Switch2 does not contain Switch1 hardware. So how does it achieve backward compatibility?

　　While Nintendo has confirmed that Switch 2 allows players to play Switch1 games through the backward compatibility feature, the company has now revealed more details about how its compatibility works. During a "ask developers questions" Q&A activity, Switch 2 director Takuhiro Dohta revealed that the upcoming host implementation of backward compatibility does not use the hardware of the first generation of Switch.

　　As background information, we know that the Nintendo 3DS handheld console can run DS games because it contains some hardware from old handheld consoles. The PS2 also uses built-in PSOne hardware to run older games. But according to Takuhiro Dohta, it is difficult for Nintendo to use the same approach to achieve backward compatibility on the Switch 2 for technical reasons.

　　Takuhiro Dohta said: "When we first started developing Switch 2, our focus was on improving its hardware performance, that is, expanding its capabilities, so compatibility was secondary. Nintendo DS games can be played on Nintendo 3DS, and Wii games can be played on Wii U, but it is difficult to achieve the same level of compatibility on Switch 2 because its hardware design ideas are different from those systems."

　　Kouichi, producer of Switch 2 Kawamoto explained in a statement how Nintendo's previous consoles were backward compatible. Kouichi Kawamoto said: "Simply put, those systems were compatible (previously) because the Nintendo 3DS included the DS hardware, while the Wii U included the Wii hardware. However, Switch 2 does not contain any Switch hardware."

Takuhiro Dohta described the backward compatibility approach of Switch 2 as "a way between software emulator and hardware compatibility." In this way, the new console can make the game mistakenly think that it is running on the original Switch. Switch 2 will convert the game's Switch data in real time when the game is running.

At present, Nintendo has revealed that about 122 own games and more than 15,000 third-party games will be able to run on Switch 2 through the backward compatibility function. However, there are also some Switch games that will not be compatible with Switch 2 because they require dedicated hardware.

　　Nintendo Switch 2 will be released on June 5th. Dear downloaders, will you buy it in the first release?