What if Nintendo Switch 2 does NOT have Backwards Compatibility? 

The switch 2 not having backwards compatibility and nintendo having to rebuild their massive library from scartch would be a huge fumble tbh

I simply wouldn't buy it lol

I genuinely feel like backwards compatibility with a fps boost to 60 should be a no brainer for Nintendo since both modern consoles ps5 and Xbox have backwards compatibility in some form a fps boost would especially help games that suffered on the og switch performance wise

I think nintendo has been saving a bit to allow for some big launch titles, but I have a gut feeling that nintendo is gonna be by the wayside for a few years again. With the current state of gaming shifting the way it is, I question how well they can manage.

Regardless, if they have backwards or not, I ain't gonna buy it unless folks will figure out how to jailbreak one. Screw Nin's pricing

The worst part is if the switch 2 doesn't have backwards compatibility it would still do pretty well, but hey thats more of a reason to keep your old switch!

Nintendo already did some digital backwards compatibility with a last gen console with the wii u having wii games on the eshop and putting a wii disc in takes you to the wii menu

How else will the resell old games?

It would be the end of Nintendo

I think it would be compatible cause it did carry it with it.

It’s gonna probably have limited backwards compatibility with digital only. I would guess this would be announced with the new console but not available on release. Would be willing to bet you will have to pay for a subscription to play a select library of switch games but it’ll have nothing to do with any purchases you’ve already made. Basically the same model they have for retro consoles now but more expensive. This would probably be the maximum amount they can milk people for and still get most of them to buy the new console.

backwards compatibility is something we all want but never use. like oh no you are going to have to use the switch to play the switch games. look at all your purchases from the virtual console from the wii and wii U, they are locked to the console and the switch will be the same.

If the Switch 2 rumors are true at all, I doubt Nintendo would gamble losing their player base, just in hope of reselling the same games again on similar, more powerful hardware. People like to pretend Nintendo thinks like Sony and Microsoft but, history says that’s a foolish assumption. Nintendo wants to sell consoles just as much as games.

Being 100% honest… If it does I’ll buy one for sure even if it’s not much improved, if not it’ll be like the Wii U and I won’t get one

I had to start over going from the wiiu to the switch. I bought breath of the wild and mario kart 8 twice. I would rather just hold off on buying the new console if it's not compatible. Screw that anti consumer garbage

It won't be a day one buy then... Look how well the psvr2 is doing. All I wanted was astrobot rescue with better visual fidelity. Oh well, I'll wait till it's $50 on market place 👍

it will have it, but they will charge you to “upgrade” or rerelease the games to 4k

I think the overhype with the spec on the rumour, as well as the lack of motivation to move on(people are extremely conservative now, they don’t even want anything new), maybe this decoupage them releasing the new console? Maybe a late switch pro can work in this scenario, I doubt Nintendo is happy about $400 price as a mandatory upgrade.

What worries me is that I expected the virtual console to renew its already expansive library on the Switch. Giving me several classic games to transfer from my Wii U to the new Switch platform and have the ability to buy more classic games to give my Switch a lot of games to play while I waited for more Switch games to release over the coming years. Well, it didn't happen and I worry Nintendo will be anti-consumer again. Its not as though backwards compatibility is foreign to the company, the Wii had Gamecube games, the Wii U had Wii games, The GBA had all previous handheld games, and the 3DS had DS games. This would be a clear result of two issues. The first is its overconfidence having a very successful platform. Many times a company feels invincible after having an excellent platform and become anti-consumer with the follow-up device leading into another failure. This is why a good platform followed by a bad platform followed by another good platform is a common pattern in the gaming space. Secondly, Nintendo has proven they don't care about gaming preservation by resetting the classic games collection each console release, never releasing games past N64 or GBA, going after emulation, and so-on. The Wii U and 3DS launched in 2012 and 2011 respectively, both over a decade ago. Since then the gaming landscape has changed drastically and the President of America and Japan Nintendo have new leadership. Just because they've done it in the past doesn't mean they will do it in the future. The company has drastically changed in the past decade and the thought that backwards compatibility is a given is silly to just assume. This isn't to say they shouldn't have it. Quite the opposite. I agree with the masses that it would be consumer friendly and it would help move the large fanbase on the Switch platform onto the next device. It makes too much sense to do it and that's why I question if they will. Nintendo commonly does the thing the fans don't expect. Sometimes its for the better, in this instance if the don't have backwards compatibility it would be their downfall. But it is weirdly in character to do the unexpected, which is why I don't fully expect this feature to be on the next platform even though it really should be if they want to keep the successful ball rolling.

