One of many greatest questions on Nintendo’s subsequent console is the way it will deal with everybody who’s constructed up an enormous library of video games on the Change. Nintendo of America President Doug Bowser isn’t able to spill the beans concerning the Change 2 but, however he’s teasing a smoother transition to the corporate’s subsequent console in a brand new interview with Inverse.
Following studies that Nintendo just lately confirmed off its successor to the Change behind closed doorways at Gamescom, questions have been swirling concerning the new console’s specs and potential backwards compatibility with the present {hardware}. Will a Change 2 help bodily cartridges and digital downloads? Or will gamers have to purchase among the finest video games Nintendo’s ever made once more?
Bowser wouldn’t touch upon the Change 2 studies however he did say that Nintendo Accounts, which observe person information throughout consoles, shall be a key a part of bringing gamers over to the following console. “Previously, each gadget we transitioned to had a complete new account system,” he informed Inverse. Creating the Nintendo Account will enable us to speak with our gamers if and once we make a transition to a brand new platform, to assist ease that course of or transition.”
He continued:
Our aim is to attenuate the dip you usually see within the final yr of 1 cycle and the start of one other. I can’t converse to the attainable options of a brand new platform, however the Nintendo Account is a powerful foundation for having that communication as we make the transition.
Whereas that’s not a assure that all the things will carry over between the Change and Change 2, or no matter Nintendo’s subsequent gaming machine is, it’s a minimum of an try to probably assuage some followers’ issues concerning the transfer. That’s not nothing, particularly coming from an organization that has traditionally been completely satisfied to strive fully new issues from one console cycle to the following and get gamers to purchase video games they already personal once more on new platforms. Plus any dramatic departures this time round would imply abandoning the Change’s 130 million set up base, a dangerous transfer as competitors between platforms will get extra fierce.
Opponents like Microsoft and Sony have already been doing this with the Xbox Sequence X/S and PlayStation 5, each of which register customers’ buy from the prior console technology. Whereas Nintendo hasn’t all the time been on the slicing fringe of on-line performance, it does have a reasonably good observe file with backwards compatibility. The Wii supported GameCube discs, and the Wii U supported Wii discs. On the hand-held facet, the DS supported Recreation Boy Advance cartridges and the 3DS supported DS cartridges. Hopefully the Change 2 follows an identical sample. Nintendo has beforehand said that it received’t announce new {hardware} till April 2024 on the earliest.