Switch 2 backwards compatibility confirmed: What has Nintendo said?

Nintendo's company president, Shuntaro Furukawa, told fans back in May 2024 to expect a full reveal within the current financial year (which will end in April 2025).

It's been a bit quiet since, making this sudden update something of a pleasant surprise!

Again, the news came on X (the social media site formerly known as Twitter), with Furukawa choosing to commune with the fans directly.

"This is Furukawa," he said at the start of his message. "At today's Corporate Management Policy Briefing, we announced that Nintendo Switch software will also be playable on the successor to Nintendo Switch."

This news will be welcome among a lot of fans. There are so many great Nintendo Switch games, and it would be a shame to leave that library behind.

Backwards compatibility means that you won't have to do that. You'll be able to take your old games with you. Yay!

This is not always a given with new consoles. For example, last time Nintendo launched a new console, Wii U and 3DS players were not able to transfer their old games onto the Switch at all.

Given that the Switch has a very specific form factor – with its detachable Joy-Cons, handheld mode, tabletop mode and TV dock – it will be interesting to see whether the Switch 2 has all the same features.

The existence of backwards compatibility certainly suggests that the new console will be similar in shape to the Switch (as opposed to being a drastically different concept), but only time will tell!

Nintendo hasn't even confirmed the new console's name yet, so there's a lot we still don't know. This company does love to keep things mysterious.

In the same X post, Furukawa added that "Nintendo Switch Online will be available on the successor to Nintendo Switch as well".

If you're a Nintendo Switch Online subscriber that enjoys accessing its library of retro games, that will also be very welcome news.

Furukawa closed out his message by saying: "Further information about the successor to Nintendo Switch, including its compatibility with Nintendo Switch, will be announced at a later date."

As and when that news comes out, we'll be sure to keep you updated. Watch this space!

If you're looking for something fun to do in the meantime, check out our Mario trivia quiz below.

Read more on Nintendo:

• Nintendo Switch OLED review - handheld gaming levels up
• Best Nintendo Switch games for kids
• Best Nintendo Switch micro SD cards to buy
• How to charge Nintendo Switch controllers
• The best Nintendo Switch Lite games - take these on the go
• How to connect Nintendo Switch to TV

Check out more of our Gaming coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.