Switch 2 Backwards Compatibility Confirmed by Nintendo

Nintendo has officially confirmed that the successor console to the Nintendo Switch will be backwards compatible with Switch games.

That means any Nintendo Switch games you own should also work on the Switch 2 when it releases next year. In addition, Nintendo Switch Online will also carry over to the next console.

The news arrived in what is becoming typically low-key fashion: released via a simple message on social media. The statement from company president Shuntaro Furukawa said:

“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 is expected to follow at a later date.

Backwards compatibility for the Switch 2 has been a huge point on concern for owners of the Nintendo Switch and those considering picking up one of the console’s newer OLED models. As such, this news will come as some relief. It also means that the Switch 2 will launch with a sizable catalog of playable games, no matter how many dedicated next-gen games are announced. Whether existing Switch games such as Tears of the Kingdom will benefit from improved performance or visuals when played on the new console remains to be seen.

Major upcoming releases currently docked in Nintendo’s 2025 shuttle bay include Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, Donkey Kong Country Returns HD, and Pokemon Legends: Z-A. During the management policy briefing, Furukawa displayed a collage of further games scheduled to release in 2025, including Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition, Civilization 7, and Dragon Quest 1 & 2 HD-2D Remake.

Furukawa also listed that more than 100m people worldwide play on Nintendo Switch, and that Nintendo Switch Online sports over 34m members. To learn more about the subscription service, read our in-depth breakdown of Nintendo Switch Online.