On Wednesday, November 6, 2024, Nintendo Co., Ltd. held its financial results briefing for the second quarter and a management policy briefing.
Regarding the successor console to the Nintendo Switch, the company announced that it will support backward compatibility, allowing players to also play software for the Nintendo Switch.
Nintendo Switch Successor Console Will Have Backward Compatibility
古川です。本日の経営方針説明会で、Nintendo Switchの後継機種ではNintendo Switch向けソフトも遊べることを公表しました。また、Nintendo Switch Onlineも後継機種で引き続きご利用いただけるようにします。これらNintendo Switchとの互換性を含む後継機種の詳しい情報は、後日改めてご案内します。
— 任天堂株式会社（企業広報・IR） (@NintendoCoLtd) November 6, 2024
On Wednesday, November 6, 2024, Nintendo Co., Ltd. held its financial results briefing for the second quarter and a management policy briefing.
The company also published presentation materials on its IR website, announcing that software for the Nintendo Switch will be playable on the successor console.
Up until now, new game consoles like the Nintendo Entertainment System, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Game Boy, Nintendo 64, Nintendo DS, and Wii have used new software formats, and each time, users had to purchase new software.
It was inconvenient to have to take a console out of the closet just to play an old game, wasn't it?
Some consoles, like the Nintendo DS, had compatibility for Game Boy Advance software, and the Wii had compatibility for GameCube software, so it seems that Nintendo's philosophy doesn't completely reject backward compatibility, but it must not be an easy thing to achieve.
But now we know that the Nintendo Switch successor console, which is scheduled to be announced by March 2025, will be able to play the Nintendo Switch software that is currently available.
In addition, the company's policy is to allow players to carry over their purchase history and play records using their Nintendo Account from the Nintendo Switch era, and to continue using Nintendo Switch Online on the successor console.
We are still waiting for more announcements about the Nintendo Switch successor console.
While Revenue and Profits Decreased Compared to the Strong Previous Fiscal Year, They Emphasized Future Potential
At the management policy briefing, the company announced that its ordinary income had decreased significantly, by 61.3%, compared to the same period in the previous fiscal year.
However, it explained that this was due to the strong performance of "The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom" and "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" in the same period last year. It also explained that sales related to the Nintendo Switch have maintained a high level for a platform that has been on the market for eight years.
The company also highlighted the improvement in business performance since the release of the Nintendo Switch and the expansion of sales through collaborations with various IPs such as "Mario," "The Legend of Zelda," and "Pokémon."
A new "Mario" movie is scheduled to be released in theaters in April 2026, and a live-action "The Legend of Zelda" movie is also in the planning and development stages.
Additionally, "Super Nintendo World," which opened at Universal Studios Japan in Osaka in 2021, also opened at Universal Studios Hollywood in 2023.
It is scheduled to open in Orlando, USA, on Thursday, May 22, 2025, and will subsequently be expanded to Singapore.
A new area themed around Donkey Kong is also scheduled to be added to Universal Studios Japan in 2024, so it seems that the theme park business is functioning well as a new pillar.
Nintendo Co., Ltd. concluded by saying, "We will continue to build long-term relationships with each of our consumers and, through entertainment offerings that are uniquely Nintendo, strive to bring smiles to as many people as possible."
