Nintendo is planning to give Switch owners a “smooth transition” to the company’s next-generation console using their existing accounts.
During a Q&A session with investors, Nintendo President of Japan Shuntaro Furukawa indicated that Nintendo accounts will consolidate all user data going forward.
“As for the transition from Nintendo Switch to the next generation machine, we want to do as much as possible in order to smoothly transition our customers while utilising the Nintendo Account.”
Shuntaro Furukawa, President of Nintendo Japan
In the past, Nintendo struggled immensely with maintaining an online infrastructure that was consistent. A unified accounts system was only introduced with the Switch. The 3DS and Wii U made use of a network ID and failed to have a solid transition to the next generation.
Fortunately, now, Nintendo accounts synchronize across the Switch and mobile devices, allowing you to keep track of progression, store payment info, and save data and achievements with one email address.
According to Furukawa, well over 290 million Nintendo accounts have been registered for use across console and mobile. This provides the company with a good foundation to develop next-generation technology and infrastructure.
The Nintendo Switch will continue to remain for a long time going forward, and it’s already been confirmed that a “Switch 2” will not release until April 2024 at the earliest. In the last financial year, the console pushed 18 million units in sales, but this is down from 23 million sold the prior year and 28 million the year that preceded that.
Another reason why this is such a critical move is for Nintendo Switch Online. After abandoning the concept of the Virtual Console that existed on the Wii and Wii U, purchases of legacy titles never extended to the Switch. By keeping accounts and their saved data on record, players will almost certainly be able to continue their journey through old Nintendo games on the next-generation console, which will likely continue to be accessible.