Nintendo has announced that existing Nintendo Switch software will be playable on its successor. This was revealed during the company’s management policy brief and on social media.
Although this has been the standard for consoles for several generations, only Xbox has attempted to retain most of its backward compatibility in each generation. The PlayStation 4 can’t play PS3 games, but the PS5 can play many PS4 games. Handheld consoles such as the Gameboy and DS series were backward compatible, but home consoles were the main focus of console manufacturers. The announcement on X (formerly Twitter) by Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa shows that Nintendo is getting back into shape.
In addition to backwards compatibility, Nintendo has also confirmed that its online subscription service, Nintendo Switch Online, will be available on the later console. This means subscribers will have access to the same online features, including cloud saves, online multiplayer, and a library of classic NES and Super NES games. It was mentioned that more information would be provided about the successor’s compatibility with the original Nintendo Switch, but not exactly what that means. The Wii U can use many of the same controllers as the Wii, so perhaps the successor to the Nintendo Switch will also be able to use previous-generation accessories.
Unfortunately, there were no other details about the upcoming console, such as name, release date, price, or any specific features. There is speculation that the successor to the device will be known as the Nintendo Switch 2, but Nintendo has never done so before. The NES preceded the SNES, which preceded the Nintendo 64. Nintendo tends to give each console its own name and identity or at least add a character like the Wii U. However, after Weak sales of the Wii UIt is unlikely that Nintendo will repeat many of the decisions from that generation.
source: Nintendo (Twitter/X)
(Tags for translation)Video games