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Forums - Nintendo - Nintendo Switch 2 & Third-Party Support — A Promising Future or A Mere Mirage?

curl-6 on 22 March 2026
Soundwave said:

3rd party games already sold well on the Switch 1, it's just they were generally more slow burners, but the userbase of the machine was so high, like weren't the Yakuza or Persona (I forget which) developers surprised by how high the sales of their games were on Switch?

There's only so many Nintendo games you can play, plus the Switch 1 and 2 have a much older userbase that has far more disposable income.

I would expect things like FF7 Remake and Rebirth and Resident Evil 7/8/9 to sell for years on Switch 2 for example.

3rd party games will also do well on Switch 2 because the pricing is far more flexible than Nintendo's 1st/2nd party games which are like $70+ and Nintendo rarely discounts. While you're waiting for like the next big 3D Mario or something it simply can more attractive to get FF7 Remake for $40 than spend $70 on Mario Tennis. You can get three Resident Evil games for almost the same price as some of Switch 2 Editions of Nintendo games (like Tears of the Kingdom) with the triple pack Capcom is offering with RE Requiem this month. 

Yeah that was Yakuza Kiwami; according to the studio head they underestimated demand "by a longshot":

https://mynintendonews.com/2024/10/27/yakuza-studio-says-yakuza-kiwami-on-switch-is-selling-like-hotcakes-predicted-numbers-too-conservative/



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Soundwave on 03 April 2026

According to this report, 3rd party sales for the Switch ecosystem (so Switch 1 + 2) surged 76% upwards year over year in June to Dec 2025 (so post Switch 2 launch) versus the same period in 2024 ... that indicates 3rd party sales on the Switch 2 must be fairly decent to quite good.

https://www.gonintendo.com/contents/59509-third-party-games-saw-a-76-sales-increase-on-nintendo-switch-and-switch-2-in-2025

Third party revenue rose to $2.3 billion in June to Dec 2025 versus $1.3 billion in June to Dec 2024.

This is before 2026 too when we've seen games like Final Fantasy VII Remake and Resident Evil 7/8/9 release.



curl-6 on 03 April 2026

This is a promising sign, especially as third party support hadn't yet kicked into high gear during that period compared to this year.

Thing is, Switch 2 doesn't need to sell as much third party software to be a viable platform for third parties; so long as it brings in that extra money they wouldn't have otherwise and justifies the expenditure, then it's worthwhile.



KrspaceT on 03 April 2026
Soundwave said:

According to this report, 3rd party sales for the Switch ecosystem (so Switch 1 + 2) surged 76% upwards year over year in June to Dec 2025 (so post Switch 2 launch) versus the same period in 2024 ... that indicates 3rd party sales on the Switch 2 must be fairly decent to quite good.

https://www.gonintendo.com/contents/59509-third-party-games-saw-a-76-sales-increase-on-nintendo-switch-and-switch-2-in-2025

Third party revenue rose to $2.3 billion in June to Dec 2025 versus $1.3 billion in June to Dec 2024.

This is before 2026 too when we've seen games like Final Fantasy VII Remake and Resident Evil 7/8/9 release.

I'm curious about what game Bandai Namco put on it that let it sit between Hogwarts and, I presume, Fifa and Madden on that one. Can't think of which ones off the top of my head honesty...



The Democratic Nintendo fan....is that a paradox? I'm fond of one of the more conservative companies in the industry, but I vote Liberally and view myself that way 90% of the time?

curl-6 on 03 April 2026
KrspaceT said:
Soundwave said:

According to this report, 3rd party sales for the Switch ecosystem (so Switch 1 + 2) surged 76% upwards year over year in June to Dec 2025 (so post Switch 2 launch) versus the same period in 2024 ... that indicates 3rd party sales on the Switch 2 must be fairly decent to quite good.

https://www.gonintendo.com/contents/59509-third-party-games-saw-a-76-sales-increase-on-nintendo-switch-and-switch-2-in-2025

Third party revenue rose to $2.3 billion in June to Dec 2025 versus $1.3 billion in June to Dec 2024.

This is before 2026 too when we've seen games like Final Fantasy VII Remake and Resident Evil 7/8/9 release.

I'm curious about what game Bandai Namco put on it that let it sit between Hogwarts and, I presume, Fifa and Madden on that one. Can't think of which ones off the top of my head honesty...

They could be counting Kirby Air Riders as that was developed by Namco.

They also ported Little Nightmares 1 and 3, Dragon Ball Z Sparking Zero, Tamagotchi Plaza, and Shadow Labyrinth.



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curl-6 on 14 May 2026

Square's CEO has reaffirmed their commitment to a mutliplatform strategy "especially on Switch 2"

https://www.gonintendo.com/contents/60809-square-enix-once-again-commits-to-multiplatform-support-especially-on-switch-2



160rmf on 10 June 2026

Well, the ports keep coming. Something must be working for AAA 3rd party companies to continue and improve the support 🤷

Not financially feasible? Owners will despise the performance? What am I missing....

Last edited by 160rmf - on 11 June 2026

 

 

We reap what we sow

Darwinianevolution on 10 June 2026

3rd parties who invested on the Switch sold well generally, as long as the ports were decent enough. That has probably given a lot of publishers more trust in the system, plus Switch 2 moving similar numbers and handheld console having somewhat of a resurgence. They will do fine.



You know it deserves the GOTY.

Come join The 2018 Obscure Game Monthly Review Thread.

curl-6 on 11 June 2026

Yeah I think it's safe to say at this point, that's no mirage.

Nintendo fans haven't eaten this good in terms of non-Nintendo games in thirty years, and third party support seems to be accelerating as well, with each passing month bringing more and more announcements from more and more developers.



LipeJJ on 11 June 2026

This non-E3 period basically confirmed that the future (and present) is indeed promising. We haven't seen a wider and more varied line up of high profile AAA games for a Nintendo console since the early 00s.



Bet with Teeqoz for 2 weeks of avatar and sig control that Super Mario Odyssey would ship more than 7m on its first 2 months. The game shipped 9.07m, so I won