During the reveal trailer of the Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo shed a little more light on how backwards compatibility will work on the new Nintendo console.
Nintendo’s President previously confirmed that backwards compatibility, the ability to play previous generation games on the new console, would be a feature but did not elaborate on more details.
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…
— ?????????????IR? (@NintendoCoLtd) November 6, 2024
They have now confirmed the Nintendo Switch 2 “plays Nintendo Switch 2 exlcusive games, as well as Nintendo Switch games.” However, they elaborate to say the “Nintendo Switch 2 plays both physical and digital Nintendo Switch games,” but “certain Nintendo Swtich games may not be fully supported on or fully compatible with Nintendo Switch 2.”
The accompanying image shows the existing Switch cartridges matching those used in the Switch 2.
Presumably Switch 2 exclusive games will have a slightly different design to the sticker to differentiate between games (as well as tweak box designs) but it’s thankfully pretty straightforward and not much different to what we’re accustomed to with other backward compatible generations.
Given the device doesn’t differ terribly much from the original, I’m not expecting there to be many compatibility issues, but we’ll have to wait for the full details Nintendo promise they will share on the Nintendo website at a later date.
Fortunately, us Aussies will be among the first to get hands-on with the console later this year!