Third-party developers reportedly do not have access to Nintendo Switch 2 dev kits, and one report indicates that a notable publishing company is among them. As the industry gears up for the big Nintendo Direct on Wednesday, there has been an abundance of rumors and mixed messages online about third-party access to development kits for the new console. Dev kits give game developers access to specialized hardware and software to create and test their games for potential release on the platform, but with such reported scarcity, it's hard to know what's to come.

John Linneman of Digital Foundry stated in a podcast that there are a lot of medium-to-small developers that have yet to be granted a dev kit from Nintendo. Meanwhile, reporter Imran Khan claimed on ResetEra that Embracer Group, the company that owns THQ Nordic and other publishers, does not have kits, as the company has been deemed "too chaotic at the moment" by Nintendo. The caution likely stems from prioritizing studios that are in stable positions to keep the hardware safe, Khan said.

Embracer Group Reportedly Denied Switch 2 Dev Kits For Being "Chaotic"

Nintendo Is Apparently Being Selective

A report claimed that Nintendo would be the console thought to launch sometime in June with primarily first-party games, smaller developers may have to wait a little longer before they're granted the luxury of a dev kit themselves, should the report be accurate.

If only large publishers and developers were given time with the new hardware, the Nintendo Switch 2 might be missing opportunities for a more expansive lineup at launch. As the original Switch is considered to be a hub of indie gaming experiences, the Switch 2 could lack the foundation to become the same, assuming reports of the three-phase strategy are true. Even with backward compatibility for Switch 1 titles, the lack of smaller and mid-sized games specifically made for Switch 2 could leave a hole at launch.

Even As Reveal Nears, Confusion Over Switch 2 Remains

Varied Switch 2 Reports Leave The Console In An Interesting Position

We're very close to the Switch 2 Direct, and Nintendo fans are eager to have a lot of details cleared up tomorrow. An Insider Gaming report claimed that developers say that Switch 2 dev kits don't have 4K output, which could lead to confusion on whether the console s the resolution, even though these kits don't always match the true specs of the final product. With the new handheld set to release likely in just a few months, fans are anxious that we don't know enough about the hardware so close to launch.

And depending on which developers have dev kits or not, it's possible that certain third-party games might not come to Switch 2 soon. With the Direct less than a day away, fans are hoping for their first true look at the hardware and software without any rumors and supposed leaks getting in the way. It's hard to say much about the Nintendo Switch 2 with so little information, but hopefully, the Direct will set the record straight and alleviate any anxieties.

Source: Digital Foundry/YouTube, Imran Khan/ResetEra, Insider Gaming