Nintendo Confirms Switch 2 Is Backwards Compatible With Your Switch 1 Games

Nintendo still is not ready to reveal a successor to its immensely popular Switch console just yet, but it is sharing some additional information that will come as great news to owners of current generation Switch consoles, especially those with big game libraries. In a post on X/Twitter, Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa confirmed that the Switch 2—or whatever it ends up being called—will be capable of playing existing Switch games.

In doing so, Furukawa said the Switch 2 (that's what we'll call it, until Nintendo comes official with a different name) will be backwards compatible. He also provided an update on Nintendo's plans for its Switch Online service.

"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 the successor to Nintendo Switch, including its compatibility with Nintendo Switch, will be announced at a later date," Furukawa wrote.

Looked at through a cut-and-dry lens, the Switch 2 will support existing Switch games, and will also be able to access Switch Online, Depending on your vantage point, however, it could also be argued that Furukawa left the door ever-so-slightly ajar for key caveats to backwards compatibility, as he mentions sharing more details "at a later date." We wouldn't read too much into that, though.

Simply put, this is great news for Switch owners, of which there are a lot out there—Nintendo revealed that cumulative hardware sales of its Switch lineup have surpassed 146 million units. Likewise, software sales for the switch have topped topped 1.3 billion units, "setting a new record for a Nintendo gaming platform."

Looking at the numbers more closely, there are 127 million (PDF) annual Switch users currently, which is a tally of the people who have played on the Switch at least once in the past year. Additionally, Nintendo says there will be a "steady stream" of new games throughout the holiday season and next year.

What Nintendo didn't touch on with its most recent earnings report is when exactly the Switch 2 will make its long-anticipated debut. We know from previous comments that it will arrive by March 2025. The lack of additional guidance likely means we won't see a Switch 2 released this year, and that's probably why Nintendo decided to provide an update about games support.

By revealing that backwards compatibility is in the cards, Nintendo can ensure that Switch game sales will remain steady throughout the upcoming holiday season, rather than have existing Switch owners slow their roll, if they're planning to upgrade to the new console next year.