Summary
To promote the upcoming release of theNintendo Switch 2hardware, Nintendo has unveiled a list of Switch 1 games that will receive free enhancements. Set to release worldwide on July 20, 2025, theNintendo Switch 2is the next generation of Nintendo’s Switch hardware, with enhanced capabilities that will apply both to older titles and new original games.
The release date of Nintendo’s next-gen hardware is looming ever closer, and while fans and Nintendo executives alike ponder thepotential for Switch 2 supply problems, the company itself is making sure owners of the current Switch hardware will find some value in an upgrade. Early on, Nintendo confirmed that the Switch 2 will use a combination of hardware and software solutions to address the issue of backwards compatibility, allowing it to play most existing Switch 1 games. A few of Nintendo’s most popular titles on the Switch 1, such asThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the WildandTears of the Kingdom, will also get special “Switch 2 Edition” upgrades, allowing them to take full advantage of the Switch 2 hardware.
While there are many Switch 1 games that won’t get Switch 2 editions, Nintendo won’t leave them all out in the cold.On the official Nintendo website, the company recently published a list of select Switch 1 games that will receive free updates to enhance their performance on Switch 2. The list includes even a few early Switch titles, like the unique motion-controlled fighting gameARMS, and thepopular table game collectionClubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics.
The list Nintendo published is mainly limited to games published and developed by Nintendo itself, and includes updates scheduled to go live alongside the release of the Switch 2 on Jun 25, 2025. It also includes previously confirmed updates like thePokémon Scarlet and VioletSwitch 2 patches. Third-party publishers will determine their own priorities when it comes to releasing updates for their Switch 1 games, or if they’ll commit to distinct Switch 2 ports.
The list also doesn’t mention performance updates for games that are getting their own Switch 2 editions, likeBreath of the WildorKirby and the Forgotten Land. While Nintendo hasn’t committed to issuing patches for the Switch 1 versions of those games, it has said some Switch 1 games will see a performance boost simply from being played on the Switch 2’s more powerful hardware. Whether that will address their issues with performance or satisfy fans that are unsure about upgrading to the new console is a different matter.
