Zelda: The Tears of the Kingdom
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One question everyone wants to know is if Nintendo's next-generation hardware will include backwards compatibility support. Previous hardware releases from the Japanese firm have supported this feature, so will this be the case with the Switch successor?

Following the latest round of industry whispers about this anticipated device, "industry insider" Nate the Hate is now claiming this new device "has backwards compatibility support". This latest update (via VGC) follows similar backwards compatibility claims from peripheral maker Mobapad earlier this year.

Nintendo is officially referring to this new device as the "Switch successor", which already suggests there could be some sort of connection to the current hardware.

The latest rumour follows speculation about a possible 'Switch 2' reveal taking place as early as this month. David Gibson, Senior Analyst at MST Financial, has also provided an update on one development "no-one seems to have noticed". It appears Nintendo assembler Hosiden has been spending big on its major customer:

"The Nintendo assembler- Hosiden is spending ¥2bn on production equipment and ¥1bn on automation in FY3/25 for its major customer in amusement (Nintendo). I still expect Sept news and March 2025 release for next device."

Nintendo has already mentioned in previous statements how it's looking to transfer certain systems (including accounts) across to its next generation of hardware, so backwards compatibility makes a lot of sense.

The Japanese company will announce its next model Switch in the current "fiscal year", so before the end of March 2025.

Do you think Nintendo's Switch "successor" needs backwards compatibility? Vote in our poll and tell us your thoughts...

Should the Switch "successor" include backwards compatibility support? (3,174 votes)

  1. Yes, it absolutely needs this93%
  2. No, I can live without it3%
  3. I don't mind either way4%

[source reddit.com, via videogameschronicle.com]