Nintendo Switch 2 Launch Analysis

On June 5, 2025, Nintendo released the Nintendo Switch 2, the next-generation follow-up to one of the most successful gaming consoles in history. With each new hardware cycle, publishers and developers look closely at the platform’s potential to support third-party content. Newzoo’s Game Performance Monitor offers an early look at this potential by analyzing digital revenue and engagement data across six key markets: the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Spain, and Italy.

It is important to note that the data collected focuses exclusively on digital sales through the Nintendo eShop. Physical sales are not included, although they continue to represent a significant portion of purchases - particularly for first-party titles and during hardware launch periods when physical bundles are more common.

Nintendo Switch 2 Launch Analysis

Digital Sales Trends on Switch 2

Initial digital unit sales show that while first-party games remain dominant, third-party games have gained notable traction. Deltarune, developed by the creators of Undertale, recorded the highest number of digital units sold. Its success is likely due to its availability across multiple platforms and its structure, which offered earlier chapters for free. The complete release of all four chapters saw strong uptake on the Nintendo Switch 2 eShop.

The Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour, a tech demo-style application bundled with early marketing efforts, also performed unexpectedly well. Although it received mixed critical responses, its low price point and the absence of major exclusive titles at launch likely contributed to its digital success. Mario Kart World, despite being the most prominent launch title, ranked lower in digital unit sales. This outcome is attributed to its heavy presence in physical hardware bundles, which are not reflected in eShop data.

Other titles such as Minecraft continued to perform steadily, reaffirming its cross-generational and family-friendly appeal. Its compatibility with the hybrid portable format of the Switch 2 has likely helped maintain user interest. No Man’s Sky also experienced strong digital uptake, driven by a dedicated Switch 2 upgrade that included enhanced graphics, improved mechanics, and new content, making it a more appealing purchase at launch.

Nintendo Switch 2 Launch Analysis

Revenue Share Reflects Diverse Interests

When focusing on digital revenue rather than units sold, several shifts in the rankings offer additional insight into consumer behavior. Mario Kart World led revenue generation, which aligns with expectations for a core Nintendo franchise title.

However, Fantasy Life I: The Girl Who Steals Time accounted for a significant portion of digital revenue, suggesting that there is meaningful demand for life simulation role-playing games, even from less mainstream intellectual properties. Cyberpunk 2077 also emerged as a top revenue contributor. Though not exclusive to the Switch family, the title launched with enhancements tailored to the Switch 2’s hardware, improving both visual fidelity and gameplay performance.

This version’s digital success implies a growing openness among Switch users toward more technically demanding third-party titles. No Man’s Sky and the Welcome Tour completed the revenue leader list, both benefitting from novelty and their timing during the console’s launch window.

Nintendo Switch 2 Launch Analysis

Engagement Metrics Reveal Player Behavior

While sales data provides insight into market performance, understanding how users interact with games over time is equally important. Newzoo’s engagement analysis, based on monthly active users (MAU) and user growth, helps evaluate the long-term potential of the platform for live-service and long-tail games.

Mario Kart World recorded the highest number of active users during the first month, driven both by its franchise appeal and its inclusion in many hardware bundles. Fortnite also remained a staple, experiencing modest increases in both returning and new players, demonstrating its continued relevance across platforms. Interestingly, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe maintained strong engagement despite the availability of its sequel, indicating that a substantial segment of the original Nintendo Switch player base remains active.

Tears of the Kingdom, a major title from Nintendo’s previous console cycle, also saw renewed engagement due to new content updates optimized for Switch 2. Meanwhile, Animal Crossing: New Horizons was the only title among the top performers to experience a decline in active users, possibly as a result of users migrating to newer offerings.

Nintendo Switch 2 Launch Analysis

User Growth Highlights Platform Stickiness

Tracking user growth on a month-over-month basis sheds light on how effective the Switch 2 has been at attracting both new players and re-engaging existing ones. Titles from The Legend of Zelda series saw the highest user growth, a trend largely driven by upgrade content that encouraged players to revisit previously completed games.

Hogwarts Legacy showed balanced growth among new and returning users, maintaining its post-launch relevance and suggesting that large third-party releases can maintain momentum on the new platform. Mortal Kombat 11 provides a unique case. Although the game did not receive a dedicated upgrade for Switch 2, it benefitted from performance improvements that made gameplay smoother.

As a result, engagement rose significantly, with 92% of active users being returning players. No Man’s Sky demonstrated the opposite trend, gaining more new players than returning ones, indicating that its technical overhaul for Switch 2 helped reach audiences who had not previously engaged with the game.

Nintendo Switch 2 Launch Analysis

Early Indicators for Third-Party Viability

The early digital performance of the Nintendo Switch 2 indicates selective but meaningful opportunities for third-party developers and publishers. While first-party titles continue to lead in total sales and engagement, third-party releases such as Deltarune, Cyberpunk 2077, and No Man’s Sky have shown that strong digital outcomes are possible when titles are well-optimized or introduce fresh experiences to the platform.

The data suggests that digital audiences on Switch 2 are increasingly open to a broader range of genres and game styles, including narrative-driven experiences, technically ambitious games, and niche role-playing games (RPGs). Furthermore, performance improvements on the new hardware have demonstrated their potential to re-engage existing users, even in the absence of dedicated upgrade content.

Conclusion

While it is too early to make definitive conclusions about the long-term success of third-party content on the Nintendo Switch 2, the initial signals are encouraging. Select titles have achieved strong digital sales and shown sustained user engagement, especially when supported by optimization or additional content. As the platform’s library continues to grow and more third-party developers invest in tailored releases, clearer patterns will emerge.

For now, the launch-month data highlights a digital ecosystem that is beginning to expand beyond traditional first-party dominance, creating opportunities for a more diverse range of games to find an audience.