Nintendo has confirmed Switch 2 compatibility with games for the current Switch

Nintendo has confirmed that its next console, likely to be called Switch 2, will maintain backwards compatibility with games for the original Switch. The company also said that Nintendo Switch Online will continue to run on the new device, preserving users’ accounts and subscriptions. This information was announced during its annual briefing, with Nintendo promising to provide more details later.

Switch Online will continue to work on the new device.

Nintendo Switch sales and popularity

As part of the presentation, Nintendo also shared statistics on the current Switch, with 4.72 million consoles sold in the last three months, down 31% from the same period last year. Still, total Switch sales have reached 146 million units, which puts it at the top of Nintendo’s platform in terms of software sales, with users having purchased 1.3 billion copies of games as of September 30, 2024.

Nintendo also noted that the number of Switch Online subscribers has dropped slightly to 34 million users, but demand for the expanded version with the Expansion Pack game library continues to grow. In the report, the company added that more games have been played on Nintendo Switch than any other Nintendo console.

Backwards compatibility and video game preservation

Backwards compatibility for Nintendo is as much about satisfying gamers as it is about contributing to the preservation of video game history. According to a study by the Video Game History Foundation, more than 87% of games released before 2010 are endangered and unavailable for purchase. While Nintendo has partially ported its catalog of games to Switch, access to much of the classic titles remains limited. The closure of the Wii U and 3DS eShops last year further narrowed access to older games.

The closure of the Wii U and 3DS eShops last year further narrowed access to older titles.

The new console from Nintendo is scheduled to be announced in the current fiscal year, which ends in March 2025. The company is aiming to provide an uninterrupted connection to the Switch’s more than 100 million annual users.

Switch’s launch is expected to be in the works.

Nintendo’s development and future plans

Although Nintendo isn’t sharing details about its next console, the company is actively developing the brand’s ecosystem. In recent weeks, it has announced the opening of a museum, testing a new MMO game, releasing an alarm clock and launching a streaming music app.

And it’s been working on a number of things, including the launch of a music streaming app.