Nintendo executive hints at Nintendo Switch 2 backwards compatibility
A promising development
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An annual Nintendo shareholder Q&A has revealed that the Nintendo Switch 2 hardware could be backwards compatible with existing systems.
TheNintendo Switch 2has been long-rumored as the hardware continues to age. The originalNintendo Switchwas released all the way back in 2017, with some of thebest Nintendo Switch gamesstarting to perform less than optimally. That’s why thisrecent Q&A sessioninvolving the President of Nintendo, Shuntaro Furukawa, is one of the most exciting developments in a long time.
Translated from Japanese, one comment made in the shareholders' Q&A explains the state of backwards-compatible hardware: “Regarding the transition to next-generation consoles, in the past hardware was the only way we could connect with our customers. With new hardware, we had to rebuild our relationship with our customers. On the other hand, with the Nintendo Switch, we can directly connect with various customers through Nintendo Accounts”.
It’s looking likely that Nintendo wants to carry over the existing userbase it has built with the existing Nintendo Switch ecosystem, which tracks as its current generation of consoles has sold over 125 million units according toNintendo’s finance report. The ability to take existing accounts and games to vastly upgraded hardware would be a pro-consumer move in the same vein as what’s possible with theXbox Series XandPS5’s carryover of progression.
This is compounded by: “In the transition from Nintendo Switch to the next-generation console. We will do our best to make the transition smooth for our customers”. Translated from Japanese, as theEnglish version is not currently livethrough official channels, there appears to be a strong case that the Nintendo Switch 2 or potential Nintendo Switch Pro will be an iterative evolution of the hardware and not a revolution.
Rumors of a Nintendo Switch successor have circulated for years, many of which were extinguished with the release of theNintendo Switch OLEDin mid-2021 instead of beefing up the hardware. While this upgraded model featured a vastly improved screen, a better kickstand, superior speakers, and double the internal storage of the base model, nothing was done about the rapidly agingNvidiaTegra X1, which has existed since 2015. That means no additional processing power for the CPU or graphics processing, leading some of the more demanding titles to perform worse than others.
The hybrid console still has some life in its veins and we’re excited about the upcomingPrime Day Nintendo Switch dealsand thePrime Day Nintendo Switch OLED dealsfor offers on hardware, software, and accessories.
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Aleksha McLoughlin is an experienced hardware writer. She was previously the Hardware Editor for TechRadar Gaming until September 2023. During this time, she looked after buying guides and wrote hardware reviews, news, and features. She has also contributed hardware content to the likes of PC Gamer, Trusted Reviews, Dexerto, Expert Reviews, and Android Central. When she isn’t working, you’ll often find her in mosh pits at metal gigs and festivals or listening to whatever new black and death metal has debuted that week.
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