Nintendo Switch 2 Launch: Third-Party Games See Modest Sales Amidst First-Party Dominance

With the global launch of the Nintendo Switch 2, the gaming industry has been closely monitoring how third-party games are performing alongside Nintendo’s robust first-party offerings.

Despite unprecedented demand for the hardware itself, recent research shared by The Game Business reveals a nuanced picture of third-party performance on Nintendo’s latest console. According to data provided by industry analytics firms such as Circana and NielsenIQ, third-party games have achieved slightly better performance at launch on Nintendo Switch 2 compared to the original Switch.

However, many third-party publishers have expressed disappointment, with sales coming in lower than anticipated.

One anonymous publisher reportedly commented that launch numbers were “below our lowest estimates,” underscoring the challenging landscape for non-Nintendo titles on the platform. Sales figures further illuminate the situation.

In the United States, first-party titles dominated, accounting for 62% of physical Nintendo Switch 2 game sales during the launch week, with the popular Mario Kart World Bundle excluded from consideration (Circana).

Across the Atlantic, first-party dominance was even more pronounced: 48% of physical game sales in the United Kingdom came from first-party Nintendo titles (excluding the Mario Kart bundle), while that figure soared to 86% when the Mario Kart World Bundle was included (NielsenIQ).

For comparison, the launch of the original Nintendo Switch in the UK saw 89% of physical game sales attributed to Nintendo-published titles, while 81% of U.S.

launch month sales were first-party (Circana, NielsenIQ). Switch 2’s third-party lineup at launch consisted largely of ports from established PlayStation and Xbox titles, and several publishers have cited consumer hesitancy toward Game-Key Cards as possible factors in reduced sales.

Despite these challenges, CD Projekt found notable success: "Cyberpunk 2077" emerged as the top-selling third-party launch title for Switch 2, surpassing launch sales of CD Projekt’s own "The Witcher 3" on the original Switch according to NielsenIQ data. In terms of publisher rankings, Sega secured the number three spot among Switch 2 publishers at launch (Circana).

The data also indicates that physical sales remain king on Nintendo’s platform, with over 80% of all Switch 2 game purchases (combining digital and physical releases) occurring at physical retailers, as confirmed by figures from publishers. While Nintendo’s first-party titles maintain their stronghold, these early sales trends suggest third-party publishers continue to face significant hurdles breaking into the Switch ecosystem, even on next-generation hardware.

As the Switch 2’s library expands, industry watchers will be keen to see if third-party engagement and sales evolve in subsequent months.

Nintendo Switch 2 Nintendo Switch Nintendo Switch 2 Switch CD Projekt Cyberpunk 2077 The Witcher 3 Sega Circana NielsenIQ