Nintendo seems to be teasing backward compatibility for Nintendo Switch 2. Nintendo Switch is one of the biggest consoles of all-time. It appeals to an extremely broad audience and is easily accessible thanks to Nintendo’s wide variety of games from Mario Kart to Zelda and it’s also extremely easy to pick up and play. People want something they can enjoy on their TV, but the added benefit of being able to take the Switch on the go via plane, bus, car, or just to use in other parts of the house makes it a real bang for your buck. The Nintendo Switch has been going strong for nearly 7 years now and it has built up both a strong library and a significant user base.
With that said, fans are wondering if the next Nintendo Switch, which is rumored to release within the next year or two, will play the old Switch games. The Nintendo Switch didn’t play Wii U games due to the change from disc to cartridge, but one would assume a Switch successor would continue using cartridges if not go completely digital. When speaking with Inverse, Nintendo of America President Doug Bowser seemed to heavily imply that the next Nintendo Switch could utilize Nintendo Account to make the “transition” to the next console much easier.
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“Well, first I can’t comment — or I won’t comment, I should say — on the rumors that are out there,” said Bowser. “But one thing we’ve done with the Switch to help with that communication and transition is the formation of the Nintendo Account. In the past, every device we transitioned to had a whole new account system. Creating the Nintendo Account will allow us to communicate with our players if and when we make a transition to a new platform, to help ease that process or transition.
“Our goal is to minimize the dip you typically see in the last year of one cycle and the beginning of another. I can’t speak to the possible features of a new platform, but the Nintendo Account is a strong basis for having that communication as we make the transition.”
It remains to be seen how Nintendo will proceed with the future of the Switch lineage, but it seems like it will take a cue from the likes of PlayStation and Xbox and try to make sure libraries and accounts carry over with ease.
