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One of many greatest questions on Nintendo’s subsequent console is the way it will deal with everybody who’s constructed up an enormous library of video games on the Swap. Nintendo of America President Doug Bowser isn’t able to spill the beans in regards to the Swap 2 but, however he’s teasing a smoother transition to the corporate’s subsequent console in a brand new interview with Inverse.
Following stories that Nintendo not too long ago confirmed off its successor to the Swap behind closed doorways at Gamescom, questions have been swirling in regards to the new console’s specs and potential backwards compatibility with the present {hardware}. Will a Swap 2 assist bodily cartridges and digital downloads? Or will gamers have to purchase among the finest video games Nintendo’s ever made once more?
Bowser wouldn’t touch upon the Swap 2 stories however he did say that Nintendo Accounts, which observe person information throughout consoles, might be a key a part of bringing gamers over to the subsequent console. “Up to now, each system we transitioned to had an entire new account system,” he instructed Inverse. Creating the Nintendo Account will permit us to speak with our gamers if and after we make a transition to a brand new platform, to assist ease that course of or transition.”
He continued:
Our purpose is to attenuate the dip you sometimes see within the final 12 months of 1 cycle and the start of one other. I can’t converse to the doable options of a brand new platform, however the Nintendo Account is a powerful foundation for having that communication as we make the transition.
Whereas that’s not a assure that all the things will carry over between the Swap and Swap 2, or no matter Nintendo’s subsequent gaming machine is, it’s no less than an try to doubtlessly assuage some followers’ issues in regards to the transfer. That’s not nothing, particularly coming from an organization that has traditionally been pleased to attempt utterly new issues from one console cycle to the subsequent and get gamers to purchase video games they already personal once more on new platforms. Plus any dramatic departures this time round would imply abandoning the Swap’s 130 million set up base, a dangerous transfer as competitors between platforms will get extra fierce.
Opponents like Microsoft and Sony have already been doing this with the Xbox Sequence X/S and PlayStation 5, each of which register customers’ buy from the prior console technology. Whereas Nintendo hasn’t all the time been on the slicing fringe of on-line performance, it does have a reasonably good observe file with backwards compatibility. The Wii supported GameCube discs, and the Wii U supported Wii discs. On the hand-held aspect, the DS supported Sport Boy Advance cartridges and the 3DS supported DS cartridges. Hopefully the Swap 2 follows an analogous sample. Nintendo has beforehand said that it gained’t announce new {hardware} till April 2024 on the earliest.