Discussion Are any of Nintendo's first-party studios still developing Switch games?

[Linkstrikesback]

None of those game were either big titles or cross gen releases, if I remember correctly.
The Switch will still get support, though I expect the vast majority of those games to be released only for it.
They will still be playable on Switch 2 via backwards compatibility.

The problem is you can arbitrarily draw the line on what constitutes a "big release".

We got the return of 2d Metroid for the first time in over a decade, we got significant new IP in the form of ever oasis, we got cross gen games in the form of sushi striker and fire emblem warriors, we got the tie in game for the detective Pikachu film as well as mainline Pokémon games.

Yeah nobody should be expecting the next mario kart or animal crossing to be on switch 1, but there's going to be a lot of varied titles over the at least first year of the next console still coming to switch 1, and probably even longer than that

 

[EggmaniMN]

I would be very very surprised if something like that happens.

On the contraty I think cross-gen titles will be just few exceptions.
They're not Sony or MS, the selling point of their systems is not a tech upgrade but the unique experiences you can "exclusively" get on them.

Absolutely impossible and a ridiculous thing to think. Times have changed and they would be incredibly dumb to drop any support at all within the first 3 years given how long development takes now. They aren't magic, they aren't immune to the realities of the industry.

And as of right now, the entire point of this next console does seems to be a tech upgrade. There's no information on any unique features but we do know it's still a hybrid like the Switch because they can't abandon that anymore.

 

[aus89]

Absolutely impossible and a ridiculous thing to think. Times have changed and they would be incredibly dumb to drop any support at all within the first 3 years given how long development takes now. They aren't magic, they aren't immune to the realities of the industry.

And as of right now, the entire point of this next console does seems to be a tech upgrade. There's no information on any unique features but we do know it's still a hybrid like the Switch because they can't abandon that anymore.

they aren't going to have no exclusives for the new hardware, times havent changed that much - but there will be stuff that will be for both - but the big games will most likely be exclusive to the new hardware post Prime 4 (if you count Prime 4 as big like I do)

 

[Bait02]

The problem is you can arbitrarily draw the line on what constitutes a "big release".

We got the return of 2d Metroid for the first time in over a decade, we got significant new IP in the form of ever oasis, we got cross gen games in the form of sushi striker and fire emblem warriors, we got the tie in game for the detective Pikachu film as well as mainline Pokémon games.

Yeah nobody should be expecting the next mario kart or animal crossing to be on switch 1, but there's going to be a lot of varied titles over the at least first year of the next console still coming to switch 1, and probably even longer than that

Fair enough, I did not actually remeber Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon actually came out after the Switch, but that the only title I would qualify as big. The other are spin-offs and Samus Returs is remake of an old game of an (at the time dormant IP), it's not a big release (and I say it as a Metroid fan).

But yeah, at the end you seem to agree with me. We won't see the next iterations of mainline games from major IPs as cross-gen titles.
Really, I feel this first half of the year sets the tone of what to expect from Switch 1 going forward. Some more experimental and family oriented titles based on established IPs (like PP Showtime), remakes, probably some party game.

 

[JoshuaJSlone]

They published something like 20 3DS titles through 2017-end of the 3ds life. In what sane world does anyone imagine they drop support for their most successful piece of hardware ever faster than that? There's going to be a lot of switch 1 software yet.

Switch 1 software is finally starting to slide, but it's still about triple 3DS at its peak, so they would have to be especially foolish to let go of it too quickly.

 

[Wockio]

With the immensely vast catalog of games already on Switch, one of the main hurdles Nintendo will have to overcome with the next system is to convince people to move over to the next thing. I'm expecting maybe a year or two of smaller franchises having their titles playable on both systems, but no more than that. 3DS was, from Nintendo's point of view, catering to a different niche at that time which won't be the case with Switch once the new console is out, unless they go the price cut and Selects route.

 

[EnergyDrink]

Hopefully for years. It is anti consumer to abandon so many users to chase a few enthusiasts.

That's not anti consumer.

 

[Concernt]

We're back to this part of the cycle. My two cents haven't changed. Anything that can reasonably run on Switch without major work, so anything 2D, anything smaller, and anything that started development on Switch but isn't high priority, will probably be cross gen.

