884%;height: 24px">NASCAR "Strictly Stock" Race, Charlotte Fairgrounds Speedway</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px">
<td style="width: 42.239%;height: 24px"><span style="font-weight: 400">Last Race</span></td>
<td style="width: 237.884%;height: 24px">NASCAR Cup Series Spring Race at Martinsville Speedway, 2024</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px">
<td style="width: 42.239%;height: 24px"><span style="font-weight: 400">Crown Jewel Race</span></td>
<td style="width: 237.884%;height: 24px"><span style="font-weight: 400">Daytona 500, Coca Cola 600, Brickyard 400/ Verizon 200, Southern 500</span></td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px">
<td style="width: 42.239%;height: 24px"><span style="font-weight: 400">Drivers with the most Championships</span></td>
<td style="width: 237.884%;height: 24px">Richard Petty (7), Dale Earnhardt (7) and Jimmie Johnson(7)</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px">
<td style="width: 42.239%;height: 24px"><span style="font-weight: 400">Team with the most Championships</span></td>
<td style="width: 237.884%;height: 24px">Hendrick Motorsports (14)</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px">
<td style="width: 42.239%;height: 24px"><span style="font-weight: 400">First Champion</span></td>
<td style="width: 237.884%;height: 24px">Red Byron</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px">
<td style="width: 42.239%;height: 24px"><span style="font-weight: 400">Defending Champion</span></td>
<td style="width: 237.884%;height: 24px">Ryan Blaney (2023)</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px">
<td style="width: 42.239%;height: 24px"><span style="font-weight: 400">Defending Team</span></td>
<td style="width: 237.884%;height: 24px">Team Penske</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
&nbsp;

NASCAR Cup Series

Here's everything you need to know about the NASCAR Cup Series, its Origin, Teams, History, Venues, Crown Jewel Races and more!

NASCAR Cup Series: Origin, Teams and More

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According to a few screenshots on the Walmart website, fans will be able to know what to expect from the upcoming NASCAR Rivals video game.

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<h3><strong>Nintendo Switch - History, Sales, Current Market Value, Popular Games</strong></h3>
<span style="font-weight: 400">Nintendo Switch is one of the most popular gaming consoles on the face of this planet. The reason behind this is not just the legacy that its creator holds but also the fact that the console captures a majority of a market that is not very passionately captured by others, or it would be better to say that not many consoles had the potential to do the same. Although there are a number of competitors in the market now, back when Nintendo Switch was released in 2017, no one stood even close.</span>

[caption id="attachment_1680207" align="aligncenter" width="1920"]<img class="wp-image-1680207 size-full" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/Nintendo-Switch-1-4.jpg" alt="" width="1920" height="1285" /> Image Courtesy: IMAGO[/caption]
<h2>History of Nintendo Switch</h2>
<span style="font-weight: 400">Nintendo Switch is <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/category/nintendo/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nintendo</a>?s latest Primary console. It is the first home console ever to provide its users with a hybrid functionality. This console was released on March 3, 2017 worldwide.? </span><span style="font-weight: 400">The console was instantly met with a positive reaction all thanks to its innovative functionality and launch library. The most popular among its launch titles was <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/the-legend-of-zelda-breath-of-the-wild/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild</a>, which usually gets credit for its success.</span>

<strong>Popular Games</strong>

<span style="font-weight: 400">However, the most popular Nintendo Switch game is <strong>Mario Kart 8 Deluxe</strong> This kart racing game from the Mario franchise was released at the same time as the Switch. Thanks to the hype of the console and the game, it has gone on to remain their undisputed leader in sales. As per the reports from the end of 2022, Mario Kart remains at the top of the best-selling Nintendo Switch games with a mammoth <strong>52 million</strong> copies sold.??</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400">The top position was at risk at one point, but the end of the pandemic stopped that wild run. At one point, in Switch's journey, <strong>Animal Crossing: New Horizons</strong> was a game that gained instant popularity thanks to its chill nature and its availability during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. Many credits this game for keeping them happy during this trying time. Released during the lockdown period, this game was unstoppable and was easily the favorite to topple Mario Kart 8. </span>

<span style="font-weight: 400">However, that pace dropped due to many reasons, with <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/esports-news-animal-crossing-new-horizons-fans-give-up-on-the-game-despite-nintendo-scheduling-a-maintenance-update/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">unimpressive updates being one of them</a>. Nevertheless, the brilliant fame saw it become the second most successful game with a little over 10 million short of taking the top spot. And all this in a short span of two years.</span>

Further down the list, <span style="font-weight: 400"><strong>The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild</strong>, <strong><a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/pokemon-scarlet-and-violet/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pokemon Scarlet and Violet</a></strong>, <strong>Super Smash Bros. Ultimate</strong>, and <strong>Super Mario Odyssey</strong> prove their popularity as a few of the Switch favorites with their sales.</span>

