Nintendo Switch 2 Third-Party Game Sales Reportedly Very Low Despite Consoles Record Launch

The Nintendo Switch 2 came into the limelight, breaking all precedents on record for over 3.5 million units sold, becoming the fastest hardware to do so for Nintendo. With Nintendo popping the corks, a shade remains cast over the launch lineup: third-party titles. While the industry giants CD Projekt Red, Warner Bros., EA, Sega, and 2K had their releases on day one, the early sales numbers are telling a tale of disappointment. Is the initial success of Switch 2 failing to support all?

Third-Party Sales on Switch 2 Disappoint

Switch 2’s launch is somewhat of a paradox for third-party developers. While early-yet-very-incomplete data coming from The Game Business suggest third-party salesmarginallyoutdo the ones from the original Switch launch, champagne has still not been popped. Millions of Switch 2 consoles are going off shelves, but whispers from market analytics firms paint a rather grim picture: third-party publishers are, for the most part, seeing “very low” sales. One anonymous publisher even shared: “Our Switch 2 sales have been so bad, we actually missed ourabsolute worst-case scenarioprojections.” Are we looking at a launch window blip, or is this the beginning of a deeper concern regarding the Switch 2’s appeal to third-party titles?

By the time of the Switch 2’s anticipated launch came an explosive glitch in the expectations of gamers: Cyberpunk 2077. In all its neon-splattered glory, the RPG from CD Projekt Red didn’t just sell; it destroyed the sales charts during the Switch 2’s launch. Refrigerator sales will get your mind set rolling: According to NielsenIQ data for 2021, Cyberpunk 2077 is the mainstay, surpassing sales for the debut of The Witcher 3 on the original Switch.

In the ranking of sales for the release of the Switch 2, Nintendo took a solid first, and CD Projekt Red held second. But, SEGA somehow emerged as a curveball contender. Circana’s data reveals that SEGA grabbed a much-wanted third place on the chart by the strength of three titles. SEGA brought out its own gritty crime drama in Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut; high-speed nostalgia in Sonic X Shadow Generations; and devilishly delightful puzzle action in Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S, showing that SEGA is back and ready to have fun.

Nintendo certainly has hold of the lock when it comes to Switch 2 launch titles. First-party titles accounted for a massive 86% of physical game sales in the UK, pushed on by the Mario Kart World bundle. Across the pond in the US, first-party titles accounted for 62% of physical sales during the first week, not even considering the Mario Kart juggernaut. It is a clear signal: The major titles from Nintendo are, and will remain, the benchmark for the new-generation consoles.

For Nintendo Switch 2, the launch lineup is pumped up for excitement: “Mario Kart World” sets in a new camp for racing games, while Hyrule calls on adventurers anew with upgraded editions of “Breath of the Wild” and “Tears of the Kingdom.” “Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour” should also be there for the new owners. Early trends reveal a solid tendency toward physical games, as cartridges constitute more than 80% of sales.

On the 5th of June, the gaming world exploded. They might as well say that DOWN BLAST because the Switch 2 reached 3.5 million sales its very first week on the market. Forget records; this just goes down in history. This is not just the fastest-selling console; it is the Usain Bolt of gaming systems. Give the competition one-two for another reason: the Switch 2 knocked the PS4 from the top spot of all-time number-one hardware sales in its first week in the US. The game is now changed.

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