Nintendo Talks About Future Switch Support Ahead Of Switch 2 Launch – Nintendo Life
GuestGuestLogin | Sign UpNintendo LifeGuestLogin or Sign Up”We would like to continue releasing new titles”Nintendo has already confirmed it will be supporting the Switch in 2025 with new software, but what is the plan for the system beyond this year?During the Q&A of Nintendo’s latest financial results briefing, Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa acknowledged the balancing act shifting from one generation to another – mentioning how the Japanese firm would like to continue releasing new titles on the original system, but also noting how “crucial” exclusives are when it comes to new hardware.Here’s exactly what he had to say (courtesy of Nintendo’s official English transcript):Shuntaro Furukawa: “So far, we have announced Pokémon Legends: Z-A and Metroid Prime 4: Beyond as Nintendo Switch titles scheduled for release in 2025. Since many people are playing Nintendo Switch, if we are able to develop appealing software, we would like to continue releasing new titles. On the other hand, exclusive games are crucial when launching new hardware. With this in mind, we will consider various ways for Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 to encourage as many consumers as possible to enjoy our games.”As already confirmed, Switch users can look forward to Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition next month as well as Pokémon Legends: Z-A and Metroid Prime 4: Beyond in 2025.Nintendo also confirmed this week the Switch has now shifted more than 150 million units worldwide, so until Switch 2 sales start booming, it seems likely Nintendo will keep supporting the original model in the earlier years of the new system’s life – perhaps similar to the approach it took with 3DS software development post-Switch launch.Nintendo will reveal more information about the Switch 2 during a ‘Direct’ broadcast this April, with the hardware scheduled to arrive at some point later this year. Backward compatibility for the system has also been officially confirmed.Something’s waiting in the wings… and the Switch 2!Switch is already “played by many consumers”Will you be picking up a Switch 2 early in its lifecycle, or will you be sticking with the Switch as long as games keep coming its way? Share your thoughts in the comments.About Liam DoolanLiam is a news writer and reviewer for Nintendo Life and Pure Xbox. He’s been writing about games for more than 15 years and is a lifelong fan of Mario and Master Chief.Comments 83Of course they will, why would this even be a question. Games continue to get released of previous platforms for a whileWell if they’re going to continue Switch 1 games, how about a Direct for it soon? We only know of 3 upcoming 1st party Switch games so it’d be nice to know about more!Will get both[insert thumbs-up here]With all this silence I feel like they are not prepared this year to focus on launching switch 1 games alongside switch 2 games but maybe they aren’t saying anything to get more people eager for switch 2. I’m betting we won’t get a direct until after the switch 2 presentation let’s see if I’m right or wrong. (Besides a Pokemon direct this month)We did get Kirby Mass Attack, Pokemon Conquest, Pokemon Black 2 and White 2 for the regular DS in 2011-2012 so this doesn’t surprise me considering Nintendo’s only stopped support right before a successor’s release with most of their home consoles and not their handhelds.If Metroid runs on old switch thats a big troll to wait so longOf course it was gonna happen. The 3DS didn’t disappear or stopped getting games the second the Switch dropped. Hell look how we still have PS4 games being dropped..This can be a good thing if Switch 2’s backwards compatibility also improves performance. It would mean that there could be a ‘goldilocks’ zone of games that strike a balance between having to perform well on Switch, allowing them to run butter smooth on Switch 2@rvcolem1 From third parties, sure, but I wouldn’t expect much from Nintendo. The only cross-platform Nintendo releases I know off the top of my head are Twilight Princess and Breath of the Wild. Beyond those, the old system usually gets one Pokemon game and very little else after the new one launches.There’s also all those Level-5 games they’re going to be the international distributors onWell there is a 150 million plus Switch 1 users so you gotta do something. I say maybe start porting the 3DS library soon.@Anachronism well we all know Just Dance will continue to come for the next 62.5 yearsI’m waiting for ARMS 2 and new Animal Crossing game for Switch 2 with rules like ACNH (villagers will never moving out by themself).Expect more ports from other Ninny systems and some remakes .