<strong>COVID-19 turned out to be a boon for Nintendo</strong>

<span style="font-weight: 400">The COVID-19 pandemic only helped raise the popularity of the Nintendo Switch. The console sold more, and it is the newly launched game <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/animal-crossing-a-new-reality-in-the-pandemic-new-horizons-esports-news/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Animal Crossing: New Horizons broke several sales records</a>. It broke the record at Nintendo for being the fastest-selling title in Europe after one year of sale.</span>

If that wasn't satisfying enough the next one will do the job. New Horizons had<a href="https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/animal-crossing-has-broken-nintendos-first-year-sales-record-in-europe/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> sold 31.18 million copies</a> dated December 31, 2020. In the same year, Nintendo Switch sold 27.3 million consoles. It is also to be noted that ACNH was not out till March 2020, making this stat even more stupendous.

[caption id="attachment_1680216" align="aligncenter" width="1920"]<img class="size-full wp-image-1680216" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/Animal-crossing-.jpg" alt="" width="1920" height="1280" /> Image Courtesy: IMAGO[/caption]

<span style="font-weight: 400">Although the game has won many hearts doesn't mean it was flawless. Even the record-breaking console had its flaws. The biggest criticisms of the Switch are its low graphical power, a commonly known issue with its Joy-Con controllers, and its lack of a customizable user interface. </span><span style="font-weight: 400">While there was no fix for the graphical power, Nintendo failed to <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/esports-news-nintendo-games-takes-the-first-step-to-improve-the-joy-con-experience-for-its-users-free-of-cost/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">address the Joy-Con-related issues</a> for the longest time and they have yet to do anything about its simplistic user interface.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400">Paying heed to these problems could have won more hearts, but they did their best and produced new things. Since its release, Switch has received several new features such as Bluetooth headphone connectivity, media transfer, and game folder creation through numerous updates.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400"> Nevertheless, the hybrid console has done what it was intended to do. Since its release, the Switch has sold <strong>122.55 million units</strong> as of December 2022, making it the <strong>third</strong> best-selling game console in the world, and the <strong>second</strong> best-selling Nintendo console behind Nintendo DS, which stands at 154.02 million units sold. The top of the overall list is the PlayStation 2 with over 155 million sales.</span>

<strong>Although untouchable, Switch might finally have competition</strong>

<span style="font-weight: 400">The Nintendo Switch has been untouchable in the market for a long time. Its uniqueness has been the major reason why it stood out when compared with other consoles in the market. Nintendo sells to its own niche, hence its popularity is never threatened by its several rivals. </span>

<span style="font-weight: 400">However, new players have entered the race and the one threatening it is <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/steamdeck/">Steam Deck</a>, which can now be considered a better alternative. An <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/esports-news-is-steam-deck-in-trouble-asus-rog-unleashes-a-game-changer-in-portable-gaming/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">even better player is set to step into the field</a> as ASUS 'ROG Ally' is said to be the 'best in the world' after boasting its features recently.</span>
<h2><b>Nintendo Switch Components - Details, Costs and Differences</b></h2>
<span style="font-weight: 400">Nintendo Switch comes in three variants, <strong>Original</strong>, <strong>Switch Lite</strong>, and <strong>OLED</strong>. </span><span style="font-weight: 400">The original is the first model ever launched for this console which costs <strong>$299.99</strong>. Switch Lite is a lighter model that comes without a dock and an extended battery life costing <strong>$199.99</strong>. The OLED model comes with a larger OLED display and an updated Dock with a LAN port. Along with these, the price increase is also not small. The expensive of the lot, the OLED variant costs <strong>$349.99</strong>.</span>

<strong>(Note: The above-mentioned price are subject to change from time to time depending on the offers)</strong>

[caption id="attachment_1680206" align="aligncenter" width="1920"]<img class="size-full wp-image-1680206" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/Nintendo-Switch-2-1.jpg" alt="" width="1920" height="1222" /> Image Courtesy: IMAGO[/caption]

