3 ms·

They're being purposely coy though on what this actually means. Backwards compatibility with digital/e-games, or backwards compatible with the physical carts?

antonyt 2y ago
I'd be shocked if it doesn't support physical carts, given Nintendo's history with backwards compatibility. And given the rough equivalence of digital games and carts on the Switch, I'm hoping that means digital purchases transfer too - but that would be a first for Nintendo, I think. Fingers crossed!
- hbn 2y ago
  From what I understand, people are much more into physical media in Japan. Nintendo also actually finishes their games and gets a working build ready before release so the carts actually have a game on them that don't require a patch, which is unfortunately not standard across the industry.
- mattl 2y ago
  You could transfer your digital games from the Wii to the Wii U, but it wasn't done for you.
tastyfreeze 2y ago
There isn't a technical reason to change the cartridge format. I don't see why they wouldn't just use the same carts if backwards compatibility is the goal.
- WhereIsTheTruth 2y ago
  there always is: - smaller - energy efficient - cost saving and they are all valid reasons, it's a handheld, the form factor will evolve until perfected
  - micromacrofoot 2y ago
    they could have made them smaller the first time around, but I have to imagine they intentionally chose not to — we have to remember that they're also optimizing these things for children... so smaller isn't always better for things like swallowing (which is why they add a bitterant to the current cards)
    - vundercind 2y ago
      Even at the size they are, I wish they were closer to GBA—cart sized.
      - taikahessu 2y ago
        You wouldn't vacuum a cartridge.
  - toast0 2y ago
    The carts are already plenty small. Yes, they could be smaller, but any smaller (without being downloads only) and they'd be difficult to handle. For cost, they could likely reduce the pincount for new cartridges, by changing the number of data pins, but that doesn't preclude using the same slot. Reducing cost of cartridges is more effective than reducing the cost of the console. Reducing pin count would probably save more money than shrinking the small amount of plastic case. For energy efficiency, maybe they can eliminate 3.3v and only keep 1.8v for new carts, maybe redesign the insertion detection pins to detect old and new.
    - jonhohle 2y ago
      The carts are shockingly big compared to Vita carts. The plastic housing with a PCB sliding around underneath always felt cheap to me compared to any cart from the late 80s to current.
- mkjonesuk 2y ago
  There are now cart dumpers that can copy and store multiple Switch games on an SD card. If the same form factor is used its likely these will still work for original Switch games.
  - jerf 2y ago
    I would be unsurprised if the cartridge has the same form factor but has internal differences for Switch2-only games. If they want to try to lock Switch2 cartridges down more, there's plenty of ways to do that while maintaining a similar enough form factor for Switch1 compatibility.
    - mattl 2y ago
      I suspect the cartridge will be similar but have a notch on it that prevents it being inserted into a Switch console. This is how Game Boy Color, DSi and 3DS systems handled being able to accept games from older models worked.
    - mmaniac 2y ago
      NDS and 3DS cartridges had a similar form factor but operated by a completely different protocol. I expect Switch 2 to do something like that, given that piracy-enabling cartridge emulators for the Switch 1 currently exist.
- CountHackulus 2y ago
  Because they can get more money by selling the same game twice. But they can still claim backwards compatibility with download-only games.
- klausa 2y ago
  You probably want to add a notch or something that makes it impossible to put the "new" carts into the "old" slots; like they did for DS/3DS: http://i.imgur.com/OQLR0xM.jpg http://i.imgur.com/OQLR0xM.jpg
CatWChainsaw 2y ago
I don't game nearly as much anymore but my understanding is that Nintendo may be the last console maker to regularly produce physical games. Newest Xbox doesn't even have an optical disk drive, I believe? Nintendo also seems to be the least price gouge-y, in terms of lootboxes and microtransactions and other bullshit. Now I wish that didn't come with the tradeoff of them being completely anal when it comes to people posting OSTs online but I guess I'll take it.
- Uvix 2y ago
  The newest Xbox model doesn't have any new features; they stripped the drive so they could offer a lower-cost model. And while the newest PlayStation model doesn't have a drive, they sell one separately. So physical games are still alive and well for all three competitors.

