Nintendo Switch 2: Record-Breaking Console Launch Overshadowed by Weak Third-Party Game Sales

Despite an explosive launch, the Nintendo Switch 2 is facing disappointing sales for third-party game titles. The hybrid console, which debuted on June 5, has sold over 3.5 million units, making it Nintendo’s fastest-selling hardware to date. However, most third-party publishers haven’t seen the same success as Nintendo’s in-house titles.

Third-Party Game Sales Remain Low Despite Massive Launch

A report by The Game Business, supported by data from leading market analytics firms, reveals that third-party game sales on the Switch 2 remain "very low", with some publishers reporting performance below even their lowest expectations.

While Switch 2 launch sales have outpaced those of the original Switch, the improvement in third-party game sales has been marginal. In fact, one anonymous publisher noted that its title failed to meet even conservative sales projections.

There were some bright spots—CD Projekt Red’s Cyberpunk 2077 stood out as the best-selling third-party game on the platform during launch, outperforming even The Witcher 3’s Switch 1 debut, according to NielsenIQ.

Nintendo First-Party Titles Dominate Sales

As expected, Nintendo’s first-party titles dominated the physical game charts. In the UK, first-party titles accounted for a staggering 86% of all physical game sales during launch week, including those bundled with Mario Kart World. In the US, first-party sales made up 62% of the total, even excluding the Mario Kart bundle.

Launch day first-party titles included:

Mario Kart World

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – Switch 2 Edition

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom – Switch 2 Edition

Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour

Sega was the third-largest publisher in terms of launch sales, behind Nintendo and CD Projekt Red. Sega released multiple titles for Switch 2 including Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut, Sonic X Shadow Generations, and Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S.

Switch 2 Sets New Hardware Launch Record in the US

The Nintendo Switch 2 has also claimed the title of the biggest launch week for video game hardware in US history, surpassing the record previously held by Sony’s PlayStation 4. Over 80% of Switch 2 game purchases were physical copies, underlining a continuing preference among Nintendo fans for physical releases over digital downloads.