Nintendo Switch doesn’t support Wii U discs or 3DS cartridges

Nintendo confirms that its upcoming console, the Nintendo Switch, won’t play Wii U optical discs or 3DS cartridges though it may be able to play smartphone games.

The gaming titan also clarified that the Switch is a brand new platform and not a direct successor to either the Wii U or the 3DS. According to a Reddit thread, someone asked a representative during the Nintendo Investor Relations’ Q&A if the console is replacing the 3DS. The rep reportedly answered that the company is still considering releasing a separate 3DS successor at a later date.*

Moreover, the company says that “at this time” it cannot answer whether the Nintendo Switch will support smartphone games. Nintendo’s mobile gaming plans, which include Super Mario Run, are being seen as a big deal and it’s hard to imagine that its new console won’t somehow fit in with that.

Nintendo 3DS cartridges reportedly go up to 8 GB in capacity, but of course, 3DS games run at a much lower resolution than the high-definition screen of the Nintendo Switch. NBA 2K17, which was featured in the console’s reveal trailer, weighs in at well over 40 GB on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One; the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions are both under 8 GB.