As part of the latest Corporate Management Policy Briefing, Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa confirmed that the Nintendo Switch 2 will be backward compatible with Switch games. There have been rumors about this feature for a long time, and even the president of Nintendo America hinted at it around a year ago. However, getting it confirmed definitively is sure to make prospective fans happy.
Furukawa stated:
In addition to being able to play Nintendo Switch software they currently own, consumers will be able to choose their next purchase from a broad selection of titles released for Nintendo Switch.
More information on Nintendo Switch 2 backward compatibility is expected to be shared at a later date. The Japanese corporation still plans to announce the new console within the current fiscal year (that is to say, by March 2025).
Nintendo’s financial results released yesterday weren’t great. The company had to lower its sales forecast for the full year. However, in his briefing, Furukawa maintained that the Switch was still selling robustly compared to previous Nintendo platforms in their eighth year.
He then provided an analysis of why the Switch performed so well, attributing the platform’s outstanding overall results not only to the great games but also to four key structural changes: merging the handheld and home console platforms into a single one; an emphasis on consumer touchpoints; reinforcing relationships with game developers; and regional expansion to growing markets.
The first point is arguably the most important one. On this subject, Furukawa-san explained:
Before Nintendo Switch, we offered two types of dedicated video game platforms: home consoles and handheld systems, each with its own unique set of titles. By merging these two platforms, Nintendo Switch became a unified platform where popular series from both home consoles and handheld systems come together in one place.
The merging of the two platforms allowed us to integrate our software development teams. By focusing our research and development on a single platform, we have achieved a more continuous stream of new titles without major gaps. With Nintendo Switch, we introduced the concept of a portable home console, which has been well-received by our consumers worldwide. Consumers now purchase Nintendo Switch for many reasons. Not only do we see first-time users, but we also see consumers purchase additional hardware to add to their collection or replace their hardware with newer ones. At the same time, ownership patterns have shifted from “one per family” to “one per person.” Although Nintendo Switch debuted as a home console, its sales also exhibit the characteristics of a handheld system.
That’s why the Nintendo Switch 2 is also going to be a hybrid console. Whereas the Japanese corporation previously employed gimmicks that only lasted a generation (the Wiimote and the Wii U Gamepad, for instance), this shift to a handheld/home console combination will pay off dividends for multiple generations, given the consumer trend of playing on the go. After much experimentation, it looks like Nintendo has found a clear path forward.