antonyt 2y ago

I'd be shocked if it doesn't support physical carts, given Nintendo's history with backwards compatibility. And given the rough equivalence of digital games and carts on the Switch, I'm hoping that means digital purchases transfer too - but that would be a first for Nintendo, I think. Fingers crossed!

hbn 2y ago
From what I understand, people are much more into physical media in Japan. Nintendo also actually finishes their games and gets a working build ready before release so the carts actually have a game on them that don't require a patch, which is unfortunately not standard across the industry.
mattl 2y ago
You could transfer your digital games from the Wii to the Wii U, but it wasn't done for you.

tastyfreeze 2y ago

There isn't a technical reason to change the cartridge format. I don't see why they wouldn't just use the same carts if backwards compatibility is the goal.

WhereIsTheTruth 2y ago
there always is: - smaller - energy efficient - cost saving and they are all valid reasons, it's a handheld, the form factor will evolve until perfected
- micromacrofoot 2y ago
  they could have made them smaller the first time around, but I have to imagine they intentionally chose not to — we have to remember that they're also optimizing these things for children... so smaller isn't always better for things like swallowing (which is why they add a bitterant to the current cards)
  - vundercind 2y ago
    Even at the size they are, I wish they were closer to GBA—cart sized.
    - taikahessu 2y ago
      You wouldn't vacuum a cartridge.
- toast0 2y ago
  The carts are already plenty small. Yes, they could be smaller, but any smaller (without being downloads only) and they'd be difficult to handle. For cost, they could likely reduce the pincount for new cartridges, by changing the number of data pins, but that doesn't preclude using the same slot. Reducing cost of cartridges is more effective than reducing the cost of the console. Reducing pin count would probably save more money than shrinking the small amount of plastic case. For energy efficiency, maybe they can eliminate 3.3v and only keep 1.8v for new carts, maybe redesign the insertion detection pins to detect old and new.
  - jonhohle 2y ago
    The carts are shockingly big compared to Vita carts. The plastic housing with a PCB sliding around underneath always felt cheap to me compared to any cart from the late 80s to current.
mkjonesuk 2y ago
There are now cart dumpers that can copy and store multiple Switch games on an SD card. If the same form factor is used its likely these will still work for original Switch games.
- jerf 2y ago
  I would be unsurprised if the cartridge has the same form factor but has internal differences for Switch2-only games. If they want to try to lock Switch2 cartridges down more, there's plenty of ways to do that while maintaining a similar enough form factor for Switch1 compatibility.
  - mattl 2y ago
    I suspect the cartridge will be similar but have a notch on it that prevents it being inserted into a Switch console. This is how Game Boy Color, DSi and 3DS systems handled being able to accept games from older models worked.
  - mmaniac 2y ago
    NDS and 3DS cartridges had a similar form factor but operated by a completely different protocol. I expect Switch 2 to do something like that, given that piracy-enabling cartridge emulators for the Switch 1 currently exist.
CountHackulus 2y ago
Because they can get more money by selling the same game twice. But they can still claim backwards compatibility with download-only games.
klausa 2y ago
You probably want to add a notch or something that makes it impossible to put the "new" carts into the "old" slots; like they did for DS/3DS: http://i.imgur.com/OQLR0xM.jpg http://i.imgur.com/OQLR0xM.jpg

CatWChainsaw 2y ago

I don't game nearly as much anymore but my understanding is that Nintendo may be the last console maker to regularly produce physical games. Newest Xbox doesn't even have an optical disk drive, I believe? Nintendo also seems to be the least price gouge-y, in terms of lootboxes and microtransactions and other bullshit. Now I wish that didn't come with the tradeoff of them being completely anal when it comes to people posting OSTs online but I guess I'll take it.

Uvix 2y ago
The newest Xbox model doesn't have any new features; they stripped the drive so they could offer a lower-cost model. And while the newest PlayStation model doesn't have a drive, they sell one separately. So physical games are still alive and well for all three competitors.