Nintendo confirms software compatibility of the Switch with successor console

Games for Nintendo's Switch games console will also run on the successor model, which has not yet been unveiled. This was announced by the company during the presentation of its latest quarterly figures. The successor will also be able to use the 'Switch Online' internet service and existing Nintendo player accounts to play together with other users, for example.

The Nintendo Switch was launched back in 2017, so there has long been speculation about a successor model to this games console, which can be used both on the go and on the TV at home. This spring, the Japanese company commented on this for the first time. According to this, Nintendo wants to announce the Switch successor before the end of this financial year. The financial year ends in March 2025 – so there should be concrete information on the new Nintendo console by then.

But it's not that far yet, the information is coming in bits and pieces. Nintendo has now reconfirmed that there will be more information about the Switch successor later this financial year, but first the software compatibility of the new game console with its predecessor has been announced. Switch titles will therefore also be playable with the successor model. As the 'Switch Online' multiplayer service will also be usable, it can be assumed that Nintendo will not change the name of the Switch successor. A "Switch 2" is therefore expected.

Compatibility with unanswered questions

It remains unclear whether previous game cartridges, the modules with the game software, can also be inserted into the Switch 2, or whether older titles can only be used digitally, for example as a download. It is also unclear whether previous Switch games will be able to run in higher resolutions or refresh rates thanks to the successor's presumably improved hardware platform. It is also not yet known whether new titles for the Switch 2 will be compatible with the previous Switch if the game modules are comparable.

Financially, Nintendo recorded significant losses in the first half of the current financial year. Revenue has fallen by 34 percent year-on-year, operating profit by 57 percent and net profit by as much as 60 percent, writes Nintendo. This is probably mainly due to the sales figures for the Switch, which is now over eight years old. Although 4.72 million units of this game console were sold in the past six months, this is 31 percent less than in the previous year. The number of Switch games sold also fell by almost 28 percent, from 97.1 million titles in the previous year to 70.3 million games most recently.

Successful Switch console

Despite this, Nintendo continues to celebrate the Switch as a success, pointing to a total of 146 million units of this games console sold to date and 1.3 billion Switch games sold by the end of September 2024. The latter is a record for the Japanese company, as never before have so many titles been sold for a Nintendo console as for the Switch.

Nintendo also points to 127 million users who have picked up and played the Switch at least once over the past year. This figure has even increased compared to the previous year, when there were 122 million players. New games for the Switch will therefore still be released next year, even if the Switch successor is expected to be released in 2025.

(fds)