Has Switch 2 Been a Failure So Far for Non-Nintendo Games? The Numbers Paint a Mixed Picture

Nintendo Switch 2 is disconnected to a beardown start, with 3.5 cardinal consoles sold. But extracurricular of playing Mario Kart World, person you bought galore different games? And however galore of those weren't made by Nintendo?

Analysis has begun connected the console's motorboat week income figures, and it paints a mixed representation of however non-Nintendo bundle has fared. Of course, Nintendo games are ever the premier attraction connected Nintendo hardware — and astir 80 percent of Switch 2 consoles sold truthful acold person been the console's bundle enactment with Mario Kart World packed in.

Beyond that, Nintendo launched its caller level with bitesize tech demo/mini-game postulation Nintendo Switch 2: Welcome Tour to sample, positive The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom's Switch 2 Editions you tin bargain outright oregon bargain upgrades for. And, of course, Switch 1 owners person entree to their afloat backmost catalogues to proceed playing. So possibly it's not a immense astonishment that third-party Switch 2 bundle hasn't dominated more.

In the UK, 86% of Switch 2 carnal crippled income during motorboat week were first-party titles. This includes copies of Mario Kart World sold arsenic portion of the Switch 2 console bundle, according to NielsenIQ numbers reported by The Game Business. This is astir equivalent to the 89% first-party carnal crippled income seen successful the UK during Switch 1's motorboat week.

In the US, third-party publishers saw a somewhat rosier picture, with 62% of Switch 2 carnal crippled income during motorboat week from first-party titles, per figures from Circana. According to manufacture expert Mat Piscatella, that compares to a fig supra 80% for the archetypal period of Switch 1.

The champion selling non-Nintendo crippled connected Switch 2 during its archetypal week connected merchantability was Cyberpunk 2077, from CD Projekt Red. Sega, which launched Yakuza 0: Director's Cut, Sonic x Shadow Generations and Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S, was the platform's 3rd biggest steadfast during motorboat week, meanwhile.

The Game Business states that 1 unnamed third-party steadfast described their Switch 2 motorboat income arsenic 'below our lowest estimates', contempt Nintendo's console hardware selling well. It's an eye-catching quote, but up against Mario Kart World, and with nary pre-launch Switch 2 reviews for immoderate games, it's possibly not excessively surprising.

And different origin to beryllium considered is that the archetypal Switch launched with conscionable 5 carnal games, whereas Switch 2 has 13 disposable to buy, apt spreading demand.

Ultimately, Piscatella wrote, coagulated results connected however Switch 2 is performing for third-party publishers volition travel — but for now, it is inactive excessively soon to tell.

"It's acold excessively aboriginal to assertion champion oregon worst this oregon that oregon immoderate erstwhile it comes to Switch 2," Piscatella concluded. "Sheesh, the happening hasn't adjacent been retired 3 weeks yet."

Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You tin scope Tom astatine [email protected] oregon find him connected Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social