Third-Party Game Sales See Slow Start At Launch On Nintendo Switch 2: Reports

The launch of Nintendo Switch 2 has not brought favourable results for third-party game developers, according to media reports. 

The sales data suggests that users prefer first-party games such as Mario Kart World over third-party ones. This shows that most people are buying Nintendo consoles primarily to play Nintendo games, The Game Business reported.  

A third-party publisher claimed that the sales were “below our lowest estimates”, according to the report.

The Game Business report outlines that Nintendo did not send the console to the media before launching it and it could be one of the reasons for the poor response witnessed by third-party games. No reviews were available for the third-party games that the console supports. Those who would have preferred a third-party game did not have critical reviews to back their decision. 

Third-party companies that have expressed support for Nintendo ahead of the launch include Microsoft, Sega, Ubisoft and Konami.

Another problem for third-party developers is the Switch 2's backwards compatibility. Certain older games, such as Violet, have been updated for the new hardware. Thus, even if gamers want to play games other than Mario Kart, they need not browse through third-party games. 

The Game Business also notes that a lot of Switch owners also own Xbox and PlayStation. Thus, they may already be playing these third-party games on platforms other than Switch 2.

Screen Rant says that the high cost of third-party games could be a major factor discouraging buyers from making a purchase. Buying the Switch 2 itself requires a significant investment and several of the third-party games are being sold at full price. 

The release of the title on “Game Key Cards” could be another reason for the poor performance of third-party titles. Gamers often don’t like it as they prefer the plug-and-play of Nintendo Switch.

According to data cited by The Game Business, 86% of physical game sales in the UK during the launch week comprised first-party games, including the Mario Kart World bundle. Cyberpunk 2077 was the best-selling third-party game of the Switch 2’s launch week.