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Nintendo Switch 2 likely to feature cross-gen titles, backwards compatibility like XSX/PS5 according to new hidden code

Draugoth

Gold Member
csm_Screenshot-2024-09-25-at-4.09.16AM_7951c72bc4.png

Details uncovered from GitHub repositories (1)(2)(3) by Famiboards user @Pokemaniac, specifically code in 'ldr_process_creation.cpp' and 'ldr_content_management.hpp', suggest Nintendo is building a new system for managing files across multiple consoles. Furthermore, the addition of the new mount point, labeled "compat," (as in compatibility) points towards facilitating file-sharing capabilities between the current Switch (currently $284 on Amazon) and its successor.

Additionally, data from the same GitHub file hints that Nintendo could implement even stronger security measures to keep critical files on the Switch 2 from being pirated/emulated. It's common knowledge that Nintendo is extra cautious about protecting its intellectual property, so these new measures would only make more sense. Please note that almost all of this info is based on leaks and code analysis, not official statements from Nintendo.

Source

Universo Nintendo and Famiboards
 

Robb

Gold Member
On one hand I want Metroid Prime 4 to be available on “Switch 2”. On the other hand I want the next 3D Mario to be built from the ground up specifically for “Switch 2”.

If they pull a ‘Sony’ and make something like “Mario Odyssey 2” and it’s cross-gen between Switch and Switch 2 that’d be incredibly disappointing, imo.
 

AngelMuffin

Member
On one hand I want Metroid Prime 4 to be available on “Switch 2”. On the other hand I want the next 3D Mario to be built from the ground up specifically for “Switch 2”.

If they pull a ‘Sony’ and make something like “Mario Odyssey 2” and it’s cross-gen between Switch and Switch 2 that’d be incredibly disappointing, imo.
They’re not going to miss out on that 140M Switch install base.
 

Robb

Gold Member
They’re not going to miss out on that 140M Switch install base.
Maybe, that’d suck though. What’s even the point of new hardware if you’re going to tie your software to the old one.

At least it’d give me a reason to save my money and just buy the OLED model a few years later I guess.
 

JimboJones

Member
I expected it to have backwards compatibility, what I’m hoping for is that there is some boost or support from devs to increase the frame rate, resolution etc.
Yeah worst case scenario we get everything as is with a rather nasty upscale from og resolutions to 1080p or whatever the TV supports.:messenger_downcast_sweat:
 

RoboFu

One of the green rats
I mean they already pretty said such a thing a year or 2 ago. Though I could just be senile.
 

Fake

Gold Member
Well, of course. No way they gonna remove the Mario Kart 8 endless profit.

At least until Mario Kart 9.
 

AngelMuffin

Member
Maybe, that’d suck though. What’s even the point of new hardware if you’re going to tie your software to the old one.

At least it’d give me a reason to save my money and just buy the OLED model a few years later I guess.
I honestly don’t think the OG Switch will hold back the Switch 2 in any significant way. I fully expect to see marked improvement from games released on both consoles. A game like MP4 should show off the capability of the Switch 2 while also being released on the older system with lower visual fidelity, frame rate, etc. It’s not like the Switch 2 will be leagues better spec-wise than the OG Switch. This isn’t a Series S to Series X gap in power.
 

ReyBrujo

Gold Member
Wonder if your digital games will be transferred or if you have to pay for that. And I wonder if your games will stay in both your old and new Switches or if the transfer is permanent.
 

JimboJones

Member
Wonder if your digital games will be transferred or if you have to pay for that. And I wonder if your games will stay in both your old and new Switches or if the transfer is permanent.
That would be weird and very unlikely. Maybe for specific upgrades but I imagine using software will be similar from moving from an og switch to another og switch.
 

Emedan

Member
On one hand I want Metroid Prime 4 to be available on “Switch 2”. On the other hand I want the next 3D Mario to be built from the ground up specifically for “Switch 2”.

If they pull a ‘Sony’ and make something like “Mario Odyssey 2” and it’s cross-gen between Switch and Switch 2 that’d be incredibly disappointing, imo.
I wouldn't worry about it. They want to give you reasons to buy the new Switch as well, increased resolution and framerate alone isn't really a big sell to Nintendos user base. If you want the new Mario you need to buy the new Switch. With that Said Metroid 4 is probably cross gen.
 
I wouldn't worry about it. They want to give you reasons to buy the new Switch as well, increased resolution and framerate alone isn't really a big sell to Nintendos user base. If you want the new Mario you need to buy the new Switch. With that Said Metroid 4 is probably cross gen.
Pokémon Legends Z-A is probably cross gen too. the first game had framerate slowdown. So it should run smoother on switch 2.
 
