Nintendo Switch Virtual Console: Reggie Fils-Aime Discusses Strategy for Classic Games

Nintendo Switch Virtual Console: Reggie Fils-Aime Discusses Strategy for Classic Games The Nintendo Switch, having made a significant impact at its debut E3 in 2017, brought with it high expectations for legacy content on the new hardware.

With the Nintendo Switch rapidly becoming a central platform for both innovative new releases and nostalgia-driven reissues, many fans and analysts have kept a close watch on how Nintendo would handle its extensive back catalog, particularly through the Virtual Console brand.

The company has a storied history with Virtual Console on earlier platforms like the Wii, Wii U, and 3DS, offering curated selections of classic Nintendo and third-party games for digital download. At the time, Nintendo had already suggested that its upcoming paid online subscription service would incorporate features related to classic games.

Initial statements indicated that subscribers could expect access to a rotating selection of retro titles, potentially receiving a new classic game each month.

However, as development of the Switch’s online infrastructure progressed, Nintendo walked back on the specifics of that promise, stating clearly that the online service would not serve as a direct replacement for the Virtual Console. In a key interview with IGN during E3 2017, Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime summarized the company’s position regarding classic games on the Nintendo Switch.

Addressing ongoing fan speculation, Fils-Aime explained that Nintendo was deeply aware of consumer demand for its digital legacy content.

In paraphrased terms, he noted, “We understand our fans and players want access to the full range of our digital content.

Our team is now focused on determining the optimal strategy to provide that access.” He emphasized that the appetite for Nintendo's classic library was "well recognized" within the company. Fils-Aime’s careful use of the term “all” when referencing legacy content was particularly noteworthy.

While not making definitive commitments, the statement suggested Nintendo was considering broad possibilities—possibly greater than the slow trickle of Virtual Console releases seen on earlier platforms.

This left open the potential for a more robust and comprehensive lineup of retro games on the Switch, a move that would likely be celebrated by the company’s most dedicated supporters and collectors. As of E3 2017, Nintendo had not publicly detailed the final structure or catalog for Virtual Console—or if such a service, in its traditional form, would return at all on the Nintendo Switch.

The company’s official messaging made clear that it intended to deliver a solution that would satisfy players’ expectations for classic gaming, while also leveraging the unique hardware capabilities and digital infrastructure of the Nintendo Switch and its eShop. Nintendo’s management of its legacy titles remains a subject of intense interest across the gaming press, industry insiders, and longtime fans.

The outcome of its approach to classic games—whether through Virtual Console, the online subscription service, or another avenue—will be closely watched as the Switch continues to break sales records and shape the future of portable and home console gaming.

Nintendo Switch Virtual Console Nintendo of America Reggie Fils-Aime E3 2017 IGN