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[cormack12]

Source: https://www.eurogamer.net/nintendo-switch-2-doesnt-actually-run-original-switch-games-natively

Nintendo's upcoming Switch 2 console doesn't actually run the original Switch's games natively, as the two hardwares are incompatible.

During a recent Ask the Developer Q&A, Nintendo's Kouichi Kawamoto said the Switch 2 team always wanted the new system to play the original console's games, but "were told there'd be technical challenges" getting it to work.

"When we first started Switch 2 development, the focus was on enhancing its performance as hardware, namely, expanding its capacity," added Takuhiro Dohta. "So, compatibility was a lower priority."

Said Dohta: "If we tried to use technology like software emulators, we'd have to run Switch 2 at full capacity, but that would mean the battery wouldn't last so long, so we did something that's somewhere in between a software emulator and hardware compatibility."

 

[Shaki12345]

Hopefully Digital Foundry can explain this so a retard like me understands.

 

[Kilau]

So emulating Switch games is okay NOW is it, Nintendo!?

 

[Syphon Filter]

That's ghetto, native is ideal.

 

[LordOcidax]

If true… Is probably to avoid Switch 2 games to be emulated easily… But the impressive part is Switch 2 is going to run Switch games at same or higher resolution and FPS without any issue.

 

[kunonabi]

If true… Is probably to avoid Switch 2 games to be emulated easily… But the impressive part is Switch 2 is going to run Switch games at same or higher resolution and FPS without any issue.

Except it isn't. It's already running into problems even with old ass arcade roms.

 

[SweetTooth]

Wasn't that clear from the large incompatibility list?

 

[LordOcidax]

Except it isn't. It's already running into problems even with old ass arcade roms.

How you know that?

 

[Bernoulli]

they used Yuzu

 

[HerjansEagleFeeder]

they used Yuzu

My first thought exactly. Probably running a fork of it in the background.

 

[Hero_Select]

Wasn't that clear from the large incompatibility list?

The incompatibility list is 46 games. Try again

 

[Wolzard]

They probably use a compatibility layer, which converts the syscalls of Switch games to the Switch 2 equivalent. The Switch 2 GPU was probably adapted to receive these syscalls.

It looks similar to what Sony did with the PS5.

 

[RodriGames40]

Hopefully Digital Foundry can explain this so a retard like me understands.

Ampere and Maxwell are 100% incompatible, the shaders in Switch games literally cannot run on the new GPU.

 

[Embearded]

If true… Is probably to avoid Switch 2 games to be emulated easily… But the impressive part is Switch 2 is going to run Switch games at same or higher resolution and FPS without any issue.

THere is mo impressive part here, especially if they used hardware to make run Switch 1 games.

 

[Shaki12345]

This seems like some kind of magic then.

 

[SweetTooth]

The incompatibility list is 46 games. Try again

So far 141 and counting check this thread:

Long list, 141 games identified with issues so far.

Nintendo Switchとの互換性について（ソフト）｜Nintendo Switch 2｜任天堂

「Nintendo Switch 2」のNintendo Switchソフトとの互換性についてご紹介します。

www-nintendo-com.translate.goog

 

[Hero_Select]

So far 141 and counting check this thread:

46 "incompatible" the rest are "compatible with issues" You said "large incompatible list"

46 or 141 isn't a "large" list lmao.

My god you sonyponies are so funny

 

[adamsapple]

uses a hardware/software hybrid proprietary technology

aka Yuzu

 

[GigaBowser]

DLSS

thirs is why switch 2 will get 90s percents of aaa third party thank you nintendos best portables on the market

 

[Robb]

Huh.. I'd have thought the reason they even bothered with B/C was because it was easy given similar hardware.

 

[GoldenEye98]

Nintendo: Waits for open source hacker community to develop emulation software

"Ahhh yes proceeding very nicely, alright it's illegal now thank you for your service"

 

[Robb]

Wasn't that clear from the large incompatibility list?

Your definition of large is 141 out of 1,359,800,000?

 

[LordOcidax]

Huh.. I'd have thought the reason they even bothered with B/C was because it was easy given similar hardware.

Looks like is not a big issue, based on the incompatibility list. But i thought the same at first.

 

[QLQ]

Seriously, the only (bad) thing missing is for the physical games to be tied to an account and that would complete the perfect shitstorm.

 

[Kataploom]

Looks like it conditioned the long lasting generation in part, amazing job, I'm excited to test some Switch 1 games without patch to see improvements

 

[SweetTooth]

Your definition of large is 141 out of 1,359,800,000?

I didn't know Switch had 1 BILLION GAMES released on it.

 

[Fake]

So, no native BC... thats a shame.

 

[Kacho]

Is this good or bad?

 

[WhiteWaterM00se]

Good on Nintendo for putting the work in on emulation.

 

[TintoConCasera]

So... kinda like what the Mister FPGA does?

 

[Solarstrike]

Spoiler: Anti-Consumer Complaint Line

 

[Sooner]

Wasn't that clear from the large incompatibility list?

No?

The games not compatible have other reasons for lack of compatibility.

