Why Are Third-Party Studios Holding Back Their Nintendo Switch 2 Announcements?

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We all know that the Nintendo Switch 2 broke a large number of records since its release on June 5th this year, selling five million copies and bringing an improved version of the original Switch. However, what is happening with third-party titles and games from indie developers? According to Nate the Hate, the reason for this lies in the limited availability of Switch 2 development kits.

In his latest podcast with Modern Vintage Gamer, Nate commented on the situation, noting that the lack of announcements has been an issue since March 2025. During the Game Developers Conference (GDC), Digital Foundry reported that many development partners still didn’t have access to dev kits.
“This is still true,” Nate explained. “It’s not just indie developers, even larger studios are waiting for the hardware and wondering when Nintendo will finally make it available.”

Modern Vintage Gamer added that only about one-third of the developers and publishers who worked on original Switch games currently have access to Switch 2 hardware. The remaining two-thirds are still waiting. This limitation means many studios can’t begin or finish work on ports and new projects, slowing down third-party announcements for the Switch 2.

While Nintendo hasn’t officially revealed the full lineup of third-party titles, Nate the Hate stated that companies like Capcom, Sega, Ubisoft, and Bandai Namco do have plans for the Switch 2. However, their announcements are expected to be pushed into 2026 due to ongoing limitations.

Still, several indie titles have already been confirmed for the new system, including Deltarune, Silksong, Aurascope, Bestiario, Castle of Heart: Retold, Dear Me, I Was, and Hades II, among others.