Rumors about the Nintendo Switch’s successor have been rife for several months. However, it appears it may be closer than many think. VGC reported that Nintendo has sent out Switch 2 development kits to key partners ahead of the planned launch in the second half of 2024.
Doug Bowser, the president of Nintendo of America refused to comment on the report during an interview with Inverse. During the interview, Bowser was asked how the company plans to help Nintendo Switch users move to the next platform while retaining previously purchased games.
“Well, first I can’t comment—or I won’t comment, I should say—on the rumors that are out there,” Bowser said. “But one thing we’ve done with the Switch to help with the communication and transition is the formation of the Nintendo Account.”
ALSO READ: Epic Games Store Continues Push For Dominance With 2 Free Games
Bowser reiterated that each time the company transitioned from other device to another, they always created a new account system. The account system allows the company to communicate with players to make the transition seamless.
“Our goal is to minimize the dip you typically see in the last year of one cycle and the beginning of another,” Bowser said. “I can’t speak to the possible features of a new platform, but the Nintendo Account is a strong basis for having that communication as we make the transition.”
Will the Nintendo Switch successor be backward compatible?
Nintendo Switch is not backward compatible with 3DS and Wii U. That means games purchased through Nintendo eShop cannot be transferred to Switch. However, many fans are hopeful that the Switch successor will be backward compatible.
As the call for video game preservation grows louder there is the need to make next-generation consoles backwards compatible with their predecessor. Xbox and PlayStation are working on some of their previous titles to make them playable in current generation consoles.
ALSO READ: Zen Studios Hit By Layoffs, About 32 Employees Fired!
Gamers were introduced to Nintendo Accounts a year before the launch of Nintendo Switch. At that time, it was seen as a way of unifying user experience between the consoles, mobile games, and online stores.
The company revealed during a quarterly financial result briefing in August that Nintendo Switch had surpassed 129 million in global lifetime sales by mid-2023. The company hopes to sell 15 million Nintendo Switches in the current fiscal year ending March 2024.
Nintendo has a ‘great relationship’ with Microsoft
News recently emerged that showed Xbox wanted to acquire Nintendo. The details were contained in a legal document published last month. The document contained Microsoft’s gaming strategy for years to come.
“I totally agree that Nintendo is the prime asset for us in gaming,” Xbox boss Phil Spencer told a colleague through an email back in 2020, saying that Microsoft’s board was “fully supportive” of the acquisition if the opportunity presents itself.
ALSO READ: Analogue Is Making A Retro Nintendo 64 With 4K Visuals
This was one of the questions that was thrown at Bowser during the interview with Inverse which was published on Friday, October 20, 2023.
“We have a great relationship with Microsoft,” he said. “We consider them to be partners in many, many ways, and you only have to look at Nintendo Switch to see that partnership. Obviously, Minecraft is on Nintendo Switch, and we brought Banjo Kazooie to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. So, we’re looking forward to that partnership continuing.”
In the leaked email Spencer said that acquiring “Nintendo would be a career moment”. He also believed that it would be a great decision for both companies. However, last month, the Xbox boss claimed so much had changed.
What do you think of an Xbox merger with Nintendo? Share your thoughts in the comment box below.
Remember to share and bookmark this website to stay up to date on all the hottest news in the gaming industry.
