The Nintendo Switch 2 is still a mystery in many ways, but we did get a slightly better picture of things when Shuntaro Furukawa revealed the OG Switch games would be playable on the new system, meaning that the Switch 2 will have backward compatibility and that the Nintendo Switch Online service will transfer to the next console as well. That was a big “victory” for gamers, as that was a legitimate concern they had as the newest system loomed. Would they be able to keep everything they had from the Switch platform without having to “start fresh” all over again?
In a tweet that helped break down the financial briefing, Shuntaro Furukawa basically said to investors that one of the key elements for the transition was ensuring that player data and “histories” could transfer over. However, up until the OG Switch era, they didn’t have a way to do that. Then, they came up with the Nintendo Accounts, which could act as a repository of sorts to help maintain the “relationship” between consumers and Nintendo as they went to the next console platform.
He also highlighted how there are 100 million+ annual users on the current Switch system, so they needed to use the Nintendo Accounts to the fullest, including with Nintendo Switch Online, to make that transition as smooth as possible and highlight that they can still enjoy Switch games while playing them on the Switch 2.
It’s one of those “simple yet effective” things that could pay dividends in the long term. After all, while Nintendo has a long history of backward compatibility, it has never pertained to digital space. Now, they have both physical and digital backward compatibility, as you can straight-up play the cartridges on the new system while also downloading old games via your Nintendo Account to the Nintendo Switch 2.
That could be the difference in trying to make the Switch 2 as successful as the OG Switch at launch. Obviously, it can’t stop there, as The Big N needs to ensure that the hardware for the new system is truly an upgrade and that they have the proper amount of quality games in its first year and beyond to make it something that gamers need to buy. After all, that’s a struggle that Sony and Microsoft are dealing with right now.
Even with this insight, Nintendo also needs to work to improve its online capabilities overall. The current model still has some shortcomings that many want to improve. Let’s see if they take that next step with the Switch 2.
