Nintendo comments on backward compatibility of future consoles
November 16, 2022
Only recently we reported on the current sales figures for the Nintendo Switch and the rumors about a possible successor. Now a report from VCG reveals how Shigeru Miyamoto commented on possible backwards compatibility with the future Nintendo console.
Whenever a new generation of consoles is announced, the calls for backwards compatibility for the older games are not far away. With a new console from Nintendo, you probably won't be able to hope for that. As part of a Q&A, Nintendo officials gave an update on their position on backwards compatibility.
With the Virtual Console , a service has already been introduced with which one can play older games, Shigeru Miyamoto reminded at first. In addition, one must consider the basic distribution rights of old games. Not every old game can be made playable again and again. Miyamoto also prefers to look to the future. The well-known classics that we all know were developed specifically for the respective platforms and their development environment. So now new modifications are needed again.
The real strength of Nintendo is to create completely new gaming experiences: "When we release new hardware in the future, we want to showcase unique games that could not be created with the previous hardware," said Miyamoto. So it sounds like current Switch games can't be playable on the successor. However, it cannot be ruled out that sooner or later they will still find their way to the next generation, because even now there are already many old classics in the Nintendo Switch Online service.
There is still a little time until the next generation of consoles from Nintendo. If you want to bridge this gap with a few indie titles, for example, you can find out more about the games shown in the Indie World Showcase here. There we have summarized all the games shown for you. A digital purchase in the Nintendo eShop is currently worthwhile anyway. There you will currently receive a double bonus for your purchases. You can find out more about this here .