Part 4: A new standard

I’m sure that those who already own Nintendo Switch games will be delighted that they can play them on Nintendo Switch 2. Did you already decide on this functionality when you were first planning the development of a new dedicated game system?

Kawamoto: Right from the beginning, we wanted the new system to be able to play Switch games, but back then, we were told there'd be technical challenges.

Dohta: When we first started Switch 2 development, the focus was on enhancing its performance as hardware, namely, expanding its capacity. So, compatibility was a lower priority. For example, Nintendo DS games were playable on Nintendo 3DS, and Wii games were playable on Wii U, but it was difficult to achieve the same level of compatibility with Switch 2, because the hardware design approach was different from those systems.

Sasaki: It's tricky to explain... Maybe the easiest way to understand it is that the methods used to achieve compatibility between Nintendo DS and Nintendo 3DS, and between Switch and Switch 2, are completely different.

Kawamoto: Simply put, those systems were compatible because Nintendo 3DS contained Nintendo DS hardware and Wii U contained Wii hardware. However, Switch 2 doesn't contain any Switch hardware.

Does that mean that Switch and Switch 2 aren't compatible at a hardware level?

Sasaki: Exactly. This time, we decided to take on the challenge of using new technology to run Switch games.

Dohta: If we tried to use technology like software emulators (22), we’d have to run Switch 2 at full capacity, but that would mean the battery wouldn't last so long, so we did something that’s somewhere in between a software emulator and hardware compatibility.

(22) A software program that imitates certain hardware. Commonly used to run old software on a new device and requires higher processing power than the original device.

Sasaki: This is getting a bit technical, but the process of converting game data for Switch to run on Switch 2 is performed on a real-time basis as the data is read in.

Is it like having Switch games “simultaneously translated” for Switch 2?

Sasaki: That’s right. Although we'd made the technological preparations, at first, we weren’t quite sure whether it would be able to maintain proper compatibility.

Dohta: But if a new feature like GameChat is available not only for Switch 2 games but also for Switch games, I thought it would create chemistry that would enrich the gameplay and add completely new experiences. So, with that in mind, we decided we wanted the new system to run all Switch games, as far as that's possible. If we couldn't achieve that, it wouldn't feel like a worthy successor to Switch.

Being able to say, “Switch games will run on Switch 2!” was one of the goals we wanted to aim for.

Kawamoto: We consulted with Sasaki-san again and again saying, “It'd be great if it works, but what do you think?” And even Sasaki-san was like, “Hmm...I don’t know about that...” (Laughs)


Sasaki: There are some games that ran well due to the Switch system's hardware configuration. Switch 2, on the other hand, has increased processing capabilities and an expanded memory capacity, which could theoretically cause some of those games to stop working. We weren't so confident at first, but as we tested games one by one, we found out that some issues could be solved by making improvements. This process helped us build confidence that, while we might not be able to solve everything, we can work it out for many games.

Does that mean you're checking each game from the huge library of Switch titles to make sure they’re all compatible?

Sasaki: Oh yes... We're checking them all, one by one. More than 10,000 games* in total.

Ten thousand?! That's a huge number.

Kawamoto: Even with all those checks, it might not be that all Switch games run perfectly in time for the launch of Switch 2, but we will continue our efforts so that we can support as many Switch games as possible. Of course, it's not physically possible to support certain games like the Nintendo Labo (23) Toy-Con 04 VR Kit, which was designed to fit the dimensions of the Switch hardware, as the sizes don't match.

(23) A series of Nintendo Switch software released between April 2018 and April 2019. By assembling the included sheets of cardboard according to the instructions and combining them with the Nintendo Switch system, players can create and play with a variety of accessories, known as Toy-Con, including a Piano, Fishing Rod, Motorbike, and Robot. Joy-Con controllers for Nintendo Switch are required to play on Nintendo Switch 2.

Dohta: We assume players will think it’s natural for Switch games to run on Switch 2, and of course, we thought that it should be that way too. So, in order to achieve this somehow, we challenged ourselves to implement a new solution.

You mentioned that new technology is used to achieve compatibility, but are there situations where playing Switch games on Switch 2 will enhance the gameplay experience?

Dohta: When we tried running Switch games on Switch 2, there were some where loading times became faster, or game performance became more stable, so we realized that the overall gameplay experience could improve. And as mentioned previously, GameChat will also be available for Switch games that are played on Switch 2. Even for previously released games, there are opportunities to add value in the sense that it can enhance and change the gameplay experience. We understand that people buy new hardware so they can play new games created for it, so we've developed Switch 2 with that in mind.

However, it's safe to say that Switch 2 is a system with new strengths in the sense that it adds value to Switch games that players already own. We'll take advantage of those strengths in the future to further enhance the gameplay experience of Switch games.

We believe there are many things we can do, such as making Switch games compatible with GameShare through free updates, as well as leveraging Switch 2's processing power to enable games to run in higher resolution and with a smoother frame rate.**