Nintendo confirmed on Wednesday that the successor to the Nintendo Switch will be backwards compatible with the Switch. During a company briefing, Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa announced that Nintendo Switch software will be able to run on the Switch 2. While announcing the company’s financial results for the second quarter of fiscal 2025, Furukawa also reiterated that the successor to the Nintendo Switch will be announced during the current fiscal year ending March 31, 2025.
Nintendo Switch 2 backwards compatibility
Nintendo also confirmed that Nintendo Switch Online, the company’s subscription service for the Switch, which offers online multiplayer, cloud saves, and access to a curated library of games from older consoles, will be available on the Nintendo Switch 2.
“I am Furukawa. At today’s corporate management policy briefing, we announced that Nintendo Switch software will also run on successors to the Nintendo Switch,” the Nintendo president said in an X post sent from the company’s official account. “Nintendo Switch Online will also be available on the Nintendo Switch successor. More information about the Nintendo Switch successor, including its compatibility with Nintendo Switch, will be announced at a later date.”
This is Furukawa. At today’s Enterprise Management Policy Briefing, we announced that Nintendo Switch software will also run on successors to the Nintendo Switch. Nintendo Switch Online will also be available on subsequent Nintendo Switch products. More information about…
— Nintendo Co., Ltd. (Corporate Report・IR) (@NintendoCoLtd) November 6, 2024
Detailing Nintendo’s second quarter fiscal 2025 financial results, Furukawa said it is important for the company to support long-term relationships with consumers. “We believe it is important to Nintendo’s future to leverage Nintendo Account and continue the great relationship we have built with the more than 100 million game users annually on Nintendo Switch into its successor,” he said.
He added: “In addition to being able to play the Nintendo Switch software they currently own, consumers can choose from a wide range of games released for Nintendo Switch for their next purchase.”
Furukawa did not provide further details about the Nintendo Switch 2 release schedule, but Nintendo has confirmed that the console will be officially released before the end of fiscal 2025.
Nintendo on Wednesday announced financial results for the second quarter ended September 30, 2024, confirming year-over-year declines in hardware and software sales. The company sold 4.72 million Nintendo Switch units in the quarter, a 31% quarterly sales decline compared to fiscal 2024. As a result, the Japanese company has adjusted its FY25 Switch sales forecast to 12.5 million units, down from its previous estimate of 13.5 million units. The company also confirmed that cumulative sales of Nintendo Switch have reached 146 million units.
