Ever since Nintendo officially revealed the Switch 2, all eyes have been on the upcoming April Direct. That’s when we’ll presumably get an official Switch 2 release date, price, and confirmed line-up of games. So the last thing I was expecting was for Nintendo to drop another Direct the week before then, packed with big names like Pokémon Legends Z-A and Metroid Prime 4. But maybe given Nintendo’s commitments to backward compatibility, I shouldn’t be too surprised.
Prior to this week’s Nintendo Direct, Nintendo was careful to temper expectations by declaring “There will be no updates about Nintendo Switch 2 during the presentation.” While that’s technically true – Switch 2 wasn’t mentioned apart from a reminder about the upcoming Direct and the new Virtual Game Card sharing system – it’s not a huge leap to say that everything we saw this week will be playable on the Switch 2, even if, officially, these games are coming to the original Switch.
It’s a win-win situation for everyone involved – those sticking with the OG Switch still have plenty to be excited about as the console enters its eighth year, and anyone upgrading to Switch 2 can do so safe in the knowledge it will have an extensive back catalogue of games right from the get-go.
Nintendo’s commitment to backward compatibility is contributing to what I think will be one of the smoothest transitions we’ve ever seen between console generations. Of course, most are excited to see what the Switch 2 can do and what new games are incoming, but by playing it safe with the hardware, Nintendo has all bases covered. Based on the most recent Nintendo Direct, you wouldn’t think Nintendo is trying to sell as many Switch 2 pre-orders in the run-up to launch and convince people to upgrade. And that inclusive approach should be applauded. Nintendo is essentially saying everyone is welcome, whether you’re looking to buy a Switch 2 at launch, upgrade further down the line, or are content to keep the Switch you already own.
That’s why there was no risk in showcasing the multitude of Switch games less than a week before a dedicated Switch 2 Direct drops, even when just beneath the surface of the Direct Nintendo was putting down even more groundwork for the coming succession. I’m talking about the Virtual Game Card system, which is an update that allows Switch owners to link two consoles together and share digital games. It’s a useful feature, especially with digital games sales on the rise, and it’s similar to the family sharing system Steam has. But why announce it at the very end of the Switch life cycle when the Switch 2 is literally weeks or months away? Presumably to make the transition to Switch 2 even smoother.
Some have pointed out that the fine print for the Virtual Game Card indicates the existence of a “Switch 2 Edition” for certain games. Whether that means there are exclusive enhancements to Switch 2 Edition games that make them unshareable with the older Switch, exclusive re-releases that will only work on Switch 2, or something else entirely, is still a mystery. But in the same way Nintendo said “Certain Nintendo Switch games may not be supported or fully compatible with Switch 2” when it was announced, this fine print likely covers Nintendo’s bases in the case of there being any unshareable games.
Whatever that fine print means, it feels like Nintendo is treating the road to Switch 2 almost like a procession, a bit like the way Apple moves from one iPhone to the next. You don’t have to upgrade but there are definitely benefits if you do, and you can bring whatever games you had before along for the ride.
Matt Kim is IGN’s Senior Features Editor.
