Nintendo Switch fans probably didn’t expect to hear any details about the Nintendo Switch 2 console on Wednesday, but it happened. Well, Nintendo still isn’t ready to announce the Switch 2. But the company feels comfortable revealing to the world that the Nintendo Switch successor will run original Switch games.
Backward compatibility is always a hot topic when a brand-new console is released. Gamers want to upgrade to the new machine without losing access to their favorite games.
Considering the massive Switch user base, many gamers are probably dying to hear that their Switch games will be playable on the Switch 2 console. Thankfully, Nintendo is ready to confirm backward compatibility for the Switch 2.
Nintendo didn’t mention the name of the Switch successor during its Corporate Management Policy Briefing, where it confirmed backward compatibility for the upcoming console.
That Switch 2 name reveal won’t happen for quite some time. Nintendo confirmed a few months ago that a Switch successor is coming. The company said it will launch the Switch 2 by the end of the current fiscal year or the end of March 2025.
Switch 2 sales will probably happen towards the end of the fiscal year, with March looking like a likely release window. The original Switch dropped in March 2017, so there’s precedent for that.
However, Nintendo said that “Nintendo Switch software will also be playable on the successor to Nintendo Switch” during the presentation. A document The Verge shared also contains the remark. “Further information about the successor to Nintendo Switch, including its compatibility with Nintendo Switch I explained today, will be announced at a later date,” Nintendo said.
Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa addressed Switch 2 backward compatibility on X. He also confirmed that Nintendo Switch Online will be available on the upcoming console:
This is Furukawa. At today’s Corporate Management Policy Briefing, we announced that Nintendo Switch software will also be playable on the successor to Nintendo Switch. Nintendo Switch Online will also be available on the successor to Nintendo Switch. Further information about the successor to Nintendo Switch, including its compatibility with Nintendo Switch, will be announced at a later date.
Backward compatibility seemed like a given, even without an official announcement. The Switch 2 should feature a similar design to the original Switch and pack better hardware. It would make sense to see it run original Switch games, too.
But nothing is guaranteed in the world of gaming consoles for backward compatibility. Nintendo’s confirmation is a step in the right direction. We still need more details about backward compatibility to ensure all the content available on the current Switch will also run on the next-gen model.
Nintendo also discussed financial results for the September 2024 quarter during the presentation. The company said it sold 4.72 million consoles during the period. That means there are up to 146 million Switch units out there. Software sales have reached 1.3 billion units as of September 30th.
“More software has been played on Nintendo Switch than on any other Nintendo hardware,” Nintendo said.
That would explain why Nintendo felt compelled to confirm the Switch 2 will be backward compatible with the original Switch. Anything else would be a big disappointment, considering the figures above. It’s certainly much easier to upgrade the hardware, knowing that all your games will still be playable on the new device.
