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Nintendo Confirms Switch 2 is Backwards Compatible
Cheddar / VideoElephant
Nintendo Switch 2 rumours and speculation are swirling ahead of the Japanese video games company officially unveiling the successor to the Switch by the end of March.
Nintendo has confirmed it is still on track to make an announcement on the Switch 2 before the end of the current financial year, in other words before the end of March 2025, but fans have been venting frustration at the wait.
Shuntaro Furukawa, president at Nintendo, confirmed the console will have backwards compatibility with Nintendo Switch games although it's not currently known if that means physical games will be playable on Switch 2 or it's just downloadable software that will work.
The latest rumour is that Nintendo is set to announce the Switch 2 in January and release it in March but this has not been confirmed.
Keep up-to-date with all the latest news, rumours, announcements and speculation as it happens with our live blog below.
Nintendo Switch 2: Everything we know so far
Nintendo has confirmed a few key details about the Switch 2 with loads of rumours and speculation shared online
Milton Rodney Buzon, iStock
In May 2024, Nintendo announced it would share details of the successor to the Switch by the end of the fiscal year, in other words before the end of March 2025.
Speculation and rumours have been in overdrive since then with a handful of official announcements scattered in between them all.
Check out the indy100 roundup of everything we know so far about the Nintendo Switch 2 console by reading the full story here.
Nintendo Switch 2 leaked images 'genuine' say tech experts
Tech experts said leaked images and renders of a Nintendo Switch 2 console from September were "genuine".
A number of images claiming to show 3D renders of the console were posted and shared across social media.
The images are understood to have been leaked by a Chinese factory worker and details of technical specifications were shared too.
And experts at Digital Foundry said the leaked images, renders and tech info are "genuine - or at least as accurate as an old prototype dating from October 2023 can be".
Read the full story here.
Switch online services in China to end
🚨 Tencent Nintendo Switch will shut down all online services in 2026 in China 🚨 - eShop purchases possible until 10PM March 31 2026 - eShop download/code redemption possible until 10PM May 15th 2026 - ALL remaining internet services will also terminate on 10PM May 15th 2026
— Chinese Nintendo (@chinesenintendo.bsky.social) 26 November 2024 at 10:41
[image or embed]
Tencent Nintendo Switch has announced online services for the Switch will stop in China in 2026, according to a post on Bluesky from an account called Chinese Nintendo.
It said: "Tencent Nintendo Switch will shut down all online services in 2026 in China.
"eShop purchases possible until 10pm 31 March 2026 - eShop download/code redemption possible until 10pm 15 May 2026 - ALL remaining internet services will also terminate on 10pm 15 May 2026."
Massive Nintendo Switch 2 detail confirmed by company's president
Nintendo's president revealed the Switch 2 will have backwards compatibility /
Wachiwit, iStock
A huge detail about the Nintendo Switch 2 console, the successor to the hugely popular Switch, has been confirmed by the company's president.
Shuntaro Furukawa, president at Nintendo, confirmed the Switch 2 console will have backwards compatibility with Nintendo Switch games.
He said in a post on X / Twitter: "At today's Corporate Management Policy Briefing, we announced that Nintendo Switch software will also be playable on the successor to Nintendo Switch.
"Nintendo Switch Online will be available on the successor to Nintendo Switch as well."
Read the full story here.
Donkey Kong Land 2
A classic Donkey Kong title is available to Nintendo Switch Online subscribers.
"It's up to Diddy Kong and Dixie Kong to rescue Donkey Kong from Kaptain K. Rool!" said Nintendo.
"The Game Boy classic Donkey Kong Land 2 is now available for Nintendo Switch Online members."
Leaker of announcements and release dates revealed Nintendo Direct content correctly
According to X / Twitter user @CentroLeaks, the Chinese insider who is one of the sources where the latest Switch 2 reveal and release date rumours have come from has had history in successfully leaking Nintendo information before.
A post said: "This person leaked in Weibo correctly pretty much everything regarding the last Nintendo Direct but was largely ignored in the west."
Leak reveals mega new details for Nintendo Switch 2 launch
Nintendo Switch 2 will have a "massive launch" with a leak claiming the number of consoles available when it releases will be "roughly 2.5 times the volume from March 2017", which is when the original console went on sale.
The coded leak was posted on Famiboards by the same user who drew a sketch of what they claimed to the upcoming console, reports Nintendo Life.
The leaker said: "The initial stock quantity has been finalised and the factory will plan production accordingly. I can't disclose the exact number but for the US market alone, it's roughly 2.5 times the volume from March 2017."
Read the full story here.
Full story: Nintendo Switch 2 rumoured to be announced and released very soon
A stock image of the Nintendo Switch O-LED model
Felix Marx, iStock
The highly-anticipated Nintendo Switch 2 console is rumoured to be announced and released very soon, according to the latest leaks online.
According to a rumour posted in Weibo and the Famiboards gaming forum, the Switch 2 console will be announced in January and released in March.
The Weibo rumour also says shipments of the consoles have already been sent out to a number of different regions with around 650,000 units shipped so far.
Read the full story here.
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