@rvcolem1 Well yes, because that’s made by Ubisoft, a third party company. As long as they’re not too busy getting eaten by Tencent, they’ll be happy to keep making money off the Switch’s massive userbase until they’ve all moved on to newer platforms. But this article is about the president of Nintendo sharing their plans for future Nintendo games.I’m fine with them continuing to support the Switch for the foreseeable future as long as we still get exclusive games for the Switch 2 .As a day one PS5 adopter it used to really drive me crazy seeing most games released on PS5 and then also PS4.I paid all that money so I could have the privilege of playing the latest games on my shiney new console, what exactly was the point if the games are also released on the old system?It is starting to get better now but PS5 will be 5 years old later this year and it’s quite frankly a joke that it’s taken this long.Anyway….. long story short is that I won’t be happy if Nintendo do the same thing with the new Switch.Mario Kart 9 and the likes need to be Switch 2 exclusiveNintendo’s big “if” there will translate to them dropping first party support like a rock once new hardware hits. That’s how it always goes with their hardware generations. But hey, I’m sure third parties will continue to release lots of RPG’s and metroidvanias..@rvcolem1 63,4 to be precise@rvcolem1 Erm. Nintendo rarely do this. Once Wii U launched, there were no first party title released for Wii.Only exception would be 3DS, where several first party games still released after Switch launch. But they were still unsure of Switch’s success, and they kept telling people 3DS would coexist with Switch.Once Switch seemed a success, they stopped support for 3DS.@ChakraStomps I disagree. It would be a troll move to have the game NOT release on the console it was announced for 7 years ago. I’d be pretty upset if I went out and bought a Switch after the announcement that Metroid Prime 4 was coming, only for that not to happen. Not that there aren’t plenty of other great Switch games to play instead, but still, it’s the principle. Maybe the gane will get graphics and performance boosts on Switch 2, which I would prefer to a separate SKU.I am sure they have a few hold overs in the pipeline for switch. And since the S2 is BC they can just push those out with perhaps a few optimization patches and still have games for both systems. Just put the lower tier or support teams on it. Then that allows younger B/C list teams time to learn tricks with S2 hardware, and frees up the main dev teams to make S2 exclusive games. So the “there’s no games” folks on switch can have some new shiny and the “please stop with opening the floodgates cuz I am drowning” folks like me can spend time moping up Switch purchases for the next few years before going to S2. Seriously with the amount of games I got left to buy I can buy three Switch 2 systems at 700 bucks. So I am perfectly fine coming in late. I would say that S2 is a good opportunity to put games that have been dormant but not out on switch to entice others to upgrade in addition to the standard better graphics sequels.The main thing is keeping 3rd party on board. Keep getting old ports of PS4 and lower hw demand PS5 games. The PS4 is still getting games. This means switch still has years of support left. Just try if possible to snag a few modern heavy hitters. I would love SF4 and 6 and VF anything (hoping for yakuza ports to accomplish that) on S2.I hope they took the mobile app approach where you can target an older device and use the newest device functionality at the same time. Should be easy to conditionally increase the frame rate, draw distance, adding visual effects such as improved lighting, and of course the resolution bump is solved already with dynamic resolution.They don’t need to throw the current 150M users down the drain.We did get some bangers in the late DS and Wii eras but the same cannot really be said for 3DS and Wii U (minus BotW). With this being a straight upgrade from Switch 1, I see support being dropped fairly quickly.No doubt the Switch will still be supported, although it won’t be as much of a huge focus as it has been up to this point. We may also see some cross-gen games for Switch and Switch 2.Since switch 2 plays em, I’ll still buy switch 1 games. Unless switch 2 gets better versions.Didn’t Nintendo say they were planning to continue supporting the GBA once the DS released? Point being, I doubt we’ll get a single title for switch specifically beyond those already announcedIt’s going to be weird playing a Switch that isn’t my OLED in its deck. I don’t know if it’s going to be a hard “hand me down” to the younger kids, but it probably will be. …no way I won’t be constantly cleaning that thing though.Just don’t release cross gen titles if it limits the Switch 2 version. I’m disappointed Metroid Prime 4 isn’t a switch 2 exclusive, so it can take full advantage of the new title, and not be an enhanced version of an old gen game.I’m expecting a few more Switch titles to be released by Nintendo over the remainder of the year. They are still manufacturing the original system in multiple SKU’s with an ever growing new user base so more rereleases along the lines of Rhythm Heaven Megamix, Yoshi’s Wooly World and Mario Galaxy 2 could possibly happen.Nothing new here. Companies continue to support their older hardware until it’s no longer profitable and pulls too many resources away from other projects.I Wonder if the 4.2.25 direct will have cross platform games. The rumor about the Feb direct is good for the heart, but it doesn’t quite make sense. Meanwhile this shows they at least intend to support switch vaguely until they don’tHey Nintendo, give us Metroid Prime 2 and 3 preferably on one cart (it worked for Pikmin 1 and 2) and I’ll be happy!Encouraging.