I imagine they want to keep their 140M install base engaged as much as they can without hampering their new system. 3DS was fairly well supported, and it we won't have the same follies this time. For one, the games will be playable on the new system without modification and probably enhanced in some small way, so you won't have Switch "take content away" from Switch 2 like 3DS did with Switch, and two, Switch is in a much healthier place than 3DS in 2017. I think a 2027 game headed to Switch will do a lot better than a 2019 game headed to 3DS.

 

[JoshuaJSlone]

With the immensely vast catalog of games already on Switch, one of the main hurdles Nintendo will have to overcome with the next system is to convince people to move over to the next thing. I'm expecting maybe a year or two of smaller franchises having their titles playable on both systems, but no more than that. 3DS was, from Nintendo's point of view, catering to a different niche at that time which won't be the case with Switch once the new console is out, unless they go the price cut and Selects route.

Even if every single person with a Switch 1 wants a Switch 2 ASAP, they're not going to be able to get one in the first couple years. So the "niche" would just be... the people who are still stuck there but want to buy stuff.

 

[Danny]

Nintendo is probably afraid of how they will get the majority of the Switch user base to upgrade to Switch 2, Sony doesn't need to fear that at all due to the incredible third party support and third party exclusive games they can get for every new console they make. For Nintendo they know that only new, exclusive first party games will sell the new system. Nintendo also have fewer tech obsessed gamers that will get a new system just for the power upgrade compared to the PS ecosystem.

I mean the PS5 had next to nothing except power upgrade to entise people at release, still people flocked to the system just for the power upgrade. That i don't think happens for new Nintendo consoles, at all. The Switch 2 would bomb if it had the first 2 years the PS5 had for instance in terms of new releases.

Nintendo has many more casuals and families in their ecosystem, that group cares the least about upgrading for power, so Nintendo wants to find ways to get all those people willing to buy a new, more expensive Switch, that is a lot harder than to get tech obsessed gamers to buy your new system because they want 4K gaming experiences.

 

[BassForever]

Nintendo is probably afraid of how they will get the majority of the Switch user base to upgrade to Switch 2, Sony doesn't need to fear that at all due to the incredible third party support and third party exclusive games they can get for every new console they make. For Nintendo they know that only new, exclusive first party games will sell the new system. Nintendo also have fewer tech obsessed gamers that will get a new system just for the power upgrade compared to the PS ecosystem.

I mean the PS5 had next to nothing except power upgrade to entise people at release, still people flocked to the system just for the power upgrade. That i don't think happens for new Nintendo consoles, at all. The Switch 2 would bomb if it had the first 2 years the PS5 had for instance in terms of new releases.

Nintendo has many more casuals and families in their ecosystem, that group cares the least about upgrading for power, so Nintendo wants to find ways to get all those people willing to buy a new, more expensive Switch, that is a lot harder than to get tech obsessed gamers to buy your new system because they want 4K gaming experiences.

There's already a ton of 3rd party software selling on Switch including active ports of extremely popular games like Minecraft and Fortnite. That said part of the Switch 2 marketing will focus on some of the biggest ips Nintendo hasn't had in a decade+/ever like Call of Duty and Madden.

 

[gsr]

I think we'll see a similar PS4 - PS5 kind of transition with Switch and its successor, meaning we should expect cross-gen titles for quite some time. SIE was releasing their big titles on both PS5 and PS4 as well, but I believe they have stopped doing that 1 - 2 years ago.

Even today there are third party publishers still releasing games for the PS4 three years into the PS5's lifecycle, but I don't expect any big first party titles (titles that can potentially sell over 5 million copies in first month, aka Mario Kart, 3D Mario, Zelda, Animal Crossing) to be cross-gen.

 

[ILikeFeet]

it's within Nintendo's best interest to move off of Switch, I think. the only cross-gen games I see are lower budgeted titles, but major stuff will be Drake only. Pokemon Legends 2 is the last major title for Switch probably and I'm betting on that being cross-gen

 

[Danny]

There's already a ton of 3rd party software selling on Switch including active ports of extremely popular games like Minecraft and Fortnite. That said part of the Switch 2 marketing will focus on some of the biggest ips Nintendo hasn't had in a decade+/ever like Call of Duty and Madden.