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Emedan

Member
Pokémon Legends Z-A is probably cross gen too. the first game had framerate slowdown. So it should run smoother on switch 2.
Mm it probably is yeah. The user base of Switch 2 alone will be too low when the game comes out. So unless its a late 2026 release I'd say so.
 
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Mm it probably is yeah. The user base of Switch 2 alone will be too low when the game comes out. So unless its a late 2026 release I'd say so.
They definitely don't want to miss out on that massive switch user base. I hope they announce the switch 2 in October. With all the leaks coming out.
 

LMJ

Member
I mean I could whine about cross gen, but N first party does this
Super Mario GIF by GIPHY Gaming

and that
Smash Bros Nintendo GIF

ooh and this
On My Way Fly GIF by GIPHY Gaming

on the Switch, lets see what they do with PS5/Xs games even if they are slightly gimped

P.S Guys I looked for better pics, my guess is Nintendo is taking them down fast, I tried so hard to get Forbidden Kingdom pics lol
 

BlackTron

Member
I honestly don’t think the OG Switch will hold back the Switch 2 in any significant way. I fully expect to see marked improvement from games released on both consoles. A game like MP4 should show off the capability of the Switch 2 while also being released on the older system with lower visual fidelity, frame rate, etc. It’s not like the Switch 2 will be leagues better spec-wise than the OG Switch. This isn’t a Series S to Series X gap in power.

Series S to X is probably a smaller gap than Switch 1 to Switch 2. The type of games possible on Switch 2 are completely different, you'll see third party games that wouldn't even run on 1.

If you're not very ambitious it doesn't necessarily have to make a difference if your game needs to run on Switch 1, it can just be designed in a smaller scope and run with better settings on 2. Since the last Zelda game was very physics heavy, I think the potential difference in game design is profound.
 

namenotfound

Neo Member
Series S to X is probably a smaller gap than Switch 1 to Switch 2. The type of games possible on Switch 2 are completely different, you'll see third party games that wouldn't even run on 1.

If you're not very ambitious it doesn't necessarily have to make a difference if your game needs to run on Switch 1, it can just be designed in a smaller scope and run with better settings on 2. Since the last Zelda game was very physics heavy, I think the potential difference in game design is profound.
Series S and X is certainly a smaller gap than what the Switch and Switch 2 will be. S/X difference of don't even think 10% CPU performance. Switch to Switch 2 is going to be multiple times difference. Series S/X GPU raw compute difference, like 3x. Switch to Switch 2 very likely higher than that and basic theoretical compute potential wouldn't paint a good picture comparison between a Switch and Switch 2. Numerous hardware architecture changes between 2015 Tegra X1 and today to better feed whatever theoretical compute would be possible if its shader cores could be fully fed constantly. And GPU workloads scale very well down and up with available resources. Series S/X storage are both pci-e 4 storage. Switch to Switch 2 is probably from emmc 5.1 to UFS 3/3.1 That's a a huge difference. Then there's what doesn't exist on the Switch and likely will on a Switch 2. Tensor cores, RTX cores, probably a hardware block to handle file decompression, updated block for newer video/audio formats.

Series X/S all the same generation tech just scaled. Switch 1/2 different components of different generations. Some multiple generations different. Switch Witcher 3 compared to PS4 Witcher 3 is a far more significant difference than anything I've seen Series S to X
 
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BlackTron

Member
Series S and X is certainly a smaller gap than what the Switch and Switch 2 will be. S/X difference of don't even think 10% CPU performance. Switch to Switch 2 is going to be multiple times difference. Series S/X GPU raw compute difference, like 3x. Switch to Switch 2 very likely higher than that and basic theoretical compute potential wouldn't paint a good picture comparison between a Switch and Switch 2. Numerous hardware architecture changes between 2015 Tegra X1 and today to better feed whatever theoretical compute would be possible if its shader cores could be fully fed constantly. And GPU workloads scale very well down and up with available resources. Series S/X storage are both pci-e 4 storage. Switch to Switch 2 is probably from emmc 5.1 to UFS 3/3.1 That's a a huge difference. Then there's what doesn't exist on the Switch and likely will on a Switch 2. Tensor cores, RTX cores, probably a hardware block to handle file decompression, updated block for newer video/audio formats.

Series X/S all the same generation tech just scaled. Switch 1/2 different components of different generations. Some multiple generations different. Switch Witcher 3 compared to PS4 Witcher 3 is a far more significant difference than anything I've seen Series S to X
It's just an assumption it won't be a big gap because Nintendo, weak handheld yadda yadda.
 

