In a recent episode of the Nintendo-shaped podcast Kit & Krysta, hosted by longtime ex-Nintendo staffers Kit Ellis and Krysta Yang, the duo expressed their “full-blown optimism” regarding the upcoming Switch 2, particularly its promise to attract robust third-party support. Having witnessed Nintendo’s previous challenges in engaging third-party publishers during the Wii U era, they shared two key reasons for their excitement about the Switch 2. First, they pointed out that while the Switch 2 is a brand-new system, its fundamental concept has already been proven.
“People understand what a hybrid system is,” Ellis explains. “There’s been a surge in devices like the Steam Deck and similar handheld consoles. With the PlayStation Portal in the mix, consumers are very comfortable with the idea of a system that works both on a TV and as a portable device. This isn’t a barrier for anyone.”
Ellis and Yang also believe that the success of the original Switch—a system that redeemed Nintendo’s fortunes after the Wii U’s commercial failure—has laid the groundwork for even greater third-party involvement on the Switch 2.
“The shift from the Wii U to the original Switch was a huge challenge for Nintendo’s third-party support,” Yang explains. “They were coming off a console that was, frankly, a failure, and it was extremely difficult to secure third-party support on a Nintendo platform back then. We witnessed it firsthand.”
While I remain a staunch defender of the Wii U’s hardware, I also recognize that no narrative is more compelling than Nintendo’s comeback from the Wii U disaster with the original Switch—which has now sold over 150 million units compared to the Wii U’s dismal 13.5 million lifetime sales. Although Ellis and Yang don’t quote sales figures directly, their discussion clearly implies that the success of the Switch has paved the way for a much more promising future on the Switch 2.
“There’s no proving yourself to these major third parties anymore. You’ve already done that,” Yang continues. “Now, these leading third-party developers are eager to be part of a Nintendo ecosystem and tap into its enormous audience… It’s an incredibly exciting time for third-party support on Switch.”
Ellis also notes that it wasn’t just the phenomenal console sales that reassured third-party publishers about Nintendo’s potential; the strong performance of various software titles has effectively disproven the old notion that Nintendo gamers only care about first-party games.
“There are numerous success stories, ranging from big AAA titles to indie games like Monster Hunter Rise from Capcom—a major exclusive seller,” Ellis observes. “Even the version of Hogwarts Legacy on the platform was very popular and sold exceptionally well. We’ve seen many indie titles remark that, although they launch on multiple platforms, the Switch version often outperforms the others.”
Details on the Switch 2’s software lineup remain scarce at the moment, with the new Mario Kart game being the only confirmed title. There are credible reports suggesting that a long-anticipated remaster of Metal Gear Solid Delta and a few Ubisoft titles such as Assassin’s Creed Mirage are on Nintendo’s radar for third-party offerings, but nothing has been officially confirmed.
Fortunately, we’re expecting to learn much more in the upcoming April Switch 2 Nintendo Direct.