Sometimes, it can be hard to let go.
The next generation of Nintendo hardware is just around the corner. As we say that, we look fondly at our TV console stand where our Switch sits, docked and charging, not a speck of dust on it. For many of us, it’s the console of choice — whether sitting around the TV with friends and family, scrapping over a game of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe or Super Mario Party Jamboree or cosying up alone to sneak in a few hours of Animal Crossing: New Horizons or Breath of the Wild, we’ve grown rather attached to this little machine.
Okay, so we may have gone through a few Joy-Con and we might have an OLED now (and an OG, and a Lite, and a…), but the Switch family has been a huge part of many of our lives for the past eight years.
The thing is, the Switch 2 is coming out soon, and that means money. Not only that, you’ll also want to buy some games, maybe a new Pro Controller, and perhaps some spare Joy-Con. That all mounts up.
With the Switch 2 now confirmed to be backwards compatible, with a few exceptions, what does that mean for our Switch consoles? When the new console lands, is it really worth holding on to the Switch 1 when you can put the funds towards a shiny new console?
We know we’ve asked this question before, before we officially new the new console would play your Switch 1 games. But this isn’t simply about keeping your Switch — we know it’s way more complicated than that.
If you have an OLED, you might be wary about the screen on the upcoming Switch 2, which may well have an LED screen. That might not be a problem for some, given how far LCD screens have come along, but there’s no denying the beautiful pop and sheen of an OLED screen.
There’s also the issue of those games that won’t be backwards compatible. Nintendo has yet to confirm what those games are, but we have a few healthy guesses, such as titles that need Joy-Con or IR Sensor like Ring Fit Adventure or the Labo. If you can’t bear to drop your Ring Fit routine, surely there’s no way you can be tempted to swap and upgrade.
Then, as we kicked off this piece, there are the memories. You can’t buy those. Perhaps the Switch was the first console you played with your children. Or maybe you took it with you while travelling and you remember playing through Mario Odyssey or Pikmin 4 as you journeyed across the world. You might even want to pass those memories down to your family and give them your old Switch.
Essentially, there’s a lot to consider, especially when the Switch is so small (compared to the PS5 or Xbox Series X, at least) and barely takes up any shelf space. We also don’t know how much the Switch 2 will cost yet, even if some have made some educated guesses at surprisingly low prices. But, at the end of the day, we have no idea.
So, what will you do with your Switch (or Switches) when the Switch 2 lands on your doorstep? Vote in our poll below and let us know in the comments.
Sometimes, it can be hard to let go.
The next generation of Nintendo hardware is just around the corner. As we say that, we look fondly at our TV console stand where our Switch sits, docked and charging, not a speck of dust on it. For many of us, it's the console of choice — whether sitting around the TV with friends and family, scrapping over a game of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe or Super Mario Party Jamboree or cosying up alone to sneak in a few hours of Animal Crossing: New Horizons or Breath of the Wild, we've grown rather attached to this little machine.
Okay, so we may have gone through a few Joy-Con and we might have an OLED now (and an OG, and a Lite, and a...), but the Switch family has been a huge part of many of our lives for the past eight years.
The thing is, the Switch 2 is coming out soon, and that means money. Not only that, you'll also want to buy some games, maybe a new Pro Controller, and perhaps some spare Joy-Con. That all mounts up.
With the Switch 2 now confirmed to be backwards compatible, with a few exceptions, what does that mean for our Switch consoles? When the new console lands, is it really worth holding on to the Switch 1 when you can put the funds towards a shiny new console?
We know we've asked this question before, before we officially new the new console would play your Switch 1 games. But this isn't simply about keeping your Switch — we know it's way more complicated than that.
If you have an OLED, you might be wary about the screen on the upcoming Switch 2, which may well have an LED screen. That might not be a problem for some, given how far LCD screens have come along, but there's no denying the beautiful pop and sheen of an OLED screen.
There's also the issue of those games that won't be backwards compatible. Nintendo has yet to confirm what those games are, but we have a few healthy guesses, such as titles that need Joy-Con or IR Sensor like Ring Fit Adventure or the Labo. If you can't bear to drop your Ring Fit routine, surely there's no way you can be tempted to swap and upgrade.
Then, as we kicked off this piece, there are the memories. You can't buy those. Perhaps the Switch was the first console you played with your children. Or maybe you took it with you while travelling and you remember playing through Mario Odyssey or Pikmin 4 as you journeyed across the world. You might even want to pass those memories down to your family and give them your old Switch.
Essentially, there's a lot to consider, especially when the Switch is so small (compared to the PS5 or Xbox Series X, at least) and barely takes up any shelf space. We also don't know how much the Switch 2 will cost yet, even if some have made some educated guesses at surprisingly low prices. But, at the end of the day, we have no idea.
So, what will you do with your Switch (or Switches) when the Switch 2 lands on your doorstep? Vote in our poll below and let us know in the comments.
