Nintendo’s Switch successor is backwards compatible; Online services are also carried over to the new console generation

Nintendo Co. said Wednesday that the successor to its flagship gaming console Nintendo Switch will be compatible with existing Switch games.

Nintendo Switch Online, a paid service, will also be available on the console’s successor, the company said.

Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa made the announcement during an online management policy briefing.

Nintendo has sold more than 1.3 billion game units for the Switch since its 2017 launch at the end of September. This is the highest number of sales among the company’s gaming consoles. Nintendo Switch Online – which allows users to save their game data, play online with others and access retro games – has more than 34 million subscribers.

“We came to the conclusion that it would be best if the existing games were playable on the successor to the console,” said Furukawa.

The company is expected to make a formal announcement about the console’s successor in March next year. Furukawa did not provide any details about the successor, saying only: “We will provide you with more information at a later date.”