Will the Switch 2 be backwards compatible?

By Jesse Lennox Published January 16, 2025

The Switch 2 next to a TV with Mario Kart. — Nintendo

Now that we’re at the end of the Switch’s lifecycle and there are almost no more upcoming Switch games to speak of, we’ve all amassed a huge library of the best Switch games. Almost every major Nintendo franchise has appeared on this console, from Zelda and Mario to Animal Crossing and Metroid. Now, Nintendo is finally ready to move on and give us the long-awaited Switch 2. This new console has the same winning formula of being a handheld and home console hybrid but with far more power under the hood. That will lead to even better games going forward, but will we need to hold onto our current Switches if we want to play anything we missed in the current library? If the Switch 2 is backwards compatible, you can safely sell or give away your old Switch and make a clean upgrade. Let’s see what the official word is now that we know the facts about this console.

Is the Switch 2 backwards compatible?

The Switch 2 and Switch side by side. — Nintendo

Yes! Thankfully, Nintendo isn’t forcing us to rebuild our entire game collection from scratch once again. All your existing Switch cartridges and digital games can be played on the Switch 2. As long as you sign in with your same Nintendo account, you can access your digital library and download your games onto the new system, while physical game cards can simply be inserted as normal.

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As of now, we don’t know if playing your original Switch games on the Switch 2 will improve performance or visuals in any way. There are also certain games that will not be supported on Switch 2, but those have yet to be announced.

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Jesse Lennox has been a writer at Digital Trends for over four years and has no plans of stopping. He covers all things…

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