 

[Robb]

I didn't know Switch had 1 BILLION GAMES released on it.

Oh right, brain fart on me.

So anyway, your definition of large is 141 out of 14064?

 

[cireza]

This reads like it could be dropped with revisions in a few years.

 

[bender]

This reads like it could be dropped with revisions in a few years.

Doubtful as is the benefit of a digital storefront.

 

[Zacfoldor]

I mean, not very interesting factoid is completely irrelevant to me. I'm okay with it I guess, or just don't care. I'm super happy it has BC, that I can tell you.

 

[Emedan]

I kinda find that baffling considering the presumed architecture

 

[Trilobit]

Hopefully Digital Foundry can explain this so a retard like me understands.

Feel free to then dumb it down even further for a retard like me.

 

[StereoVsn]

They probably use a compatibility layer, which converts the syscalls of Switch games to the Switch 2 equivalent. The Switch 2 GPU was probably adapted to receive these syscalls.

It looks similar to what Sony did with the PS5.

Yeah, conceptually it's more like Wine vs emulation it seems.

 

[PeteBull]

Feel free to then dumb it down even further for a retard like me.

When switch2 daddy and og switch game-mommy love eachother very very much...

 

[Closer]

They don't want you to sell your original Switch.

 

[Magic Carpet]

They don't want you to sell your original Switch.

So I got down on my hands and knees to climb under the TV and disconnect the Switch dock for nothing?

 

[Closer]

So I got down on my hands and knees to climb under the TV and disconnect the Switch dock for nothing?

.... *unzips pants* Brace yourself

 

[Gambit2483]

This list will (hopefully) eventually shrink. Don't forget, they are actively working to fix any issues so that each game is fully compatible.

I recommend checking this list again come June 5th

 

[Baemono]

Hopefully Digital Foundry can explain this so a retard like me understands.

Probably like Super Mario Galaxy from the 3D-all stars collection probably, half-ports using a bit of emulation

 

[AJUMP23]

I would like to see the code on a Nintendo emulator.

Then have someone tell me how it is working.

 

[daxgame]

Wasn't that clear from the large incompatibility list?

"large"

Nintendo Switch Game Compatibility with Nintendo Switch 2 - Nintendo US

Learn which Nintendo Switch games may not be supported on or fully compatible with Nintendo Switch 2.

www.nintendo.com

lmao man... get real and stop being a hater. Comes across as bad as fanboys.

 

[ZoukGalaxy]

Hopefully Digital Foundry can explain this so a retard like me understands.

Basically Nintendo created this inside the Switch 2

to make you believe it's this when running Switch 1 games

 

[Dacvak]

Hopefully Digital Foundry can explain this so a retard like me understands.

The way they loosely explained it in the developer interview was that they wrote a compatibility layer to run X1 code on the T239. This is similar to the type of technology the Steam Deck uses to run Windows games on Linux (Proton), only it's presumably a bit more straightforward for the Switch 2 since the X1 (Maxwell) and T239 (Ampere) at least have relatively similar architectures. At least moreso than, say, x86 -> ARM.

However, the Switch 1 uses a lot of custom drivers and hardcoded workarounds to squeeze more juice out of the X1 chipset, and probably uses a modified OpenGL ES/Vulkan stack. The T239 is probably mostly a modern Vulkan pipeline. This means that games that really take FULL use of the X1 (like the "miracle ports" and 1st-party games) need a custom compatibility layer in order to perform real-time instruction translations to utilize the drivers/shaders/memory/scheduling/etc. of the T239.

This is also why there are a handful of currently-incompatible Switch 1 games on the Switch 2, unsurprisingly some of the "miracle" ports like DOOM Eternal. Those games probably use a LOT of hardcoded, low-level workarounds to squeeze out as much performance as possible on the X1. I'm pretty confident they'll eventually work on the Switch 2, it'll just be up to Nintendo or id to write custom translators for those games.

 

[Shaki12345]

The way they loosely explained it in the developer interview was that they wrote a compatibility layer to run X1 code on the T239. This is similar to the type of technology the Steam Deck uses to run Windows games on Linux (Proton), only it's presumably a bit more straightforward for the Switch 2 since the X1 (Maxwell) and T239 (Ampere) at least have relatively similar architectures. At least moreso than, say, x86 -> ARM.

However, the Switch 1 uses a lot of custom drivers and hardcoded workarounds to squeeze more juice out of the X1 chipset, and probably uses a modified OpenGL ES/Vulkan stack. The T239 is probably mostly a modern Vulkan pipeline. This means that games that really take FULL use of the X1 (like the "miracle ports" and 1st-party games) need a custom compatibility layer in order to perform real-time instruction translations to utilize the drivers/shaders/memory/scheduling/etc. of the T239.

This is also why there are a handful of currently-incompatible Switch 1 games on the Switch 2, unsurprisingly some of the "miracle" ports like DOOM Eternal. Those games probably use a LOT of hardcoded, low-level workarounds to squeeze out as much performance as possible on the X1. I'm pretty confident they'll eventually work on the Switch 2, it'll just be up to Nintendo or id to write custom translators for those games.

I'm speechless mate.