<span style="font-weight: 400">The Standard Switch package comes with basic accessories such as a charging adapter, a dock, and a pair of <strong>Joy-Con controllers</strong>. Switch Lite only comes with a charging adapter. </span><span style="font-weight: 400">The adapter is used for charging the console and powering the dock in dock mode.?</span><span style="font-weight: 400">Joy-Cons can be detached from the console and used as individual controllers for offline multiplayer game sessions, adding to the flexibility of this system.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400">Nintendo <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/esports-news-after-a-year-of-its-release-is-the-nintendo-switch-online-expansion-pack-worth-it/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">introduced an online connectivity feature for Switch</a> called <strong>Nintendo Switch Online</strong>. Users can purchase this service in tiers and receive various perks with more expensive tiers. For example, its most expensive tier called Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pass offers a bunch of DLCs and a library of its older systems to subscribers.</span>
<h2><b>What are some of the best games to play on Nintendo Switch?</b></h2>
<ul>
 	<li><strong>The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild + DLC - </strong>One of the largest games on Nintendo Switch and its first blockbuster. It was a launch title and many purchased Nintendo Switch to take this game on the go.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
 	<li><strong>Splatoon 3 Bundle (Game + Expansion Pass) - </strong>Prime multiplayer-only franchise for Nintendo gamers.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
 	<li><strong>Metroid Prime Remastered - </strong>Nintendo decided to bring their most popular classic franchises to their hybrid console. Hence they remastered<a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/metroid-prime/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Metroid Prime</a> and released it on this console.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
 	<li><strong>Pokemon Scarlet and Violet - </strong>There's a reason every new Pokemon game created new sales records when it launches. These games add a new open-world twist to this classic series.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
 	<li><strong>Persona 5 Royale - </strong>Persona 5 Royale had been a long time coming to Nintendo Switch. This critically acclaimed Japanese Role-playing Game should be played by anyone with a love of story-based RPGs.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
 	<li><strong>The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (Complete Edition) - </strong>World renowned monster hunter comes to Nintendo Switch. And this game looks way better than anyone would have expected.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
 	<li><strong>Animal Crossing: New Horizon -?</strong><a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/animal-crossing-new-horizons/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Animal Crossing</a> makes a transition to base building and crafting with this latest entry. What's best is that its release window was such that its peaceful nature made it very successful.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
 	<li><strong>Super Mario Odyssey - </strong>The only mainline <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/super-mario-bros/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Super Mario</a> game that launched on Nintendo Switch. The game is still considered one of the best platformer titles ever made. Its fanbase is such that they still await a sequel.</li>
 	<li><strong>Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - </strong>The latest in Nintendo's long-running assemble fighting series. The cast of this fighting game really does justice to its ultimate moniker. Featuring almost all characters ever seen in this series.</li>
 	<li><strong>Metroid Dread? - </strong>Metroid Dread made the original sidescrolling series mainline. Fans were really blown away by the visuals gameplay and style of this game. So much so that there are already rumors of the sequel.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Nintendo Switch Specifics</h2>
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><b>Product</b></td>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">Video game console</span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><b>Type</b></td>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">Home Console, Hand-Held Console</span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><b>Owner</b></td>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">Nintendo</span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><b>Country</b></td>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">United States, Japan</span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><b>Introduced</b></td>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">March 3, 2017</span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><b>Official</b> <b>website</b></td>
<td><a href="https://www.nintendo.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>https://www.nintendo.com/</b></a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><b>Models</b></td>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">Nintendo Switch Original, OLED, and LITE</span></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

