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[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

With Nintendo Switch 2 just one week from its official announcement, this year's annual GDC was buzzing with talk around the future of the console.

One such discussion was around the Nintendo Switch 2 launch date, which according to people that I spoke to at the event falls in June. But that's not all, according to various sources, the Nintendo Switch 2 will launch its games in a three-phase strategy, starting with primarily first-party games on launch.

According to sources, the second-stage will arrive in October-November for third-party studios, most of which are expecting the dev kits for the Switch 2 to be sent in June. Finally, it was said that the third phase for games will be in the holiday period.

In addition to the talk of the three-phase launch plan, Insider Gaming has also learned that select media and creators will be attending Nintendo Switch 2 hands-on next week, where they'll get hands-on with the console and some of its launch games for a few hours.

EXCLUSIVE - Nintendo Switch 2 Will Have a 3-Phase Launch Plan For Its Games

With Nintendo Switch 2 just one week from its official full reveal, this year's annual GDC was buzzing with talk around its launch.

insider-gaming.com

 

[DR3AM]

3rd parties don’t have dev kits yet???

 

[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

Tbh it's kind of wild that 3rd parties won't receive the Switch 2 dev kits until June. I expected that at least trusted third parties would have access to them by now.

 

[Shaki12345]

Nintendo so afraid of leaks that they chose to reveal the system to 3rd party devs as late as possible?

No 3rd party titles seems like a bad, bad idea.

 

[Imtjnotu]

I thought devs from 3rd party already had kits. No way you have games ready after only 5 months from scratch.

 

[kat_on_the_roof]

So realistically, how long are we looking at before third-party games start releasing especially if developers don’t even have dev kits yet?

 

[Boo Who?]

No way this is true.

 

[Wooxsvan]

man, they acting so secretive to the most leaked nintendo console ever...

so what does this mean for an actual hardware launch date?

 

[PauloRoberto]

This is so stupid that is must be true... until this day, Nintendo believes that they first-party lineup is always enough... and this is simply not true (i mean, it did not work for GameCube, WiiU... and even Nintendo 64, why not?)

 

[Woopah]

The select, most trusted third parties will have dev kits already. But everyone else will get it after launch.

 

[Generic]

If this is true then Nintendo is going full arrogant mode like they did after the SNES.

 

[analog_future]

Mario Kart 9 at launch, Mario 3D platformer during the holidays, select AAA third party games in between.

Save this post

 

[Complistic]

Really dumb, so this one's probably true.

 

[BennyBlanco]

Switch barely needed 3rd parties to sell what it’s selling. What are the huge 3rd party switch games? Nintendo is about to have the best selling console of all time almost completely carried by its own first party output. Nobody else could do this btw.

 

[Griffon]

Smells like made up bullshit.

 

[BlueManifest]

New 3D Mario, Metroid 4, and Mario kart spread out 1-2 months from each other would be perfect

 

[kevboard]

3rd parties don’t have dev kits yet???

I bet the bigger ones do, just AA and indy Devs don't.

 

[VitoNotVito]

3 months till launch and they don't have dev kits yet? Lol.

 

[iamvin22]

So the console launches in June and 3rd party gets kits the same month and they want 3rd party titles to launch 6 months after the console releases. Am I reading this correctly?!?

 

[tkscz]

Third parties didn't get a dev kit but PlayTonic did?

Either Nintendo bought PlayTonic and they are the new Rare or this is bull

 

[Hookshot]

Why would Nintendo stunt their own release schedule by front loading a load of first party games and tell third party companies they have to wait?

 

[Mownoc]

"According to sources, the second-stage will arrive in October-November for third-party studios, most of which are expecting the dev kits for the Switch 2 to be sent in June"

Third parties don't have devkits and aren't getting them until the month then console is supposedly launching? Nintendo?

 

[Warspite]

I sure developers that supported the Switch have dev kits.

 

[tkscz]

I bet the bigger ones do, just AA and indy Devs don't.

Playtonic already announced the upgraded Yooka Laylee will be on Switch 2, so an Indy company has a dev kit

 

[Cyborg]

No devkits by june is no games this year. Even if they give them devkits now, there is no way in hell you will get a good (new)game.

 

[Woopah]

So the console launches in June and 3rd party gets kits the same month and they want 3rd party titles to launch 6 months after the console releases. Am I reading this correctly?!?

If you're a Capcom/Konami/EA/SE etc. then Nintendo has given you a dev ket. If you're small or an independent developer then Nintendo doesn't trust you to have a dev kit before launch.

 

[BlueManifest]

"According to sources, the second-stage will arrive in October-November for third-party studios, most of which are expecting the dev kits for the Switch 2 to be sent in June"

Third parties don't have devkits and aren't getting them until the month then console is supposedly launching? Nintendo?

If true was probably done to help avoid leaks

 

[Warspite]

On the plus side, the launch of the Switch 2 wont be filled with 2 to 3 year old ports.

 

[HeisenbergFX4]

So the console launches in June and 3rd party gets kits the same month and they want 3rd party titles to launch 6 months after the console releases. Am I reading this correctly?!?

