This is how grumpy the reports about Switch 2 backwards compatibility are.
The fact that there are two models for the launch of a console is actually not particularly unusual. In this generation, the Xbox comes in two versions with different performance, while the PlayStation 5 does not have a Blu-Ray drive.
Nintendo could also have taken an example from Sony’s competition, as an insider has heard. And that would have serious consequences for you.
Will Switch 2 come with a digital-only edition?
Although the name suggests otherwise, the XboxEra podcast is not only good for news about Microsoft’s consoles, but also for rumors about the PS5 or, most recently, the Nintendo Switch 2.
In particular, the co-founder of the podcast, Nick “Shpeshal Nick” Baker, has repeatedly been able to draw attention to himself in the past through correct statements about upcoming events and secret console developments.
Among other things, an Xbox Series X without a disc drive, which was proven by court documents a few months later:
In the latest edition of his talk format, he now claims that he heard from one of his sources that Nintendo was planning two versions of a Nintendo Switch 2 at an early stage – one of which would be backwards compatible with games from the first Switch, the other not.
However, Baker doesn’t know whether the Mario and Zelda publisher will continue to pursue the idea.
However, he connects the statement with another rumor that Nintendo was working on a purely digital Switch 2 without a card slot. This could be a cheaper model that, in addition to the slot for physical disks, does without the hardware necessary for backwards compatibility.
Nintendo has had reduced-priced handhelds with a smaller range of features in its range for years, This also includes the Switch Lite, for example:
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Nintendo Switch Lite – Trailer clarifies all questions about the new handheld console – Trailer clarifies all questions about the new handheld console
Backwards compatibility is a big issue with the Switch 2
There have been many rumors about the Switch 2 for months, especially with regard to its supposed backwards compatibility.
Sometimes she’s on board:
Sometimes it is denied:
Sometimes it is not even possible without the appropriate hardware:
This is despite Nintendo indicating in the past that the transition to the next generation “should go smoothly.” At least for digital versions of games that are stored in the Nintendo Online Account.
In any case, Baker suggests handling it similarly to the PS3. Their initial models had PS2 hardware, so last gen games could be played without any problems. After almost a year, however, revisions appeared that omitted the PS2 components.
Nintendo could do a similar thing with the Switch 2, but we would like to point out that online stores play a completely different role today than they did 16 years ago. Forgoing several thousand available games at launch seems quite far-fetched to us.
Or how do you see it? Let us know in our survey:
Better graphics thanks to the Switch 2?
As we previously reported, the Nintendo Switch 2 will use Nvidia’s AI-powered “Deep Learning Super Sampling” scaling process to produce a deceptively realistic 4K image for low-resolution games:
The technology could be used to give older titles a proper sharpness boost, according to the XboxEra podcast.
Can DLSS really be used with older games? Probably not, since the scaling method relies on data sets that were determined by the developers in order to display moving image elements without streaks. These include, for example, vehicles or particle effects.
Titles would therefore have to be readjusted individually in order to support DLSS, which is why we do not expect any general increase in resolution or even frame rate.
How credible is the insider?
Although “Shpeshal Nick” has a pretty good reputation in the industry, he has been wrong in the past and some rumors have not come true to date.
In 2021, for example, he indicated an official remaster of the Legacy of Kain classic Soul Reaver and the Xbox Game Pass subscription service should also find its way to the Nintendo Switch.
So far there is no trace of either.
So there is certainly room for doubt, especially since Baker himself admits that a large part of his statements are based on speculation. So, for better or worse, we’ll have to wait a while until Nintendo itself provides clarity on the Nintendo Switch 2.
Until then, here is a summary and classification of all the rumors:
This year, the focus is still on the Nintendo Switch. With Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, the hybrid handheld was given an absolute adventure masterpiece in May and in the coming days there will also be an outstanding jump ‘n’ run with Super Mario Bros. Wonder.
Can these titles console you for the fact that no new Nintendo console has been announced yet? Or would you rather enjoy it on a Switch 2?
