According to the research company Ampere Analysis, with the sale of Switch 2 in Nintendo, the sales of third-party games across the Switch platform, including the primary machine, increased by 76 per cent over the same period.
According to estimates, sales of complete third-party games reached $2.3 billion between the second and fourth quarters of 2025, a significant increase from $1.3 billion in the same period in 2024. In the past, most consumers used to buy mainframes under the banner of Nintendo, often out of a desire to play Nintendo-only games, with limited opportunities for third-party distributors compared to Sony PlayStation. However, Amber Analysis notes that this situation is changing. The original Switch has been on sale for eight years, with a cumulative volume of 154 million by 2025. Switch 2 is more interested in distributors who want to reach new clients. In addition, Switch 2 has become a more relevant multi-platform distribution option for the selection of Sony PS5 and Microsoft Xbox Series manufacturers, owing to a significant increase in technical capabilities.
At the same time, the combined PS5 and Xbox Services active installation base was reduced by approximately 15 million units over the same period by the previous generation, and the 13 per cent decline was also seen as increasing the importance of Switch 2 in the issuer platform strategy. The survey also partially disclosed the share of individual issuers: The Warner Games rank first in terms of sales volume, accounting for 4 per cent of total sales, largely as a result of the strong performance of the Hogwarts Legacy and the robust performance of the multiple LEGO Games. The Mandarin Palace is second in line. In addition, the report notes that the increase in revenue has been driven to a large extent by a significant increase in average game prices.
Ampere Analysis states that, while this is good news for third-party distributors, “there is no clear evidence yet that there has been a dramatic change in the business balance between Switch 2’s own study of the game and that of other manufacturers”.