I can guarantee I know of some big boy 3rd parties that have devkits and have had them awhile

Maybe Tom is misunderstanding what he heard likely referring to small 3rd party studios and maybe Indies

 

[Fake]

First party are their main focus, as should.

 

[Woopah]

Playtonic already announced the upgraded Yooka Laylee will be on Switch 2, so an Indy company has a dev kit

That just means they have an intention to bring it to Nintendo's next platform. It doesn't mean they actually have a dev kit.

 

[Mownoc]

Playtonic already announced the upgraded Yooka Laylee will be on Switch 2, so an Indy company has a dev kit

You don't need to already have a devkit to say you will put your game on it in the future.

Is there any evidence they have a kit other than them simply saying it will eventually be on Nintendo?

 

[Maitre_Piccolo]

I don't believe the dev kit part, it must be some up to date dev kit to make sure the games can run well on the final firmware. But surely third party studios already had access to some pre-release/experimental dev kits to start working.

 

[Magic Carpet]

The Switch 2 gets Meh'er with every rumor.

 

[Mownoc]

If true was probably done to help avoid leaks

But Switch 2 hardware has been leaking forever lol, and they could at least give them the kits after the April direct rather than waiting till June if that's the case.

 

[touchfuzzy]

I couldn't give less of a shit what old ports third parties will be bringing to Switch 2 in the first year.

 

[jufonuk]

So realistically, how long are we looking at before third-party games start releasing especially if developers don’t even have dev kits yet?

If this is true. The switch 2 is dead.

 

[SlimySnake]

Nintendo so afraid of leaks that they chose to reveal the system to 3rd party devs as late as possible?

No 3rd party titles seems like a bad, bad idea.

switch had no third party games and it became a best seller. no cod, no gta, no rdr2, no ass creed, no resident evil, no dark souls or elden ring, no cyberpunk nothing. even when it got watered down ports of witcher 3, and batman arkham city, it was years later.

the console will be a steam deck at best. and steam deck cant exactly run modern games that well. so whats the point.

 

[IDKFA]

No way this is true.

Agreed. This cannot be true.

This would mean the Switch launches with a few first party games and then nothing else for months.

Pure nonsense.

 

[Shaki12345]

switch had no third party games and it became a best seller. no cod, no gta, no rdr2, no ass creed, no resident evil, no dark souls or elden ring, no cyberpunk nothing. even when it got watered down ports of witcher 3, and batman arkham city, it was years later.

the console will be a steam deck at best. and steam deck cant exactly run modern games that well. so whats the point.

Money is the point. More 3rd party titles is more engagement and income.

 

[yogaflame]

First party are their main focus, as should.

As always Nintendo tradition, they will always show the power of there first party exclusive.

 

[Closer]

If the devkit part is true, this is some Sega Saturn levels of bad strategies. It's gonna cost them a lot.

 

[Loomy]

Surely they mean the final/latest version of the dev kits...right?

 

[Little Chicken]

I couldn't give less of a shit what old ports third parties will be bringing to Switch 2 in the first year.

Switch 2 is going to be a magnet for rushed ports and shovelware right out the gate, unfortunately.

Just look at the state of the Switch store as it is.

 

[kevboard]

Playtonic already announced the upgraded Yooka Laylee will be on Switch 2, so an Indy company has a dev kit

I don't think you can assume that simply because they said they will release it on Switch 2.
especially if game updates that take advantage of the Switch 2 are possibe (which they are as we now know thanks to the code found in Xenoblade X)
maybe they won't actually make a native version and just patch the game to run at a higher res and 60fps on the Switch 2.

 

[bender]

switch had no third party games and it became a best seller. no cod, no gta, no rdr2, no ass creed, no resident evil, no dark souls or elden ring, no cyberpunk nothing. even when it got watered down ports of witcher 3, and batman arkham city, it was years later.

the console will be a steam deck at best. and steam deck cant exactly run modern games that well. so whats the point.

Switch had a ton of 3rd party games including GTA, Assassin's Creed, Resident Evil and Dark Souls.

 

[Dacvak]

3rd party devs already have dev kits. I know of at least one personally who does. This is complete bullshit, or at least isn’t telling the whole story.

 

[tkscz]

I don't think you can assume that simply because they said they will release it on Switch 2.
especially if game updates that take advantage of the Switch 2 are possibe (which they are as we now know thanks to the code found in Xenoblade X)
maybe they won't actually make a native version and just patch the game to run at a higher res and 60fps on the Switch 2.

If that was the case then when they announced the upgrade, it still should have a Switch logo on it, instead it just had Nintendo

 

[bender]

3rd party devs already have dev kits. I know of at least one personally who does. This is complete bullshit, or at least isn’t telling the whole story.

Yeah, it's either bullshit or the results of a game of telephone.

 

[Zacfoldor]

I can guarantee I know of some big boy 3rd parties that have devkits and have had them awhile

Maybe Tom is misunderstanding what he heard likely referring to small 3rd party studios and maybe Indies