The Metroid Prime 4 rumors, new Joy-Con features - everything and anything is up for debate, and answers are anything but forthcoming.
But perhaps the hottest topic is that of at the new Mario Kart, we have no idea what else will be playable on the Switch 2. A new report, though, reveals a worrying release strategy.
The Switch 2 Will Reportedly Have A 3-Phase Launch
What That Means For Switch 2's Launch Titles
According to sources cited by Insider Gaming, the Switch 2 will have a three-phase launch. First, the console will launch sometime around June, with mostly only first-party games available. The second phase comes in the late fall/early winter, October and November, with the first crop of third-party games coming out for the console. Finally, the third phase is the holiday season, which will (ideally) be marked by a glut of high-profile, console-selling releases.
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This aligns with reports that developers will receive their Switch 2 devkits in June as well - right around the console's predicted launch. They'll then have four to five months to work on optimizing their games for the Switch 2 hardware, before scheduling release in October/November if they want to line up with that second phase of launch. But that seems like a misstep for the Switch 2 that could cut into its sales during those crucial early months.
A Lack Of At First Launch Could Cause Problems
Switch 2 Needs Third-Party Games
If its predecessor is any indication, the Switch 2 has a lot to gain from a vast library of third-party games. The original Switch has a lot to brag about in of third-party . From well-loved games that debuted on the platform like Monster Hunter Rise, to major releases that were later ported its way like Dragon Quest XI or Persona 5, to smash hit indies that are almost synonymous with the console like Stardew Valley, the Switch 2 has it all.
Of course, none of these were launch titles for the Switch, which also launched with relatively few third-party games available. But still, games like these helped make the Switch the success it was by establishing it as a genuine alternative to a PS4 or an Xbox One, instead of just a Mario-Zelda-Pokémon machine. Games like these sold brilliantly on the Switch, convincing more and more third-party developers to bring their games to the platform, creating an ever-expanding library.
Nintendo Switch 2 Launch Will Survive A $400+ Price Point, But Its Long-Term Success Might Not
With the Nintendo Switch 2 launch looming, many are wondering whether Nintendo's long-term success can survive a $400+ price point on the Switch 2.
The original Switch was able to carry itself pretty far on the strength of its first-party launch games. But that's mainly because it launched alongside Breath of the Wild, widely acknowledged as one of the greatest Zelda games ever made, if not one of the greatest games of all time. Besides that, the infinitely replayable Mario Kart wasn't far behind.
Will the Switch 2's launch lineup even come close? It seems unlikely, knowing what we know right now. As far as I can tell, there's no big Zelda or Mario game on the horizon. The new Mario Kart will obviously sell well over time, but with Mario Kart 8 still very much available and already owned by just about every Switch player, I can't imagine a new installment in the series would convince too many players to upgrade, unless it makes revolutionary changes to the previous game.
And even a handful of big-name Nintendo games would get old by the time phase two begins in October. A more even split between first- and third-party would ensure players have enough material to get them through to the big holiday season releases.
By this point in the original Switch's development cycle, Breath of the Wild had already been revealed, though not necessarily as a launch title.
Of course, third-party games alone don't sell a console - the Switch 2 needs good first-party exclusives, too. But a solid library is an important incentive, and this three-phase release strategy doesn't do the Switch 2 any favors in that regard. A June release with only first-party games seems doomed to fail, slowing sales numbers significantly in the second half of 2025, deterring further third-party devs from bringing their games to the console, and ultimately leaving the Switch 2 in the lurch by the end of the year.
Switch 2 Could Suffer The Wii U's Fate If Third-Party Games Come Late
The Wii U Took A Different Approach To Third-Party Games
Going into the era of the Switch 2, Nintendo seems to have learned a lot from the Wii U's disastrous launch and sales numbers. The Wii U took a very different approach to third-party releases at launch, with for multiple ports of major third-party games from big-name publishers coming shortly after its release: things like Mass Effect 3, Batman: Arkham City, Assassin's Creed 3, and Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 were all on the Wii U in its early days.
Nintendo's Latest eShop Controversy Is Already a Problem For Switch 2
Nintendo's latest eShop controversy brings to light many issues with the digital store that should be addressed for the launch of the Switch 2.
The problem was, though, that all of these games had come out on other consoles and PC anywhere from several months to a year before. Players who earned other consoles weren't likely to purchase them again just to play them on the Wii U, and those who were holding out for the Wii U probably didn't do so with games like these in mind. They didn't sell too well on Nintendo's console, unsurprisingly.
The Switch 2 is taking an entirely different approach to third-party : by refusing to frontload a bunch of less-current third-party games, it avoids that same mistake. But there has to be a happy medium somewhere in between the two, where the Switch 2 launches with some carefully selected third-party games with a few more waiting in the wings in the first few weeks after launch. Splitting things up into phases just seems odd and unwise, and could be a detriment to the Nintendo Switch 2's sales.
Source: Insider Gaming