Robb

Gold Member
It’s not like the Switch 2 will be leagues better spec-wise than the OG Switch
What Is It Reaction GIF by Nebraska Humane Society


From the leaked specs it sounds like a huge jump. Any game designed for Switch in mind would most definitely get held back in terms of, well, everything - I imagine.


I wouldn't worry about it. They want to give you reasons to buy the new Switch as well, increased resolution and framerate alone isn't really a big sell to Nintendos user base. If you want the new Mario you need to buy the new Switch. With that Said Metroid 4 is probably cross gen.
Hope you’re right!
 
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bender

What time is it?
What’s even the point of new hardware if you’re going to tie your software to the old one.

With similar hardware architectures, games being more scalable than ever, and the cost to make a game more expensive than ever, the days of cutting off an install base of ~100M are over. The good news is that the console manufacturers will work harder than ever to keep backward compatibility a thing.
 

Robb

Gold Member
With similar hardware architectures, games being more scalable than ever, and the cost to make a game more expensive than ever, the days of cutting off an install base of ~100M are over. The good news is that the console manufacturers will work harder than ever to keep backward compatibility a thing.
Backwards compatibility is fine, expected, and much appreciated for old games, not new ones.

This is just me, but I’m not going out to sped $400/500 on a “Switch 2” if I can play Mario Kart 9 on my current Switch, just in lower resolution. I’ll just get it for Switch. And since a big chunk of that 140M+ Nintendo user base will be casual players I doubt many would either, since most people aren’t concerned with frames or resolution and just want the latest software.

But then again maybe Nintendo would be happy with that, software is what makes them the most money after all. I think Nintendo would shoot themselves in the foot in the long term going that route though.
 

bender

What time is it?
Backwards compatibility is fine, expected, and much appreciated for old games, not new ones.

This is just me, but I’m not going out to sped $400/500 on a “Switch 2” if I can play Mario Kart 9 on my current Switch, just in lower resolution. I’ll just get it for Switch. And since a big chunk of that 140M+ Nintendo user base will be casual players I doubt many would either, since most people aren’t concerned with frames or resolution and just want the latest software.

But then again maybe Nintendo would be happy with that, software is what makes them the most money after all. I think Nintendo would shoot themselves in the foot in the long term going that route though.

Your position is certainly valid and a risk these hardware manufacturers are making. If Switch 2 doesn't come with an OLED, I'll try to hold off. Similarly, I don't plan on buying a PS5 Pro and I'll try not to buy a base PS6 either. Now that we've send their hardware roadmaps, waiting just seems like the best course of action.

I do think Nintendo could do some selective cross-generation games and Switch 2 only games. For example, I expect the system to launch with Mario Kart 9 and it wouldn't surprise me if that was exclusive while all their other b-tier efforts remain cross-generation. Nintendo does have a big advantage to the other platform holders as a lot of their games are evergreen, even without price drops. And with Mario Kart 9, they could say that the Switch is being served by Mario Kart 8 and use the new entry to drive hardware sales.
 

BlackTron

Member
Your position is certainly valid and a risk these hardware manufacturers are making. If Switch 2 doesn't come with an OLED, I'll try to hold off. Similarly, I don't plan on buying a PS5 Pro and I'll try not to buy a base PS6 either. Now that we've send their hardware roadmaps, waiting just seems like the best course of action.

I do think Nintendo could do some selective cross-generation games and Switch 2 only games. For example, I expect the system to launch with Mario Kart 9 and it wouldn't surprise me if that was exclusive while all their other b-tier efforts remain cross-generation. Nintendo does have a big advantage to the other platform holders as a lot of their games are evergreen, even without price drops. And with Mario Kart 9, they could say that the Switch is being served by Mario Kart 8 and use the new entry to drive hardware sales.

By the time PS6 Pro comes out, it'll be the right thing to do to wait until PS7. Maybe if they release both standard and Pro day one for PS6, this cycle can be broken. Given it's rumored PS6 is two-SKU and there are like, 2 games on PS5 I want that aren't on PC yet today. Yeah, right now I'm waiting to see how 6 turns out. They need to hit me with good hardware I know won't be superseded too quickly and games at the same time.

I didn't really care about OLED and I'm not too worried about a "Switch 2 Pro" with better hardware inside so whether I get Switch 2 at launch really comes down to launch games.
 
Maybe, that’d suck though. What’s even the point of new hardware if you’re going to tie your software to the old one
Four years after buying a PS5 and I am still asking this same question.

I have a Switch almost solely for Nintendo developed games, so I’m hoping at least they will make games actually designed to take advantage of new hardware. I have no optimism for third parties, though.
 
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