Topic: What if: Your Switch physical collection won't be backwards compatible with the Switch successor.

@SwitchForce
Why should I even consider your very obvious, safe and likely correct take in this discussion when you don't have an avatar? Seems like you're just another "Nintendo Uncle"

In any case, the discussion is about backwards compatibility not forward compatibility. I think it's pretty much guaranteed that there will be new games on the new hardware that won't run on the Switch. And they'll likely lock that down through physical incompatibility. They wouldn't have to but they most likely would

The question being asked here is whether or not Switch games will run on the new hardware. If they do? The cartridge slot will have to accommodate the current Switch cartridges because if it doesn't, well, you don't really have backwards compatibility. Backwards compatibility without physical cartridge compatibility is a dumb idea that I don't really think we should give too much thought to

Figured I'd put all 8 possible combinations down. Switch and New Switch across the top, Switch Digital, Physical and New Switch Digital, Physical across the side

Red = Not happening, literally by definition
Green = Pretty much definitely happening, again almost by definition
Yellow = Unclear

The cart isn't limited to 16gb cart in Theory they can be 32gb, 126gb, 256gb as the microsd cards now at 1tb and 2tb testing somewhere. And still be the same size since they are ssd chips. So not sure why people discount the current cart format can't hold larger capacity. As to using older game in the new cart sounds like as the Pokémon leak said they would have software update to update so it works for DLC2 and Switch 2 will already have it built in or firmware to run at the higher levels to start without software downloading for the v2 to handle the boost. So it's already told from a programmer themselves it's happening whether people think so or not and considering DLC2 will run on v2 Switch that tells you Nintendo has BC as part of the keeping library old with new games coming out.

I know it will but If it doesn’t have BC I’ll probably still get it just I won’t play it as much in its early years

@TheBigBlue what Pokemon leak?

The most likely situation is physical and digital backwards compatibility. But no backwards compatibility or digital only backwards compatibility are possible.
I don't get rid of hardware when I get the new one. But no physical backwards compatibility would compel me to use the Switch more often than I would otherwise after the I buy the next system.

It be folly for Nintendo to dismiss Physical cart games users. They exist for that reason and I am one that goes Physical cause sdcards are limited in space and when your library grows like mine sdcard can't take all of it. So there is a limit to Digital only and if the sd storage isn't like 4tb this will become the elephant in the room that no one I've seen talking about. At least with the cart games you have a vested interested in the games. Sure having many Digital games is good but that comes at a cost of having lots of sd space assuming you can buy them all and keep them safe as well. I only go Digital if no other choices but I've seen lately games I bought Digital become Physical. So it does happen.

@TheBigBlue And I think Nintendo knew this from the start. That is why they choose microsd cards for extra storage maybe because the Nintendo carts were expensive to make and buy. But no-one other Nintendo will know this. All I read and found was that cart factor is I recall could be bigger capacity but the chips inside were expensive or hard to manufacture. But if they can be SD capacity like 32g, 128g, 256g, 512g, 1tb, or 2tb that would blow and dvd/bd game physical out of the water. And that is what I would love to see full release on-cart minus any upcoming updates or DLC. Just imagine a Nintendo full game cart with those capacities. And if storybook is true we will get a Switch 4k/dlss unit then a bigger cart to hold that game would be in order as that would eat sdcart space for such Digital game download.