A lot of Nintendo’s success has resulted from the corporate going towards the grain, however there’s one space the place it desperately must meet up with its opponents: On-line infrastructure. Whereas PlayStation and Xbox homeowners have used the identical PlayStation Community or Xbox Reside account for a number of generations, Nintendo has by no means had one constant on-line service. That’s lastly going to vary when the Change 2 launches in 2024.
Again in June, Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa informed shareholders that Change homeowners who improve to the corporate’s next-generation console will be capable of “easily transition whereas nonetheless utilising their Nintendo Accounts.”
Since then, we’ve got been inundated with rumors in regards to the Change 2, however that was the one time Nintendo itself has actually alluded to the brand new console. We don’t count on an official announcement till 2024, however in a current interview with Nintendo of America president Doug Bowser, Inverse made a valiant effort to seek out out extra in regards to the Change 2.
Inverse requested Bowser how Nintendo plans to assist Change homeowners transition to the following platform with out dropping all the money and time they invested within the Change. Bowser’s reply sounded similar to what we heard from Furukawa:
Nicely, first I can’t remark — or I received’t remark, I ought to say — on the rumors which might be on the market. However one factor we’ve accomplished with the Change to assist with that communication and transition is the formation of the Nintendo Account. Previously, each system we transitioned to had an entire new account system. Creating the Nintendo Account will enable us to speak with our gamers if and after we make a transition to a brand new platform, to assist ease that course of or transition.
Our aim is to attenuate the dip you usually see within the final yr of 1 cycle and the start of one other. I can’t communicate to the doable options of a brand new platform, however the Nintendo Account is a robust foundation for having that communication as we make the transition.
There’s nothing right here that we didn’t already know, however it’s notable how comparable Bowser’s reply is to Furukawa’s. Clearly, Nintendo is comfy revealing that Nintendo Accounts will carry over from the Change to the corporate’s subsequent console. This may undoubtedly be a key speaking level when the Change 2 is introduced within the coming months.
It’s additionally exhausting to think about Nintendo placing this a lot emphasis on the sleek transition between console generations if it doesn’t plan to incorporate backward compatibility for Change video games on the Change 2. In any case, any digital video games you purchase on a Change are linked to your Nintendo Account. If that account carries over to your new console, your sport library ought to as properly. But when it doesn’t, Nintendo doubtless wouldn’t be so inclined to speak in regards to the transition.
