Nintendo Switch 2 has sold 3.5 million units, a robust debut. Yet, beyond enjoying Mario Kart World, how many non-Nintendo games have you purchased?
Launch week sales data reveals a varied performance for non-Nintendo titles. As expected, Nintendo’s own games dominate on its hardware, with roughly 80% of Switch 2 units sold including the Mario Kart World bundle.
Nintendo rolled out its new console with a tech demo collection, Nintendo Switch 2: Welcome Tour, alongside The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom Switch 2 Editions, available for purchase or as upgrades. Switch 1 owners can also play their existing game libraries, which may explain why third-party titles haven’t taken center stage.
In the UK, 86% of physical Switch 2 game sales during launch week were Nintendo titles, including Mario Kart World bundle copies, per NielsenIQ data reported by The Game Business. This mirrors the 89% first-party share seen during Switch 1’s launch week in the UK.
In the US, third-party publishers fared slightly better, with 62% of physical game sales from Nintendo titles, according to Circana. Analyst Mat Piscatella noted this is a significant improvement over Switch 1’s first month, where first-party titles exceeded 80% of sales.
The top-selling non-Nintendo game on Switch 2 during its debut week was Cyberpunk 2077 by CD Projekt Red. Sega, with releases like Yakuza 0: Director’s Cut, Sonic x Shadow Generations, and Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S, ranked as the third-largest publisher during the launch period.
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The Game Business reported one unnamed third-party publisher called their Switch 2 launch sales “well below expectations,” despite strong console sales. Facing Mario Kart World’s dominance and a lack of pre-launch game reviews, this outcome isn’t entirely unexpected.
Another factor is the broader launch lineup: Switch 1 debuted with five physical games, while Switch 2 offers 13, likely diluting demand across titles.
Analyst Mat Piscatella emphasized that it’s too early to judge third-party performance definitively, as clearer trends will emerge over time.
“It’s way too soon to label Switch 2’s performance as a triumph or failure for third-party publishers,” Piscatella noted. “The console hasn’t even been out for three weeks.”
