Nintendo Answers further Switch Questions; No Backwards Compatibility with Games and Controllers

NINTENDO-SWITCH-1.png

Nintendo is clarifying (and not) questions regarding its upcoming home console-handheld hybrid.

Kotaku reached out to the House of Mario with a set of questions which recently replied. Those that stand out the most are:
  • No backwards compatibility with games and controllers for other systems. However, support for certain controllers may be considered for a future update.
  • No games being bundled with Nintendo Switch
  • 32GB of internal NAND memory, a portion of which is reserved for use by the system. The system’s internal memory can be easily expanded as needed using microSDXC cards (up to 2TB, when available on the market)
  • Capture button to take screenshots, which can be viewed and edited before sharing on social media. No video capture at launch but planning to add the ability to record video in the future.
  • Mii Maker app on the Switch
  • No video streaming at launch but is being considered for a future update
  • Region-free

You can read the full response below:

Is Switch backwards compatible in any way? Will you be able to download or play Wii, Wii U, or 3DS games?

The Nintendo Switch system is not backward compatible with games designed for other systems, and is not currently compatible with controllers designed for other systems. Support for certain controllers may be considered for a future update. We have nothing to announce regarding Virtual Console or other types of digital purchases at this time.

How if at all does the Switch connect to Wii U and 3DS owners’ existing accounts?

We have nothing to announce at this time.

Will the Switch be compatible with existing Virtual Console purchases?

We have nothing to announce at this time.

Will the Switch have its own library of Virtual Console games that starts from scratch, or will it bring over the Virtual Console library from 3DS and Wii U?

We have nothing to announce at this time.

How will SNES online functionality work? Which games will it support?

We have nothing to announce at this time.

For those concerned about the 32GB of storage, how will that work for playing downloadable games? How will it work for DLC and patches?

The Nintendo Switch system has 32GB of internal NAND memory, a portion of which is reserved for use by the system. The system’s internal memory can be easily expanded as needed using microSDXC cards.

The SDXC standard supports up to 2TB of storage. (Note that 2TB cards are not yet on the market, but Nintendo Switch will support them when they are.) External USB hard drives are not supported at launch, but we are researching the possibility of supporting them in the future.

If no microSDXC card is used, everything is stored in internal NAND memory. If a microSDXC card is used, game save data is stored in internal NAND memory while data that can be redownloaded, such as digital games, game updates, and DLC, is stored on the microSDXC card. Nintendo Switch game cards are non-writable; game save data is stored in internal NAND memory.

Is there a trophy or achievements system?

We have nothing to announce at this time.

The 3DS has built in games and the Wii and Wii U were bundled with games. Are there any games being bundled with the Switch?

There are no games being bundled with Nintendo Switch.

Every launch is different, and with each one we try to make the best decision for the consumer, marketplace and our company. We believe the hardware configuration at the price point we’ve chosen is a great consumer value. The consumer will have their choice of great software for the system.

How does the Share button work? Does it allow you to capture video as well as screenshots? Will it allow you to stream on Twitch or YouTube?

The Capture Button is located on the Joy-Con (L) controller and the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller, and lets users grab screenshots from their games. They can then view, edit (add text of various sizes, colors and positions) and post them to social media. The original unedited screenshot is also saved.


We are planning to add the ability to record video in the future.

Switch won’t have Miiverse - will there be Miis? Or any other equivalent?

While Miiverse will continue to be supported on the Wii U and Nintendo 3DS systems, our approach with the Nintendo Switch system is to make greater use of other established, broadly used social platforms. For example, captured gameplay screenshots can be shared on popular social networks, and social features such as voice chat are possible with smart devices through our app.

There is a Mii Maker on Nintendo Switch. The software to create Mii characters is now located in System Settings, and no longer resides on the HOME menu as a standalone application. You can also create a Mii character from the Profile screen. Making Mii characters is similar to the method used on past systems.

Mii characters can be used to represent a user profile, but are not required. Users also have the option to choose a profile picture from an included library of Nintendo character images. Mii characters can still be used in games if developers choose to include them.

You can send/receive Mii characters through local wireless communication between Nintendo Switch systems, or use an amiibo figure to transfer Mii Characters from Wii U and Nintendo 3DS systems.

Mii characters on the Nintendo Switch system are similar to past iterations, but they have some different options. More facial components and colors for hair and skin have been added, while the following attributes have been removed: creator’s name, favorites, birthday, copying, and “public.”

Will Switch support Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, HBO Go, or any other streaming services?

All of our efforts have gone toward making the Nintendo Switch system an amazing dedicated video game platform, so it will not support any video-streaming services at launch. However, support for video-streaming services is being considered for a future update.

Will online stores be region-free or just cartridges?

The Nintendo Switch system is not region locked, but we recommend that players buy games within their region to ensure full service and support. The user will access the Nintendo eShop that corresponds to the country identified in their Nintendo Account. (Up to eight user accounts can be created on a single Nintendo Switch system.)

