The Switch 2 launch was huge for Nintendo, but not great for third-party developers

The Nintendo Switch 2 finally launched just a few weeks ago, selling a ton of consoles and introducing Mario Kart World. The console launched with that single huge new Nintendo game, and a wide selection of third-party ports, like Cyberpunk 2077. But the first batch of game sales data has come out for the Nintendo Switch 2, and while Mario Kart World is selling like hot cakes to the surprise of no one, it seems like the rest of those launch games aren't seeing much success. Third-party developers now have a tough decision to make, should they support the new hardware even if the games aren't selling, or is this just a launch issue?

Mario Kart World and the Switch 2 are selling well

No surprises here

To give some perspective on how successful the Switch 2 is before telling you have unsuccessful third-party sales, the Switch 2 sold 1.1 million units in the first week in the US, according to Circana, which tracks retail sales in North America. Those sales, which don't include any consoles sold directly from the My Nintendo Store, make it the new all-time launch sales record for a console, beating out the PlayStation 4. On top of that, 79% of people either got the bundle with Mario Kart World or bought a physical version of the game alongside their console. The top three selling physical games at launch were Mario Kart World, Cyberpunk 2077, and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. All of that sounds great, so what's going on with third-party games?

Nothing outside of Cyberpunk 2077 is selling well from third-party

It's apparently worse than the worst case scenario

Despite Cyberpunk 2077 taking the number 2 spot for physical sales, it seems like other third-party ports have not succeeded. According to The Game Business, one developer said that sales were "below our lowest estimates." From that report, we know that 62% of Switch 2 physical game sales in the US (launch week) were from first-party games, excluding the Mario Kart World Bundle, and that 86% of Switch 2 physical game sales in the UK (launch week) were from first-party games, including the Mario Kart World bundle. These percentages are slightly better than on the original Switch, but that was also with significantly fewer consoles sold. These numbers suggest that most games sold for the Switch 2 were Mario Kart World, followed by other Nintendo games.

Is the Switch 2 bad for third-party ports?

Yes, so far

While it's hard to parse those numbers, the conclusion is that for most people who picked up the Nintendo Switch 2 at launch, all they really wanted was Nintendo games. That's the primary reason for owning the Switch 2, so it isn't shocking, but the launch ports were left out to dry. Those games include Bravely Default, Hitman, Street Fighter, Hogwarts Legacy, and Yakuza 0, and while, according to The Game Business, Sega was the third most successful publisher on the system, it seems like any game that wasn't Cyberpunk 2077 didn't succeed. Of course, there are a few reasons for this outside of the Switch 2 being bad for third-party developers, but this can't be encouraging for companies wanting to put games on it in the future.

These aren't new games, and they are cheaper elsewhere

At least Welcome Tour is new

The best argument for why these didn't succeed where future third-party games might is that none of these are new games. Sure, some of them are new versions or bundles for the Switch 2, but unless the Switch was your only console, these games aren't that new. Cyberpunk 2077 had the advantage of being extremely popular, fully on the cartridge, and having new features, like mouse mode, but for other games, there isn't much of an argument. Hogwarts Legacy is the same price on Steam as it is on Switch 2, and it will likely run better on PC. Yakuza 0 on Switch 2 might include some director's cut content that is new, but it's $50 on Switch 2 and $20 on Steam, assuming you haven't played it at some point in the last decade. For most gamers, these aren't exciting ports. On top of that, the improved versions of Switch 1 games either cost $10, like the Zelda games, or are free, like Pokémon Scarlet, so why would you pay $50 for an old game, when you can play a better version of a game you probably already own?

But will new third-party games succeed?

The true test is right around the corner

At the moment, there isn't a major third-party game available to buy on Switch 2 the same day as elsewhere, so we don't know if that will have better sales. The first big release is just around the corner though, as Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3+4 releases on July 11 across every platform and console known to man, including the Switch 2. This seems like the first good measurement of how new games not made by Nintendo perform on the console, assuming that it's a good game that people want to buy. It does release right before Donkey Kong Bananza, which could impact sales, but its got a better shot than an old Yakuza game trying to compete with Mario Kart World.