Nintendo’s Latest Switch Update Adds Key Switch 2 Features

Nintendo has begun the process of transitioning from the success of the Nintendo Switch to the untapped potential of the forthcoming Switch 2 by pushing out the latest major update for all Switch, Switch OLED and Switch Lite consoles that enables key features of the Switch 2 such as Virtual Game Cards, Game Sharing and Switch console data transfer to the cloud in order to transfer to a brand new Switch 2.

On the subject of the Switch 2 cloud data transfer service, Nintendo will save the transfer data uploaded from Switch consoles for up to one year, with the catch that once the data upload is complete, the console will be factory reset automatically.

The service is intended to be used to transfer the data immediately on the receipt or purchase of a Switch 2, or for those that want a quick way to save their data if the original Switch console is going to be sold towards a Switch 2, it is not a general Switch data storage service.

GameShare support in the Switch update will allow Switch, Switch OLED and Switch Lite consoles to share games from a Switch 2 on the same network, but will not be available until the console launches in June. In a related note, Virtual Game Cards will not only be limited to sharing across game consoles on the same network, but the consoles must also be tied to the same Switch Online Family Account.

System Update 20.0.0 rolled out on Monday night and is available now.