I feel like Nintendo is entering a new paradigm, and will release software on Switch as well as Switch 2 if the hardware can handle it, bit like how Sega used to do.
I’m not convinced that Switch 2 will reach the install base of the Switch, not least because of the economoc situation, so we could see Switch 2 and Switch exist alongside each other akin to PS4 and PS5.
I don’t envision it being a GBA ‘third pillar’ scenario.I am pretty sure a price cut and some continued support will see the Switch past the PS2’s revised total.In effect the Switch has already been more successful as it’s not really had a significant price reduction. The PS2 was of course helped by it being a very cheap DVD player. And multiple price reductions to the end of it’s lifecycle.The original Switch will take it’s place as the best selling video game console of all time. Who wou;s have thought that after the Wii U and 3DS generations.Is this going to be like that time when they said the Switch wouldn’t replace the Wii U or the 3DS.@Uncle_Franklin,Why do you not see the Switch 2 doing as well. Just curious. Do you perhaps feel it’s price may be too high?@Mirastrix,Totally different scenario.I still think there will be an “NSO2” that you can only play on Switch 2, where they will add GameCube, Wii, DS, 3DS and maybe Sega Saturn and Dreamcast games.Switch 1 will remain the target platform for 2D Indies for the next 2 to 3 years.All these Cupheads, Hollowknights, Celests, Animal Wells, Balatros … will also release on Switch 1 in great form.That will be a big part of its legacy!@AnonyQ what are you talking about. Nintendo kept making games for the GBA for over two years after the DS came out.When was the last first party release on Switch? 2023? I’d say Nintendo development has already made the shift to the new hardware.Sony messed up with PS5 because they took too long to cut off support for PS4 and because of that PS5 is struggling to sell half their audience has still not moved over to PS5 over 4 years later I don’t want Nintendo to fall into the same situation where they keep putting games out for Switch 1 and not enough Switch 2 exclusives and people think why do I need a Switch 2Of course they will, thats the whole reason for backwards compatibility. I wil still buy regular switch games with the knowledge that they still support it.@NinChocolate Emio by EPD in August 2024, and Jamboree by NintendoCube in October 2024 were the most recent in-house gamesWill Most Likely be Purchasing a Nintendo Switch 2 on Release Day Since I Feel Like there Will Be a Solid Lineup of Great NS2 Games on Day 1.. Waiting for This Upcoming April Direct and Keeping $$$ on the Side to Spend -Most likely they’ll still release some games on Switch (along with many more third parties, but that’s up to those, not Nintendo), but overall shift the focus to Switch 2 just like they’ve always done – as others have already mentioned here, doubt and also really hope they’ll pull a Sony and release almost all their games on their previous systems and so damage their new one!I feel the new hardware does little on its own to warrant a purchase this time around. There’s no novelty aspect and the technical upgrades appear to be minor. So they need wonderful, exclusive games to do the talking.This will be a tricky thing to balance out. Looking forward to seeing how it unfolds!I doubt we’ll see that much beyond remakes and third party games but it wouldn’t make any sense for them to drop Switch 1 entirely.@James021 really? Well TILAsk all the companies still releasing PlayStation 4 and Xbox One games in 2025 if it was a given that Nintendo would still support Switch in some capacity after Switch 2 comes out.If they price it wrong (£400 or above) then I’ll stick with the switch for the time being. This would only change if Capcom announced a Monster Hunter switch 2 only title.@kevinm360 Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom and Mario & Luigi: Brotherhood were also released last year.And I would like to exercise more.