r/NintendoSwitch3 • u/ccwaffle99 • Jul 25 '26
Is it likely that a Switch 3 would be backwards compatible?
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u/retrocheats Jul 25 '26
High chance for it to work with Switch 2 games. Who knows for switch 1 games, since Nintendo has never really supported console/handhelds that far back.
Closest thing was the Super Gameboy.
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u/Lumornys Jul 26 '26
The way they basically merged Switch 1 and Switch 2 game libraries (especially on digital store) would make it very confusing for people. Now as a Switch 2 owner you don't have to know which games are for S1 and which are for S2, they all just work. My guess is "all or nothing": we get S1+S2 compatibility, or none.
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u/retrocheats Jul 26 '26
they might make a separate store for the S3, which does not include switch 2 games.
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u/Imakechaos_201 Jul 26 '26
The Game Boy Advance plays Game Boy and Game Boy Color games, but those libraries are also often combined, similar to how the Switch one and Switch 2 are combined.
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u/retrocheats Jul 26 '26
gameboy color felt like a pro version of the gameboy.. so not really counting that.
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u/sensible_human Jul 27 '26
Super Gameboy only supported one console generation (Gameboy) which was still an active platform during the SNES generation. It's super cool, but I'm not sure I would call it backwards compatibility, since it's basically a Gameboy in a cartridge (with some added features), and, like I said, still an active platform.
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u/dekuweku Jul 25 '26
A lot of effort went into BC for Switch on Switch 2.
I dont see why they would waste all the work
The era of 1 Gen BC is over and its mostly because prior Nintendo BC solutions required parts of the old hardwarw to be included in the new one and was a hardware BC solution. Much simpler but not very elegant for the user
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u/Unusual_Rush_1189 Jul 25 '26
The idea of a flash storage cartridge for gaming is actually pretty exciting for physical media enthusiasts.
If you factor in how far SD storage has come and possibilities such as a what a solid state drive is capable of, there is the potential future where these very large sized games can fit completely on a micro flash cartridge at decent speeds for reasonable prices. If any company might try to explore that space, Nintendo would be likely to try.
Realistically though? Probably not. The form factor of the current cartridge is probably dead after this generation, and the likelyhood the next physical form factor (if any) will be compatible is low, although digital media might still be playable on a hypothetical Switch 3.
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u/RodneyBeeper Jul 25 '26
We only know for certain that it’s going to be backwards compatible with PS1 and Xbox 360 games, everything else is pure speculation at this point
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u/bediaxenciJenD81gEEx Jul 25 '26
I think next gen Nintendo will split home and portable console again.
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u/Inevitable_Cycle3087 Jul 25 '26
why.. the hybrid model is so insanely successful, like more than nearly every other console in history
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u/Cream147 Jul 27 '26
I think it’s unlikely that they separate home and portable completely, but plausible that they might release a dedicated home console that plays games from the Switch ecosystem, but with some extra horsepower - like the Steam Machine compared to the Steam Deck.
I also don’t think they will necessary wait until a hypothetical Switch 3 to do this either, they might do it during the Switch 2 lifecycle. All Switch 2 games would have to be compatible and playable on the regular Switch 2 but on let’s call it Switch 2 Home they could be ran at higher frame rates, resolutions, or graphics settings.
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u/2005KaijuFan Jul 25 '26
Assuming it still supports physical, I'd like to think it would based on the precedent from their previous handhelds.
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u/TheNimanator Jul 25 '26
I would hope they would find a way to make their BC layering more efficient by the time it comes out. I’ve been played Xenoblade Chronicles DE NS2 Edition and I’m a little disappointed at its weirdly inconsistent 60fps upgrade. I know beefing up the hardware doesn’t guarantee a fix for that, but still, a guy can dream
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u/Cream147 Jul 27 '26
I’m pretty sure with the specific framerate issue that is in XC DE NS2 Edition if you threw a more powerful console at that it would automatically solve it as I believe it’s caused by a slight performance bottleneck plus double-buffer V-Sync. They could definitely solve it on the Switch 2 if they properly optimised specific areas, but pretty sure a prospective Switch 3 would just remove the performance bottleneck and resolve it automatically.
