RUMOR: Switch successor to be physically/digitally backward compatible, will enhance games
Fingers crossed
The last few weeks have definitely been chock-full of Switch successor rumors. We’ve heard all sorts of chatter from various sources, including secretive industry insiders and big-name organizations like Reuters. Today brings us yet another rumor from the darker corners of the internet, but not one without merit.
Today’s juicy rumor comes from Universo Nintendo, which is an outlet that has indeed proven trustworthy in the past. While they haven’t gotten absolutely everything right in the past with their rumor reports, they’ve definitely been spot-on enough times to warrant sharing their latest rumor. In particular, they’re backing a rumor that stems from the PH Brazil podcast, which is yet another source that has leaked legitimate Nintendo information over the years.
The latest round of rumors makes mention of the Switch’s successor and how it’ll supposedly allow current Switch owners to continue their fun on the new platform. Apparently, the Switch’s follow-up will let Switch players bring their games over through backwards compatibility, but not just physically. In a move that many will no doubt hope to be true, the Switch successor may let you access your digital Switch library of software alongside your physical game cards.
The fun doesn’t stop there, though. The second part of the rumor claims that developers will be able to take advantage of the Switch successor’s power in order to enhance their original Switch games. We’ve seen this happen on other platforms, where last-gen games get a resolution and fidelity boost through new hardware. It would definitely be wonderful to see the same thing happen between Switch and its successor, and hopefully Nintendo agrees!
Again, all of this is rumor and speculation at the moment. Hopefully Nintendo comes forward with some official news on the Switch successor in the near future, as fans are clearly going wild while waiting!
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lionk
2M agoIt would be great for me because I never 'switched' (from WiiU/3DS). I'd be able to pick up quite some Switch games I missed out on to play on the successor.
Hopefully this means for switchers as well that Nintendo has no plans to shut down the Switch online games when the successor is a succes.
mereel
2M agoImagine if Nintendo allowed digital purchases to be brought over to Switch 2, but provided no way to play the physical carts on Switch 2. As a prolific collector of physical Switch games, this would crush my soul.
tendonin
2M agoMy longtime hope has been that the successor will let Switch 1 games run at docked mode specs while in handheld mode. The resolution boost would certainly compensate if the rumored lack of OLED is true. No idea how plausible that is.
bakfug
2M agoThis is such a strange distinction the way you've said it. If a system is backwards compatible with physical games, of course it will be digitally too, especially after every single interview and investor meeting with the president is about the importance of Nintendo Accounts and moving them forward.
Game enhancements as a rumor, especially so vague, is extremely uninteresting. It would be a nice feature, but with no details on how it would work, it just reads like a pipe dream they can backpedal on when need be.
kingbroly
2M agoHear me out on this: Nintendo will trickle out enhancement patches for some of their games like they do for Virtual Console/NSO games.
ultimateownage
2M agoMan I hope this turns out to be true. It’s honestly one of the bigger factors for me being excited for a day one purchase. A seamless migration onto the next generation through backwards compatibility would be so nice, especially for digital titles for a change.
cheesus 2
2M agoI'm guessing the Switch 2 will be more like a mid gen upgrade than a new console. I'd be surprised if it's even 2/3 as strong as a Steam Deck
the_crimson_lure
2M agoI think this is likely (and therefore something an 'insider' will predict) for two reasons:
1. Nintendo's handhelds have historically allowed backwards compatibility to one generation prior.
2. Furukawa's comments on making the transition between generations easier for consumers.
With those in mind, that makes this one an easy target for rumors.
hawk
2M agoOn one hand, Nintendo's handling of the NSO retro games library suggests they're aware that we're losing the money and patience to directly re-purchase games we already own, or that we know won't follow us to the next console.
On the other hand, they just halted production on a bunch of Switch physical games, some of them being kind of recent (like Fire Emblem Engage, for example). You'd think they would be happy to continue producing and selling those if they'll be viable games on the next platform.
It's a rumor from a fairly-reliable source that heard it from a fairly-reliable source... but I sure do hope it's true. I played a lot of DS games on my 3DS, and I know I would do the same with Switch games on the next system.
kamehamehax
2M agoOK, so we can probably play out Switch1 library on the Switch2, but here's the BIG question...
Do you have to transfer ownership of the Switch1 games to the Switch2 via the Nintendo Account, or could you play the same games on both (perhaps like others where you can do so as long as the game isn't being played on two devices simultanously).
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