@PinderSchloss The PS5 effect.I hope Nintendo had some good idea for Metroid Prime 4. Would be a shame to release it in identical form on Switch 1 and 2. They should instead use it do demonstrate the difference.truth:150 milion sold nintendo switchfalse statement: 160 milion ps2, actualy 132 mil.as hardcore gamer who follow the industry for 40 years, i hereby crown nintendo as the new recordholderOf course Nintendo isn’t going to quickly sever a massive base of Switch 1 owners. For me, it’ll just be a problem if I’m still playing mostly Switch 1 games on Switch 2. There should be a decent number of exclusives.Seeing Switch games will play on the Switch 2, it seems silly to make any less graphically intense games for only the Switch 2.Hopefully anything new that comes to Switch will be remasters and anything lower budget/priority. I don’t want a PS4/PS5 type of situation- if I’m going to put down what will inevitably be a fair amount of money for a Switch 2 I want the games that release for it to properly take advantage of the hardware and not be hamstrung by needing to scale down to last gen.Makes sense. People often compare Switch’s sales to the PS2 and how Switch hasn’t quite gotten there yet, but PS2 was supported a fair while into the PS3 lifecycle. I think if Nintendo does the same they may well surpass those PS2 sales with ease.While keeping Switch users engaged is nice, I hope Nintendo doesn’t make the mistake of assuming they will upgrade for the sake of it. In this instance, Nintendo more or less have to incentivize people to buy Switch 2 by only making exclusives for it, not its predecessor. It seems like they recognize that but I also don’t want to assume anything.Honestly since the Switch 2 is backwards compatible I am fine with them continuing to release games on the Switch, we can still enjoy them even on the new hardware hopefully with improvements.@Sherlock- Left them off my reply as they were mainly developed by Grezzo and AcquireNot surprising that they want to keep supporting the OG Switch, but still nice to know that this thing isn’t dead just yet.People didn’t believe Prime 4 was for Switch…1st party games already struggle on the current console, so I believe the cross-gen period will be very limited. I see Nintendo supporting the Switch 1 with AA cross-gen titles (like Rhythm Heaven, another Switch Sports, etc) and what’s already announced (Prime 4, Pokemon ZA) but not much beyond that and only for about 2 years. As for 3rd parties and indies, they will almost exclusively jump ship to the new console with a few exceptions (stuff like Silksong will be cross-gen for example).@Ogbert Yeap the PS2 was supported for 12 years from 2000-2012 and the reason for that was cause DVD sales was doing good. When DVD sales started to dwindle in 2010 that’s when Sony started to slow down on PS2 production and eventually stopped production altogether until 2012 when PS2 production officially ended. Every PS2 still on the market in 2012 were unsold leftover units from their warehouse in 2009 and 2010.I hope they’ve learned from Sony’s example. Fingers crossed we’ll be getting Switch games in 2030 to play while we wait for the release of Switch 2’s five exclusives.I do want a switch 2 but I feel like they should continue supporting switch 1 throughout the switch 2 lifetime. There are still loads of games coming out all over that you’d figure should run fine on switch 1 hardware – why exclude that part of the market? Reserve switch 2 exclusivity for games that won’t run on switch 1 hardware at an acceptable level.Of course I only want that future in the idealistic version of this timeline where switch 1 titles will scale to switch 2 hardware.It is the traditional next gen issue. You need exclusive content to sell you new platform but you can’t ignore that existing user base (in this case 160 million) of paying customers.They always say that, but they ultimately abandon the system for the next one!The idea of Nintendo supporting both is an exciting one, but I also hope we don’t see re-releases of these new Switch titles on Switch 2 down the line. The prospect of that almost makes me apprehensive to invest in any new Switch 1 titles.@Anachronism Fire Emblem Warriors, Sushi Strikers, and Captain Toad were all cross-generation 3DS/Switch releases@PALversusNTSC any sources?@PikaPhantom tbh captain toad released on the wii u firstI am all for it, and for the love of all that’s holy, I hope Wind Waker HD/Twilight Princess HD finally comes out, ALONG WITH revised Ocarina of Time HD/Majora’s Mask HD ports of the 3DS remakes. Just let me make the Switch into my Zelda system…..and also…maybe…New Super Mario Bros style remake of Mario All Stars? I refuse to give up on the idea. Would give anything to have them make that.@PikaPhantom Huh, that is more than I thought. Still, that’s two games not made by Nintendo and one Wii U port, so I’d say those fit safely into the “very little else” category.@Serpenterror DVD player prices fell off pretty quickly. Certainly by 2005 you could get no-name brand DVD players a lot cheaper than buying a PS2 if that’s all you wanted it for.