When it comes to backwards compatibility nintendo will either not do it at all or we'll have everything, I doubt they'll even think of doing anything similar to xbox

No backwards, no buy.

I am more worried if they will go ARM or x86... I am hoping they stay ARM, because that will determine if we see wide spread compatibility 'off rip' or if we have to wait for official 'emulation' or conversions. Also , it will determine what battery life we get. the best x86 can do atm is similar to the Steam Deck.

You don't have to rebuild your switch library if there is no backwards compatibility. Just keep your switch, keep it plugged in, and play the switch games there. It actually would probably help make the switch valuable long-term. With that said, I'm almost certain they are going to add backwards compatibility in some form. I believe this has usually been the case in almost all of their handheld consoles. They support at least one generation of backwards compatibility. Given that the next generation will likely be the last one with any kind of physical media (and probably only by Nintendo) it would make sense to support the switch physical games as well. Another less likely possibility is having two SKUs .... One with a cartridge slot for back compatibility and another cheaper unit that only does digital switch 2 games.

As long as they're fine with homebrew I suppose backwards compatability is not required. Otherwise I think most will hold off for whatever the next system is.

I would be kinda disappointed

It will have backwards-compatibility. Nintendo owns the kernel for Switch, and its successor.

Save yourself the 12minutes - Nintendo went all in on the Switch platform so why wouldn’t they?

Only gonna get it when Animal Crossing comes out

They pretty much own the switch emulator yuzu now so why not use that??

you know what I wouldn't be surprised

if that happens i'll wait for the inevitable switch 2 emulator then

If "Switch 2" doesn't have backwards compatibility, I'm done with Nintendo consoles. I have a huge Switch digital library and I'm not gonna buy the same games all over again for the next one. Also I'm more into PC (and Steam Deck) gaming nowadays.

I'm tired of my digital purchases not carrying forward with Nintendo consoles... Even Xbox 360 had a large amount of BC for OG Xbox titles, and your digital games carried over to XB1. Then they expanded that, and now basically everything carries forward to Xbox Series, but my Nintendo account is basically up in the air. Cloud saves are random, VC is gone so we only have NSO, there's no achievement system to carry forward my game history & data, they still use friend codes & have no social or communication system whatsoever, so if there's no BC, what's the point? May as an start over with a new account at that point, so I really hope everything carries forward

I just don't buy it then lmao

if the switch 2 doesn't have back combat, I'm flat out not buying it lol

Digital only bc included in Nintendo switch online sub.

Im debating on replacing my switch. Sadly the dock is being mean to me. And wont charge or put on the tv. I was told not to waste my money on a new dock. This might convice me to grab a 3rd party option. And just uprgrade when a new switch releases!

Do you use a voice box? You sound weird....

If the switch to does not have backwards compatibility then I hope it is finally the moment when people realize that Nintendo is a shity company and I hope it's finally the time that they go under

Their would be zero logic to believe it wouldn’t have digital backwards compatibility. I don’t believe they’ll have physical backwards compatibility for one major reason. That being the recent announced Russian cart that can play games through a cart. By allowing that they would create a day one back door on their new device. I’m curious if there is a way that people who own carts can register them with Nintendo to allow for a free download of the games on the new device.

If it does not have backwards compatibility, I will never buy a Nintendo product again. Simple.