Ever since Nintendo officially revealed the Switch 2, all eyes have been on the upcoming April Direct. Thats when well presumably get an official Switch 2 release date, price, and confirmed line-up of games. So the last thing I was expecting was for Nintendo to drop another Direct the week before then, packed with big names like Pokmon Legends Z-A and Metroid Prime 4. But maybe given Nintendos commitments to backward compatibility, I shouldnt be too surprised.Prior to this weeks Nintendo Direct, Nintendo was careful to temper expectations by declaring There will be no updates about Nintendo Switch 2 during the presentation. While thats technically true Switch 2 wasnt mentioned apart from a reminder about the upcoming Direct and the new Virtual Game Card sharing system its not a huge leap to say that everything we saw this week will be playable on the Switch 2, even if, officially, these games are coming to the original Switch. PlayIts a win-win situation for everyone involved - those sticking with the OG Switch still have plenty to be excited about as the console enters its eighth year, and anyone upgrading to Switch 2 can do so safe in the knowledge it will have an extensive back catalogue of games right from the get-go.Nintendos commitment to backward compatibility is contributing to what I think will be one of the smoothest transitions weve ever seen between console generations. Of course, most are excited to see what the Switch 2 can do and what new games are incoming, but by playing it safe with the hardware, Nintendo has all bases covered. Based on the most recent Nintendo Direct, you wouldnt think Nintendo is trying to sell as many Switch 2 pre-orders in the run-up to launch and convince people to upgrade. And that inclusive approach should be applauded. Nintendo is essentially saying everyone is welcome, whether youre looking to buy a Switch 2 at launch, upgrade further down the line, or are content to keep the Switch you already own.Thats why there was no risk in showcasing the multitude of Switch games less than a week before a dedicated Switch 2 Direct drops, even when just beneath the surface of the Direct Nintendo was putting down even more groundwork for the coming succession. Im talking about the Virtual Game Card system, which is an update that allows Switch owners to link two consoles together and share digital games. Its a useful feature, especially with digital games sales on the rise, and its similar to the family sharing system Steam has. But why announce it at the very end of the Switch life cycle when the Switch 2 is literally weeks or months away? Presumably to make the transition to Switch 2 even smoother.PlaySome have pointed out that the fine print for the Virtual Game Card indicates the existence of a Switch 2 Edition for certain games. Whether that means there are exclusive enhancements to Switch 2 Edition games that make them unshareable with the older Switch, exclusive re-releases that will only work on Switch 2, or something else entirely, is still a mystery. But in the same way Nintendo said Certain Nintendo Switch games may not be supported or fully compatible with Switch 2 when it was announced, this fine print likely covers Nintendos bases in the case of there being any unshareable games.Whatever that fine print means, it feels like Nintendo is treating the road to Switch 2 almost like a procession, a bit like the way Apple moves from one iPhone to the next. You dont have to upgrade but there are definitely benefits if you do, and you can bring whatever games you had before along for the ride. Matt Kim is IGN's Senior Features Editor.