It was even Nintendo’s stated reason for dropping planned support for a DVD app on the Wii. Even Nintendo was like “you have many other options for playing DVDs these days”, in 2007.Like they did with gba, ds, 3ds… do they think we are stupid? 😂I agree with others that the transition needs to be quick. I don’t want to buy a Switch 2 on day 1 only to wait 3+ years before it finally gets proper exclusives that finally distance itself from the Switch 1 era.@Ulysses well thats exactly what IS going to happen and It happens every single time we get a new generation.When you have an install base of over 150 million.. you aren’t going to move on quickly.@Rhaoulos interesting example, for a game being in development since 2016 (?) but I get your point Show CommentsLeave A CommentHold on there, you need to login to post a comment…Nintendo Reconfirms Release Windows For Major Upcoming Switch Games… and the Switch 2!Ex-PlayStation Boss On Switch 2’s Name: Nintendo Created So Much “Brand Value””Why would you mess with that?”Metroidvania ‘Chronicles Of The Wolf’ Takes A Few Cues From Castlevania IIAh-woooooo!”Nintendo Is Probably The Easiest To Scam” – Devs Discuss The Current State Of The eShopThe rise of “eSlop”Nintendo Talks About Future Switch Support Ahead Of Switch 2 Launch”We would like to continue releasing new titles” 30Talking Point Which ‘Tales’ Game Will Come To Switch Next? 16News Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered Physical Release Seemingly Teased 19News Civilization VII Devs Detail First Batch Of Updates And Fixes Ahead Of Launch 47Poll Box Art Brawl – Duel: Wario World (GameCube) 12News “Capcom And SNK” Inspired Fighter Blazing Strike Outlines Plans For 2025News Nintendo Shuts Down Live-Action Zelda Fan Film, ‘Lost In Hyrule’News Nintendo Reconfirms Release Windows For Major Upcoming Switch GamesNews Ex-PlayStation Boss On Switch 2’s Name: Nintendo Created So Much “B…Random Oh No, You Can Buy A Life-Sized Gardevoir Plush From Pokémon CenterNews Metroidvania ‘Chronicles Of The Wolf’ Takes A Few Cues From Castlevania IINews Nintendo Talks About Future Switch Support Ahead Of Switch 2 LaunchNews “Nintendo Is Probably The Easiest To Scam” – Devs Discuss The …Random Hideki Kamiya Would Rather You Not Play Okami On The WiiGuide 69 Games You Should Pick Up In Nintendo’s ‘Supercharge’ eShop Sale (Nort…News PlatinumGames Wipes Several Games From Its Website’s PortfolioPopular Right NowShow More Join 1,506,941 people following Nintendo Life:© 2025 Hookshot Media, partner of IGN Entertainment | Hosted by 44 Bytes | AdChoices | Do Not Sell My Personal Information