Nintendo Switch

Nintendo Switch &#8211; History, Sales, Current Market Value, Popular Games Nintendo Switch is one of the most popular gaming consoles on the face of this planet. The reason behind this is not just the legacy that its creator holds but also the fact that the console captures a majority of a market that is not very passionately captured by others, or it would be better to say that not many consoles had the potential to do the same. Although there are a number of competitors in the market now, back when Nintendo Switch was released in 2017, no one stood even close. Image Courtesy: IMAGO History of Nintendo Switch Nintendo Switch is Nintendo?s latest Primary console. It is the first home console ever to provide its users with a hybrid functionality. This console was released on March 3, 2017 worldwide.? The console was instantly met with a positive reaction all thanks to its innovative functionality and launch library. The most popular among its launch titles was The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, which usually gets credit for its success. Popular Games However, the most popular Nintendo Switch game is Mario Kart 8 Deluxe This kart racing game from the Mario franchise was released at the same time as the Switch. Thanks to the hype of the console and the game, it has gone on to remain their undisputed leader in sales. As per the reports from the end of 2022, Mario Kart remains at the top of the best-selling Nintendo Switch games with a mammoth 52 million copies sold.?? The top position was at risk at one point, but the end of the pandemic stopped that wild run. At one point, in Switch&#8217;s journey, Animal Crossing: New Horizons was a game that gained instant popularity thanks to its chill nature and its availability during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. Many credits this game for keeping them happy during this trying time. Released during the lockdown period, this game was unstoppable and was easily the favorite to topple Mario Kart 8. However, that pace dropped due to many reasons, with unimpressive updates being one of them. Nevertheless, the brilliant fame saw it become the second most successful game with a little over 10 million short of taking the top spot. And all this in a short span of two years. Further down the list, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and Super Mario Odyssey prove their popularity as a few of the Switch favorites with their sales. COVID-19 turned out to be a boon for Nintendo The COVID-19 pandemic only helped raise the popularity of the Nintendo Switch. The console sold more, and it is the newly launched game Animal Crossing: New Horizons broke several sales records. It broke the record at Nintendo for being the fastest-selling title in Europe after one year of sale. If that wasn&#8217;t satisfying enough the next one will do the job. New Horizons had sold 31.18 million copies dated December 31, 2020. In the same year, Nintendo Switch sold 27.3 million consoles. It is also to be noted that ACNH was not out till March 2020, making this stat even more stupendous. Image Courtesy: IMAGO Although the game has won many hearts doesn&#8217;t mean it was flawless. Even the record-breaking console had its flaws. The biggest criticisms of the Switch are its low graphical power, a commonly known issue with its Joy-Con controllers, and its lack of a customizable user interface. While there was no fix for the graphical power, Nintendo failed to address the Joy-Con-related issues for the longest time and they have yet to do anything about its simplistic user interface. Paying heed to these problems could have won more hearts, but they did their best and produced new things. Since its release, Switch has received several new features such as Bluetooth headphone connectivity, media transfer, and game folder creation through numerous updates. Nevertheless, the hybrid console has done what it was intended to do. Since its release, the Switch has sold 122.55 million units as of December 2022, making it the third best-selling game console in the world, and the second best-selling Nintendo console behind Nintendo DS, which stands at 154.02 million units sold. The top of the overall list is the PlayStation 2 with over 155 million sales. Although untouchable, Switch might finally have competition The Nintendo Switch has been untouchable in the market for a long time. Its uniqueness has been the major reason why it stood out when compared with other consoles in the market. Nintendo sells to its own niche, hence its popularity is never threatened by its several rivals. However, new players have entered the race and the one threatening it is Steam Deck, which can now be considered a better alternative. An even better player is set to step into the field as ASUS &#8216;ROG Ally&#8217; is said to be the &#8216;best in the world&#8217; after boasting its features recently. Nintendo Switch Components &#8211; Details, Costs and Differences Nintendo Switch comes in three variants, Original, Switch Lite, and OLED. The original is the first model ever launched for this console which costs $299.99. Switch Lite is a lighter model that comes without a dock and an extended battery life costing $199.99. The OLED model comes with a larger OLED display and an updated Dock with a LAN port. Along with these, the price increase is also not small. The expensive of the lot, the OLED variant costs $349.99. (Note: The above-mentioned price are subject to change from time to time depending on the offers) Image Courtesy: IMAGO The Standard Switch package comes with basic accessories such as a charging adapter, a dock, and a pair of Joy-Con controllers. Switch Lite only comes with a charging adapter. The adapter is used for charging the console and powering the dock in dock mode.?Joy-Cons can be detached from the console and used as individual controllers for offline multiplayer game sessions, adding to the flexibility of this system. Nintendo introduced an online connectivity feature for Switch called Nintendo Switch Online. Users can purchase this service in tiers and receive various perks with more expensive tiers. For example, its most expensive tier called Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pass offers a bunch of DLCs and a library of its older systems to subscribers. What are some of the best games to play on Nintendo Switch? The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild + DLC &#8211; One of the largest games on Nintendo Switch and its first blockbuster. It was a launch title and many purchased Nintendo Switch to take this game on the go.  Splatoon 3 Bundle (Game + Expansion Pass) &#8211; Prime multiplayer-only franchise for Nintendo gamers.  Metroid Prime Remastered &#8211; Nintendo decided to bring their most popular classic franchises to their hybrid console. Hence they remastered Metroid Prime and released it on this console.  Pokemon Scarlet and Violet &#8211; There&#8217;s a reason every new Pokemon game created new sales records when it launches. These games add a new open-world twist to this classic series.  Persona 5 Royale &#8211; Persona 5 Royale had been a long time coming to Nintendo Switch. This critically acclaimed Japanese Role-playing Game should be played by anyone with a love of story-based RPGs.  The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (Complete Edition) &#8211; World renowned monster hunter comes to Nintendo Switch. And this game looks way better than anyone would have expected.  Animal Crossing: New Horizon -?Animal Crossing makes a transition to base building and crafting with this latest entry. What&#8217;s best is that its release window was such that its peaceful nature made it very successful.  Super Mario Odyssey &#8211; The only mainline Super Mario game that launched on Nintendo Switch. The game is still considered one of the best platformer titles ever made. Its fanbase is such that they still await a sequel. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate &#8211; The latest in Nintendo&#8217;s long-running assemble fighting series. The cast of this fighting game really does justice to its ultimate moniker. Featuring almost all characters ever seen in this series. Metroid Dread? &#8211; Metroid Dread made the original sidescrolling series mainline. Fans were really blown away by the visuals gameplay and style of this game. So much so that there are already rumors of the sequel. Nintendo Switch Specifics  Product Video game console  Type Home Console, Hand-Held Console  Owner Nintendo  Country United States, Japan  Introduced March 3, 2017  Official website https://www.nintendo.com/  Models Nintendo Switch Original, OLED, and LITE

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