Nintendo has confirmed that the successor to Nintendo Switch will be able to play software from the original Nintendo Switch via backwards compatibility.
This week, Shuntaro Furukawa, Nintendo’s president, announced a couple of pressing features for the still unrevealed Nintendo Switch 2. In a post published on X (formerly Twitter), Furukawa said, “Nintendo Switch software will also be playable on the successor to Nintendo Switch.” The president of Nintendo continued to confirm that Nintendo Switch Online will be available on “the successor to Nintendo Switch as well.”
Aside from this, Furukawa didn’t mention whether Switch accessories such as the Joy-Con controllers or Nintendo Switch Pro Controller would be supported on the new console.
Furukawa’s note ended by stating that “further information” on the Nintendo Switch successor and compatibility would be announced “at a later date.”
The formal announcement of Nintendo Switch 2’s backward compatibility comes as Nintendo held its Corporate Management Policy Briefing. This semiannual investor meeting highlights the company’s roadmap and sales. In a publicly available presentation, Nintendo discusses how players can carry over a “broad selection of titles” of Nintendo Switch releases to purchase and play on the new hardware.
“We believe that it is important for Nintendo’s future to make use of Nintendo Account and carry over the good relationship that we have built with the over 100 million annual playing users on Nintendo Switch to its successor.” The presentation continues to state, “in addition to being able to play Nintendo Switch software they currently own, consumers will be able to choose their next purchase from a broad selection of titles released for Nintendo Switch.”
Earlier this year, Furukawa confirmed that the Nintendo Switch 2 would be announced within this fiscal year (ending March 31, 2025). With the latest investor meeting behind us and the holiday period around the corner, it’s unlikely that Nintendo will reveal its new hardware until the new year.
On top of revealing new features for Nintendo Switch 2, the company shows a steep decline in profits regarding the original Nintendo Switch. As the hardware sits in its eighth year on the market, Nintendo reports net profits dipping by over 69% year-on-year. With its fiscal year ending in March, the company has revised its forecasted sales from 13.5 million down to 12.5 million units.
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I mean…wouldn’t that be insane if you couldn’t?