Switch 2 reveal casts doubt on full backward compatibility

Nintendo’s reveal of the Switch 2 console on January 16 reiterated the good news that the new console will be backward compatible with the original console’s games.

However, it did appear to add some caveats. Not all Switch games will be supported by or fully compatible with the new system.

“Plays Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive games as well as Nintendo Switch games*” the company reiterated within the brief trailer for the new hardware today. Note the asterisk

Nintendo went on to explain said asterisk: “Nintendo Switch 2 plays both physical and digital Nintendo Switch 2 games. Certain Nintendo Switch games may not be supported on or fully compatible with Nintendo Switch 2.”

Nintendo says it will provide more details on its website closer to the time, but it comes amid a reveal that provided more questions than answers about the 2025 sequel.

In this case it has created a question which we already thought was answered.

In a tweet from the Nintendo account all the way back in November company president Shuntaro Furukawa wrote: “Hello, this is Furukawa. At today’s business direction briefing, we announced that Nintendo Switch software will be playable on the successor to the Nintendo Switch.”

At that same internal briefing Nintendo also confirmed that, as well as games currently owned by Switch users, a number of original Switch games will be able to available to purchase also.

At the time Nintendo didn’t say whether digital or physical games would be supported by the Switch 2 console, so at least Nintendo cleared that up today.

Probably nothing to worry about

I’d say this is likely Nintendo covering its bases rather than indicating backward compatibility will be hit and miss. I’d bet the overwhelming majority of Nintendo Switch games will be supported on the new system.

Anything first-party is highly likely to be fully supported by the Switch 2, as it’s all within Nintendo’s control. However, there’ll inevitably be some quirks, especially with older, third-party games that are no longer supported by the developer.

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