:arrow: SOURCE
 

pikpol

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I can't understand why everyone is so negative about the launch of the Switch and the decisions Nintendo makes?
The PS4 and the Xbox One both didn't have backwards compatibility and actually still don't have it.
So Nintendo is just following the rest, and I can't blame them. Most of the Nintendo users will keep their older consoles?
I know enough people who still have their Wii, even though they already bought new consoles.
And Nintendo is giving us Region Free systems from here on? Who doesn't like that?! And it will probably be better than that of PlayStation and Xbox, if you can really switch regions just by creating multiple profiles on the system.
No bundled games, who cares? Okay, Wii Sports was really fun to play. But with the Wii you were forced to buy it, right? I rather buy the games I really want than paying for something I normally wouldn't buy.
And knowing Nintendo, they will probably create those Switch bundles somewhere in the future.
At the end you always spend money on games, so why bother spending that 50 bucks on a game at launch?
 

xile6

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How do you figure? This reads like nothing but bad news to me.
Backwards compatible needed to be drop so they can move forward.

They are putting more focus on gaming vs adding streaming apps

Regent free, so people can easily import games and have to accounts to download games.

Micro sd card upgrade to 2tb.
Games dont have to installed all run from the cart but save to the sd card.
They could of went the ps vita way, but didnt.

Online gamer account ( finally).

Also seems alike a move to a real system.
 

flame1234

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Wait if 1 2 Switch is NOT coming bundled with it then who will buy it? I mean WTF Nintendo that game was supposed to be the Wii Sports of that console.
People won't buy it and they won't be missing much. But probably we should wait for reviews because I have no idea what that game even is.
 

Apache Thunder

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"Nintendo Switch game cards are non-writable; game save data is stored in internal NAND memory"

Am I the only one disturbed by this. For almost all of Nintendo's previous cartridge based systems, game saves have always been on the cartridge. Why the ***k are they now deciding instead to put game save on the console? What if the console breaks? It's seriously stupid that they would cheap out with the cartridges so much that they would not even put save functionality in them and even worse is they put it on internal nand and it's never gonna be put on MicroSD.

If this console ever gets hacked, I would hope CFW redirects that ***t to SD. :P
 
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SomecallmeBerto

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Backwards compatible needed to be drop so they can move forward.

They are putting more focus on gaming vs adding streaming apps

Regent free, so people can easily import games and have to accounts to download games.

Micro sd card upgrade to 2tb.
Games dont have to installed all run from the cart but save to the sd card.
They could of went the ps vita way, but didnt.

Online gamer account ( finally).

Also seems alike a move to a real system.


1. Agreed.
2. I know the system is region free but does that mean they can go to the jap eshop and download games that way? I know importing is a thing now but I didn't hear anything on downloading out of region games.
3.System should still have more then 32GB of space. That is sad in 2017
4.Agreed.
5. proprietary memory cards are BS

6.What do you mean? We already an an online gamer account.

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

"Nintendo Switch game cards are non-writable; game save data is stored in internal NAND memory"

Am I the only one disturbed by this. For almost all of Nintendo's previous cartridge based systems, game saves have always been on the cartridge. Why the ***k are they now deciding instead to put game save on the console? What if the console breaks? It's seriously stupid that they would cheap out with the cartridges so much that they would not even put save functionality in them.

Guess we need a JKSM for the switch as well.
 

RustInPeace

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So does that mean no support for Gamecube controllers through the adapter? I guess that would explain no news about a Smash Bros. port, maybe down the line there will be done with yet another adapter exclusively for the Switch to support it. Or, an overpriced wireless GC controller (not the Wavebird), seeing as how they now have a knack for overly expensive accessories, this wouldn't surprise me. The SD card thing is nice.
 
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Minox

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I can't understand why everyone is so negative about the launch of the Switch and the decisions Nintendo makes?
Fairly expensive console that does not include many extras, substantially increased game prices compared to the previous generation, accessories that cost an arm and a leg, no (guaranteed) backwards compatibility even if just for accessories and then paid online..

Gee, I wonder why people don't like the console.
 

spotanjo3

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I bet it's not backwards compatible purely because of all the exploits found in 3ds games, and how they didn't (or couldn't) fix Wii games on Wii U's vWii. Meaning they couldn't fix something like Cubic Ninja from breaking the 3ds portion of the Switch.

In your dream. Oh yeah, you just guess and not a fact. :). No, look at PS4, it's not backwards compatible either.. Nothing to do with the exploits found in PS3.
 

Tom Bombadildo

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I can't understand why everyone is so negative about the launch of the Switch and the decisions Nintendo makes?
The PS4 and the Xbox One both didn't have backwards compatibility and actually still don't have it.
So Nintendo is just following the rest, and I can't blame them. Most of the Nintendo users will keep their older consoles?
I know enough people who still have their Wii, even though they already bought new consoles.
And Nintendo is giving us Region Free systems from here on? Who doesn't like that?! And it will probably be better than that of PlayStation and Xbox, if you can really switch regions just by creating multiple profiles on the system.
You have absolutely no knowledge of any competitor systems, do you? The Xbox One has had backwards compatibility since 2015, the PS4 has PS Now which is technically "backwards compatibility" even if it is streaming, and you could switch regions that way since the PS3/360 so I have no idea how Nintendo finally going region free is going to be "better".
 

xile6

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complete with PAID online
just like ps+ and live.
At some point you gotta think if those are paid and work good. Maybe nintendo will work good. People would be getting paid to make it work better then just losing money having it free.

So i see that as a step forward. Just hope they dont charge alot. $20-$40 a year if there is a good line up of online games. If no then $10-$15 for a year.
Thats something that would keep severs up and running
 

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