Nintendo Confirms the Switch 2 Is Backwards Compatible, but There’s a Catch

Nintendo announced late Tuesday evening that the still-unannounced Switch 2 console will be backwards compatible. However, we still don’t know if your cartridges will still be as usable as ever in 2025.

Nintendo came out with the news shortly after it revealed that it expects to sell less Switch hardware than it hoped to by the end of the year. Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa took to Twitter/X to say, “Nintendo Switch software will also be playable on the successor to Nintendo Switch.” More than that, you’ll be able to keep your Nintendo Switch Online account on the sequel Switch.

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…

— 任天堂株式会社（企業広報・IR） (@NintendoCoLtd) November 6, 2024

Furukawa’s message still leaves a big hole in players’ expectations. His last point about “compatibility with Nintendo Switch” hints that Switch cartridges may not be fully compatible with the new console. In all likelihood, players’ downloaded games will be portable, but Nintendo may have to do some extra magic trickery to facilitate physical media.

The full Corporate Management Policy Briefing Furukawa is referencing doesn’t offer many more hints of what’s coming. Nintendo references the Nintendo Switch Online account as the main way it plans to “maintain a continuous relationship with the consumer across platform generations.” The company said it would use the “Nintendo Account” to carry over its “good relationship” with players.

This implies Nintendo will focus most of its backwards compatibility through Switch Online. The Japanese game maker clarified that you can buy older Switch titles on the Switch 2. However, any details on compatibility will be officially revealed “at a later date.”

More info from Nintendo (Corporate Management Policy Briefing) https://t.co/9grc34jhwo pic.twitter.com/pPu1Opm8t5

— Wario64 (@Wario64) November 6, 2024

At the very least, Nintendo is sticking to its guns and says it plans to announce the console this fiscal year, which ends in March 2025. Having a sequel Switch on the horizon hasn’t done anything to help hardware sales. Nintendo reported it lowered its sales projections for both Switch hardware and software. The company now expects to sell 12.5 million units instead of 13.5 million. Hardware sales for the base console, Switch OLED, and Switch Lite were down 31% year over year for the three months ending in September.

Nintendo blamed the drop in sales numbers on a lack of high-profile games and tie-in properties, specifically Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and The Super Mario Bros. Movie. The company still claimed sales were better than past consoles going into their eighth year of existence.

That’s why Nintendo is going out of its way to let consumers know they’re still safe buying Switch software for friends and family this holiday season. There’s the release of Mario & Luigi: Brothership to look forward to on Thursday, Nov. 7, plus a few more revamps and re-releases previously announced at Nintendo’s June Direct. Otherwise, no big tentpole franchises are coming just yet. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is supposed to arrive next year. We still think it will be the big game to straddle Switch 1 and Switch 2, but we suggest if you buy anything now, you look at the digital version first.