The Nintendo Switch 2 has flown off store shelves worldwide, but one new report says the console’s record-shattering success isn’t reflected in third-party games’ sales.
According to the report from The Game Business‘ Christopher Dring, “most third-party Switch 2 games posted very low numbers. One third-party publisher characterised the numbers as ‘below our lowest estimates’, despite strong hardware sales.” The article continues, citing one unnamed publisher as saying sales failed to meet their “lowest estimates,” even with the console’s commercial success.
Industry heavy-hitters like Take-Two, Capcom, Sega, Bandai Namco, and others vocally shared support for their respective launches on the new Nintendo handheld. Chief among them was Polish dev studio CD Projekt RED, the team behind gritty RPG Cyberpunk 2077. In a Creator’s Voice video uploaded to Nintendo of America’s YouTube channel, CD Projekt RED VP Charles Tremblay said the all-new portable was the “best way to experience the game on the go.”
Digital dystopia Cyberpunk 2077 is the Switch 2’s bestselling third-party title, according to Dring, its performance surpassing that of CD Projekt’s Switch 1 release of The Witcher III. Sega titles also performed well, including Yakuza 0: Director’s Cut, Sonic X Shadow Generations, and Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S.
A few potential reasons for third-party games’ suboptimal sales? Brand loyalty, title novelty, consumers’ rising digital media aversion, and inflated prices.
Nintendo fans are, by and large, in it for the brand’s unique first-party releases. According to Dring’s report, the Mario Kart World bundle comprised 80% of all Nintendo Switch 2 console sales. But this could potentially be complicated by climbing costs. While some players might pick up the kart racer in the future, those who nabbed a bundle saved $30 on Mario Kart World.
The console, when sold alone, retails for about $450. The bundle — complete with the hardware and a code redeemable for one Mario Kart World digital download — sells for roughly $500 (if you’re lucky enough to buy directly from a retailer and not have to haggle with Facebook Marketplace resellers). Buy the game alone, though, and you’re looking at a $80 price tag. On paper, opting for the bundle is a no-brainer. Even if you don’t feel like getting massacred in Knockout Tour, you still secure a digital copy of the cult kart racer for $50. As some say, the math ain’t mathing.
What’s more, many of the Switch 2’s “new” third-party releases have been out for years. Cyberpunk 2077, the handheld’s top third-party performer, first dropped in 2020. Yakuza 0: Director’s Cut — the only third-party Switch 2 title I’ve personally purchased — turned 10 in March of this year. Though Yakuza‘s return to Nintendo includes some console-exclusive content, I probably wouldn’t have picked it up if I’d bought it at any point over the last decade. I’ve invested more than 200 hours in Cyberpunk 2077 and its Phantom Liberty DLC, so no, I’m not exactly tripping over myself to drop another $70 (for a digital download, no less).
Additionally, consumers are collectively side-eyeing companies’ apparent prioritization of digital downloads over tangible copies. Even as players’ concerns regarding post-purchase game ownership have grown over the last few years, the brand’s shift to “Game Key Cards” likely soured some shoppers. As the cost of living creeps up, consumers are struggling to justify $70 download codes. No appeal for nostalgic collectors, irreconcilable retail values, and complicated playability for those with limited internet access? Not exactly sweetening the pot.
The Switch 2 is still in its infancy. The console’s only been available since June 5, Dring’s findings reflecting just a few weeks of consumer interest. “We’ll be keeping a close eye on third-party game performance on Nintendo Switch 2 in the weeks and months to come,” Dring says in closing.
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A lifelong gamer raised on classic titles like Crash Bandicoot, Spyro, and Croc, Stephanie brings her expertise of gaming and pop culture to deliver unique, refreshing views on the world of video games, complete with references to absurd and obscure media.
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