The Nintendo Switch 2 remains officially unconfirmed, but during the gaming giant’s latest investor briefing the Japanese firm iterated that the “successor to Nintendo Switch” will be unveiled sometime before the end of March 2025. During the same call, Nintendo also dropped some particularly significant news, Switch 2 (or whatever it’s ultimately called) will be backwards compatible with existing Nintendo Switch software.
The likes of Sony or Microsoft may have made a big deal about announcing this much-requested feature, but in classic Nintendo fashion, the company opted instead to confirm it with a single slide in a presentation. The slide reads “Nintendo Switch software will also be playable on the successor to the Nintendo Switch”. This is great news for any Nintendo Switch owners with a large library of games, though whether it’ll be backwards compatible with physical and/or digital games has not been confirmed. Fingers crossed it works with both.
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 be available on the successor to Nintendo Switch as well. Further information about…November 6, 2024
Nintendo has also confirmed that “Nintendo Switch Online will be available on the successor to Nintendo Switch.” The company’s online service being integrated with its next console seemed almost certain, especially as Nintendo made a big deal about creating a more unified online platform for the Nintendo Switch, but it’s still reassuring to have firm confirmation. How Switch Online accounts will transfer, and whether all the current membership benefits will be retained on Switch 2, weren't touched upon during this briefing.
At this stage, these tidbits are the most substantial pieces of Switch 2 information we have, pretty much everything else about the console is unknown, from its actual name, to whether it’ll offer the same hybrid home console/handheld design as the best-selling Nintendo Switch. Though, if it’s backwards compatible with the Switch’s library we can logically guess it won’t be centered around a gimmick like motion controls ala the Nintendo Wii.
In the absence of firm Switch 2 details, we’ve been wading through a flood of Switch 2 rumors in recent months. These have ranged from a leak that claims to showcase the design and specs of the upcoming console, to reports the Switch 2 is “ready to go” and it’s just a matter of time before Nintendo presses the big red announcement button. There were even numerous members of the press swearing that Nintendo had big plans for October, but sadly the month came and went with only a new Nintendo Switch OLED bundle released.
At this point, after many (many) unsourced rumors and dubious leaks, we’re getting desperate for just a crumb of concrete Nintendo Switch 2 information. Here’s hoping that Nintendo’s announcement plans come well before the company’s confirmed March 31, 2025 deadline. In the meantime, at least we can rest easy knowing that our current Nintendo Switch library will be able to come with us into whatever hardware the Big-N is cooking up next.
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