Although the Nintendo Switch 2 will feature backwards compatibility for a significant portion of the original Switch library, it won’t cover every title available. Nintendo has highlighted several technical hurdles that made full support for the earlier system’s games a challenge.
“At the beginning of the development process for Switch 2, our priority was on improving hardware performance, specifically its capabilities,” stated Takuhiro Dohta, the director of Switch 2, in an official interview. “This caused compatibility to take a backseat. Take, for instance, the Nintendo DS titles that were playable on the Nintendo 3DS or the Wii games that could be enjoyed on the Wii U; achieving a similar compatibility level with Switch 2 proved difficult due to a different hardware approach.”
Kouichi Kawamoto, a producer on the project, elaborated, “In simple terms, the previous systems managed compatibility because the Nintendo 3DS housed DS hardware, and the Wii U had Wii hardware integrated within. However, Switch 2 does not contain any components from the original Switch.”
According to Dohta, the approach for Switch 2 involves “a solution that falls between software emulation and hardware compatibility,” utilizing a method that converts data from the original Switch into a format that the new system can process in real time during gameplay. Nintendo noted that full software emulation would significantly drain the system’s battery.
Nintendo has already released a preliminary list of games from Switch 1 that won’t be compatible with Switch 2, featuring some high-profile titles like Doom Eternal and numerous emulated games, including selected Arcade Archives offerings that won’t launch at all. Additionally, there’s another category of games that will function but may encounter “some in-game compatibility issues,” involving titles like Fall Guys, Factorio, and Alien: Isolation.
While several dozen games are recorded in the non-compatible sections, it’s important to mention that 122 first-party titles and over 15,000 third-party games have been officially approved for backwards compatibility. Nintendo asserts that they are “committed to enhancing compatibility further by collaborating with publishing and development partners.”
Stay informed about all the forthcoming Switch 2 titles!