Nintendo still isn’t ready to reveal the Switch 2, but they did finally confirm one major detail everyone has been wondering about. The news was delivered by Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa online late yesterday evening.
“This is Furukawa,” he tweeted. “At today’s Corporate Management Policy Briefing, we announced that Nintendo Switch software will also be playable on the successor to Nintendo Switch.” Can’t get clearer than that. You won’t have to start your physical collection over again.
There was more: “Nintendo Switch Online will be available on the successor to Nintendo Switch as well. Further information about the successor to Nintendo Switch, including its compatibility with Nintendo Switch, will be announced at a later date.”
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
While backwards compatibility on Switch 2 has been assumed for a while, no one knew for certain what would happen with Nintendo Switch Online. Since this is Nintendo we’re dealing with, they could have just started the library over and drip-fed the same games starting day 1. It’s fortunate we’re being spared that.
As for the Switch 2 itself. if it isn’t obvious by now the system will not be revealed in 2024. Nintendo has stated they would like to unveil it before the end of their current fiscal year, but that ends on March 31, 2025. Business analysts do not expect an announcement during the holiday season, which makes sense from one perspective, as knowledge of any impending new console would eat into the Christmas sales of the existing one.
But from another viewpoint, it’s strange, because Nintendo has forecast a loss in Switch sales for the 2024 holiday season anyway. They project overall for the fiscal year will dip from 13.5 million units to 12.5 million units. The company’s forecast for both sales and profits are down as well. Add to this everyone knows a Switch 2 is coming by now, and….why keep the mystery?
But we’re not them. Nintendo remains inscrutable and likely always will be.
