The Nintendo Switch 2 has kicked off with impressive momentum, selling 3.5 million units. But beyond Mario Kart World, how many additional games have you purchased? And how many of those were from third-party developers?
Initial sales data from the console’s launch week reveals a nuanced picture for non-Nintendo software. Unsurprisingly, Nintendo’s own titles remain the biggest draw—approximately 80% of Switch 2 units sold so far include the Mario Kart World bundle.
Nintendo also debuted its new platform with the bite-sized tech demo/mini-game collection Nintendo Switch 2: Welcome Tour, alongside enhanced editions of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, available as standalone purchases or upgrades. Additionally, Switch 1 owners retain full access to their existing libraries. Given these factors, it’s understandable why third-party titles haven’t yet dominated sales.
In the UK, first-party games accounted for 86% of physical Switch 2 game sales during launch week—including bundled copies of Mario Kart World, per NielsenIQ data reported by The Game Business. This closely mirrors the 89% first-party share seen during the Switch 1’s debut.
Third-party publishers fared slightly better in the US, where first-party titles represented 62% of physical game sales, according to Circana. Industry analyst Mat Piscatella notes this contrasts with the Switch 1’s 80%+ first-party share in its first month.
CD Projekt Red’s Cyberpunk 2077 emerged as the top-selling third-party Switch 2 title at launch. Meanwhile, Sega—with releases like Yakuza 0: Director’s Cut, Sonic x Shadow Generations, and Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S—ranked as the platform’s third-largest publisher that week.
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One anonymous third-party publisher described their Switch 2 launch sales as "below our most conservative projections," The Game Business reports—a striking statement, though perhaps unsurprising given Mario Kart World’s dominance and the absence of pre-launch reviews for Switch 2 games.
Another consideration: the original Switch debuted with just five physical titles, while the Switch 2 launched with 13, potentially diluting demand across more options.
Piscatella emphasized that meaningful insights about third-party performance on Switch 2 will take time. "It’s far too early to declare anything definitive—the system hasn’t even been available for three weeks," he noted.
