Based on a recent statement by the president of the Japanese company, it appears that the successor to the Nintendo Switch may incorporate some level of backward compatibility.
During the Q&A session of Nintendo’s recent financial briefing, CEO Shuntaro Furukawa discussed the company’s upcoming gaming hardware. According to Genki’s report, Furukawa stated that unlike previous console launches, the future hardware will not start from a clean slate. This is due to the utilization of the Nintendo Account system, which has amassed over 290 million accounts to date. Nintendo plans to leverage this vast user base to ensure a seamless transition to the new hardware, implying that the software associated with these accounts will have some form of compatibility with the upcoming hardware.
Historically, Nintendo consoles have had limited backward compatibility with their direct predecessors. However, given the immense success of the Nintendo Switch, it would be logical for its successor to have backward compatibility. Both the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S have embraced backward compatibility, so it would be unusual for Nintendo not to follow suit, even though the company has always charted its own course in the industry.
At present, there is limited information available about the successor to the Nintendo Switch. However, rumors indicate that it might follow the hybrid console concept like its predecessor, supported by the fact that Sharp has announced supplying LCD screens for a new gaming console. While Nintendo has not officially confirmed anything, there are indications that the release of this new system might not be too distant following its announcement. Nevertheless, it is definite that the launch will not take place before April 2024.
Via Genki