The Switch 2 is coming. It might not be called that, but Nintendo is gearing up to announce a new console, and a key piece of information about the system was just revealed: It'll be backwards-compatible, meaning it will be able to play Nintendo Switch games. In this post, we're rounding up everything we know, and don't know, about Switch 2's backwards compatibility.

Can you play Switch games on Switch 2?

As part of Nintendo's earnings presentation in early November 2024, president Shuntaro Furukawa confirmed the news, stating, "Nintendo Switch software will also be playable on the successor to Nintendo Switch." The Switch 2 being able to play Switch 1 games was rumored, but Furukawa made it official during the earnings briefing.

The Switch was not compatible with Wii U games, but a number of Wii U games were ported to the Switch. For this next transition, however--from Switch to Switch 2--existing software will be supported.