The launch of the Nintendo Switch 2 has been nothing short of a success, with an impressive 3.5 million units sold in its first weeks. But as we dive deeper into its performance, especially when it comes to third-party games, the picture starts to get a bit murky.
While Nintendo’s own titles, particularly Mario Kart World, have enjoyed massive success, how are non-Nintendo games faring on this new console?
Looking at the sales data, we see a strong emphasis on first-party content. In the UK, a staggering 86% of physical game sales during the Switch 2’s launch week were Nintendo titles. This figure mirrors the 89% seen during the launch of the first Switch. However, in the US, there’s a glimmer of hope for third-party developers, with 62% of launch week sales attributed to first-party games. While this is still a dominant share, it’s a step up from the 80% seen in the first month of the Switch 1’s release.
As expected, Nintendo’s big hitters like Mario Kart World and The Legend of Zelda have led the charge, with Cyberpunk 2077 from CD Projekt Red emerging as the best-selling third-party title. Other third-party games, like Yakuza 0: Director’s Cut and Sonic x Shadow Generations from Sega, have also made an impact. However, the sales performance of these titles isn’t as robust as the big-name Nintendo offerings. According to sources, some third-party publishers have described their Switch 2 launch sales as ‘below our lowest estimates’. Given that these games are often ports from older platforms, it’s not hard to understand why this might be the case.
Adding to the complexity is the fact that the Switch 2 launched with 13 available physical games, compared to just five during the first Switch’s release. This has likely spread out the demand for each individual game, diluting sales for some third-party titles. Industry analysts, like Mat Piscatella, have stated that it’s still too early to make definitive judgments about the success of third-party software on the platform, pointing out that we’re just a few weeks into the console’s lifecycle.
It’s clear that Nintendo’s first-party dominance will continue to drive the console’s success, but what does this mean for third-party developers? While the Switch 2 is off to a solid start, it remains to be seen whether third-party titles will gain significant traction in the long run, or if they’ll continue to struggle against the massive appeal of Nintendo’s iconic franchises.