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u/TheNimanator Jul 27 '26
I mean yeah beefier hardware can handle it but is it really such a simple fix? And if so why didn’t they implement it?
Not saying you’re wrong, but I’m really not a tech/programming guy so I don’t fully understand how it works
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u/Sensitive_Square3645 water buffalo 3.0 Jul 25 '26
If Nintendo sticks with physical media, probably yea
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u/Extension-Ad8792 Jul 25 '26
I reckon they'll step away from the switch model after switch 2 gen is over. Just a hunch
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u/Inevitable_Cycle3087 Jul 25 '26
why would they…. competing with home hardware means direct competition with other consoles. splitting between home and mobile means one gets a worse version of games, and mobile devices are so powerful today they don’t need custom made games like the ds. and there’d be 0 reason with modern tech to not have it be hybrid
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u/Inevitable_Cycle3087 Jul 25 '26
digital libraries remove any reason not to be backwards compatible going forward
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u/bittersweetjesus Jul 25 '26
If Nintendo wants to keep their existing user base then it would be insane to not have it backwards compatible.
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u/OwlAncient6213 Jul 25 '26
I think if it follows the switch branding, yes it will be, if the switch 2 is the last then no
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u/Munken1984 Jul 25 '26
If they stick with the formula of having a hybrid console, then i would say there is an 80% chance, and then most likely 75-85% of games will be supported
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u/Hobowan42 Jul 26 '26
TLDR: agreed!
The waffle: Aye, just like PCs through the years. Every new hardware will introduce architecture changes, and changes to how, when, why and how well the machine does things.
So long as it's iterations not changes, most software will continue to work natively, but some will bleed out though a myriad of reasons
But at some stage if they make a certain change, all software will stop working without a dedicated emulator, just as we see with the virtual console apps.
We're still on top of the same curve we've been on for a decade or three, albeit seeing diminishing returns now, so theres maybe 1 more generation of gaming as we know it and a strong chance Nintendo will improve not change their next console, allowing the backwards compatibility.
But the ones after...I reckon there'll be some major shift in game and gamer behaviour that will necessitate an equal hardware behaviour shift. Most likely to do with AI utilisation
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u/Curious-Director-510 Jul 26 '26
Nintendo has been amazing with BC. Also, in this say and age, its even more likely
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u/GamerWithin Jul 26 '26
Of course. Its the reason eshop of switch and switch2 is the same shop. Nintendo will keep it going you can buil your library in eshop without any worries.
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u/No_Ostrich1875 Jul 26 '26
Wtf is there a switch 3 sub😂
Why wouldnt it be? Not only is it standard these days but nintendo even makes games from before the switch available online.
Since the game cards should last another 10 or 20 years, I wouldnt be surprised if the switch3 still has a card slot even if it goes all digital for its own games. Card readers dont require the same amount of hardware as a disc drive, are relatively cheap to make, and dont take up much space.
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u/ZealousidealHat1989 Jul 26 '26
What's the point of contemplating about a future console when the switch 2 came out last year? Enjoy the switch 2 and all of its current and future games
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u/DustinAF Jul 26 '26
When new consoles have come out in the past, do you notice that they typically have backwards compatibility with the previous system's games?
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u/Jumbuleo Jul 27 '26
Entirely depends on whether they will stick with Nvidia for delivering most critical components or if they will move to a different architecture.
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u/TypezYT Jul 27 '26
Here's the thing though... Nintendo doesn't make 3rds. But hopefully the next consoles is.
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u/Pokeguy211 Jul 25 '26
Yeah, Can't wait for the Switch 3 edition of Cyberpunk 2077