Indie Game Studio Battle for Switch 2 Success

Players line up inside Nintendo’s booth at the Japanese Game Fair to try out two upcoming Switch titles, but at once, the company’s whimsical red cap mascot Mario is nowhere to be seen.

All three games on display are created by small, independent developers who are trying to impress users of the device, which became the world’s fastest console after its release last month.

However, Nintendo’s game sales have long been dominated by internal franchises, from Super Mario to Donkey Kong to Animal Crossing, so it can be difficult for outsiders to break through.

“The Switch 2 certainly got off to a strong start,” said Christayan of the Nintendo-focused Kit & Christa Podcast.

But so far, “For third-party game creators, the success of Switch 2 has not necessarily led to strong sales.”

Many Switch 2 owners have purchased gadgets to play Nintendo exclusive rights such as “Mario Kart World.” The high prices of the console and its games mean that consumers aren’t keen to splash over various titles, Yang told AFP.

Also, many non-Nintendo games currently on sale on Switch 2, such as “Cyberpunk 2077,” were already available on rival platforms such as the Sony’s PlayStation 5.

“Nintendo is encouraged to maintain strong third-party developer relationships.

It did not postpone many applicants from a trip to Kyoto, Nintendo’s hometown city.

At booths showing off new software, from retro-style puzzles to immersive horror epics, several game makers said they were talking to Nintendo about starting work on a new console.

AI Challenge

The Switch 2 is more powerful than its highly popular predecessor, which “opens up space for what it can be made,” said Ryan Juckett of US studio Hypersect.

Nintendo’s own games can be very expensive, so there’s a gap between cheap and easy games that people can play on the spot,” said Kent Burgess of New Zealand, part of the team behind the game.

Other concepts were more eclectic. From a sword fight with barbecue sausage to a game where the hero is a shy giraffe whose head explodes when he talks to a stranger.

In the US, “When they try out the game, there are people like, ‘Oh, we can’t get that because we’re so extroverted’,” said Lin Hwang, the artist behind “Asso-Social Giraffe’s Life Week.”

Games industry consultant Serkan Toto said Nintendo once had a “normal legendary reputation for being difficult to negotiate” for external game makers.

“But that changed on Switch 1” was “Total Flop” after the company’s previous console, Wii U, was “Total Flop” in 2017, paved the way for more third-party games, including indie titles.

And the landscape could change even more as new technology gains pace.

No one spoke to Indie Gamekers AFP on Bitsummit. They said they use artificial intelligence a lot in the workplace, but some say that generation AI can help speed up coding tasks.

So far, few people were worried about the possibility of unemployment in the industry.

“We’ve got a lot of effort into making our customers more comfortable,” said Lauren Kenner, senior brand manager at Nooren Cat Games.

©2025 AFP