Starlink features Nintendo Switch’s first wacky peripheral

Ubisoft has just announced Starlink: Battle for Atlas, a new space shooter that will feature the first ever modular and collectible Nintendo Switch controller add-ons. The game, unveiled at the publisher’s E3 press conference today, looks like a mix of Mass Effect and No Man’s Sky, putting players in the role of interstellar pilots fighting an malevolent artificial intelligence force.

Of course, the plot is secondary compared to the real-life collectibles for the Switch-specific version. The first trailer for Starlink shows the Switch controller acting as a base to mount some impressive looking toy starships and even a Skylanders / Amiibo-style NFC pilot figurine. At one point, the user in the video even swaps out parts on the ship to change the customization options in the game. You’ll also be able to buy an accessory it seems to mount the collectibles onto a PlayStation or Xbox controller, so this isn’t just a Switch-specific feature. (The game is being advertised as multi-platform.)

We don’t know much else about Starlink, but it’s slated for a fall 2018 release.