• sab@kbin.social
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    1 year ago

    Let’s look at the track record.

    Backwards compatible handhelds:

    • GameBoy Colour (to GB)
    • Gameboy Advance (to GBC)
    • Nintendo DS (to GBA)
    • Nintendo 3DS (to DS)

    Home consoles:

    • Wii (to GC)
    • Wii U (to Wii)

    Not backwards compatible:

    • SNES
    • VirtualBoy
    • Nintendo 64
    • GameCube
    • Switch

    Lack of backwards compatibility to the previous generation has usually followed from a change in media format, and even then there has been a willingness to make an effort (the DS with its two slots being the prime example). Backwards compatibility seems to be a good way to ensure a wide selection of games at launch, and the negative aspect (not being able to sell the re-releases of the same games yet again to those desperate enough) seems to be outweighed by the positive (availability of games at launch; maintained interest in games from previous generation).

    There’s no real reason for Switch cartridges to grow any smaller, and I doubt they’ll go back to discs. So I would say there’s a pretty good chance of backward compatibility.