Nintendo just revealed a big feature for its upcoming next-generation Switch: The new console will be backward-compatible with existing Switch games. In its second-quarter earnings report released on Tuesday, the Japanese company provided new information on what fans can expect when the company unveils its Switch successor. That announcement is expected by the end of the fiscal year, which ends March 2025.
The announcement focused on continuity across platforms. In the past, Nintendo consoles didn't support the transfer of purchase and gameplay histories during upgrades. But the new Switch will support continuity of account and game history through Nintendo Account integration, allowing players to carry over their purchases, Nintendo Switch Online memberships and related services.
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"We believe it is important for Nintendo's future to make use of Nintendo Account and carry over the good relationship that we have built with the over 100 million annual playing users on Nintendo Switch to its successor," Nintendo said in the report (PDF).
The company reported it sold 4.72 million Switch devices in the past three months, down by 31% year-over-year. This amounts to a total of 146 million Switch consoles sold worldwide as of Sept. 30. The company also reported a 60% decline in profit for the first half of the fiscal year due to waning demand for the 7-year-old Switch. However, total software sales have reached 1.3 billion units.
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"More software has been played on Nintendo Switch than on any other Nintendo hardware," the company said in the report.
Nintendo said it will release more detailed information about the next-gen Switch at a later date.