Traditionally third party release games have failed to move the needle for Nintendo, unlike for PS. Because the audiences most into games like CoD are usually already locked into other gaming ecosystems anyway. Could some of them get the Switch 2 as a secondary system? Sure, but Nintendo will continue to live or die based on first party output.

 

[N75]

Outside of maybe EPD 4 and EPD 7, and EPD 8, I feel like Nintendo's internal teams have moved on.

As for subsidiaries and partners, I could easily see the following:

Retro - Already confirmed with Prime 4
NDcube - One more Mario Party?
Next Level Games - Might be working on Luigi's Mansion 2 HD?
HAL - Could easily see another Kirby spinoff or eShop title like Boxboy be a thing.
Intelligent Systems - FE4 Remake has been rumoured for a while now...
Camelot - They're due for a new release and I doubt it's anything huge based on how small the studio is.
indieszero - Staff comparisons show that they've likely been working on something since Big Brain Academy in Late 2021. Another Nintendo title?

Some of the above may already be completed if they happen.

 

[BassForever]

Traditionally third party release games have failed to move the needle for Nintendo, unlike for PS. Because the audiences most into games like CoD are usually already locked into other gaming ecosystems anyway. Could some of them get the Switch 2 as a secondary system? Sure, but Nintendo will continue to live or die based on first party output.

This isn't a fair analysis, we can't speak to how CoD could do on Switch 2 (or Switch 1) because we literally haven't had a normal CoD on them. You're making the mistake of assuming people who buy CoD on PS5/XBS/PC would move and buy it on Switch 2, that wouldn't happen. What would happen is the millions of Switch/2 only owners would buy the game for the system they own.

 

[Gabev]

edit-wrong thread.

 

[franzen23]

First 1-2 years of Switch 2's life will probably be 50/50 of cross-gen releases and Switch 2 exclusives.
Switch 1 sold 140 million units, and the consoles/software is still selling well (unlike Wii's last year). You don't just leave that kind of audience in the dust.

Sony showed how it can be done with PS5

 

[Giancarlo]

Do you think that any of Nintendo's first-party studios are still working on Switch games?

Something like Pokemon Legends ZA wouldn't count since Gamefreak technically isn't a first-party studio.

My only guesses would be the studio that's (hopefully) working on Donkey Kong, which many assume to be EPD Tokyo, and perhaps NDCube with Mario Party? Although I think that would be reserved for Nintendo's next console.

Metroid Prime 4 is still the only one that's confirmed, although some speculate that it's a cross-gen title.

What do you think?

half of Nintendo first-party studios are working on Switch and half on Switch sucessor games, i higly doubt that when Switch sucessor launch in 2025, all of Nintendo internal teams and some partners will dry it output on Switch, Nintendo will suport Switch for 3/4 more years, they will gradualmente phase out it suport on Switch, think of how Sony handled cross-gen with PS4, Nintendo might follow a similar path with Switch.

 

[Pokemaniac]

I expect the end of first party Switch games to be a pretty gradual decline. There's no reason to think Nintendo is in a particular hurry to drop the platform entirely. There are definitely a bunch more Switch-targeted projects that we don't know about yet.

 

[VDenter]

Hope they are winding down. You want people to want to buy the new platform.

Hopefully for years. It is anti consumer to abandon so many users to chase a few enthusiasts.

Abandoning ancient hardware, so it no longer restricts the scope and fundamental design of your game is not anti consumer.

Also, the idea is to use new exclusives for the new system so more want to buy new hardware, so it's not just limited to enthusiasts and early adopters for long.

It's how Nintendo has done business since 1983.

 

[Yamanoi]

Hope they are winding down. You want people to want to buy the new platform.



Abandoning ancient hardware, so it no longer restricts the scope and fundamental design of your game is not anti consumer.

Also, the idea is to use new exclusives for the new system so more want to buy new hardware, so it's not just limited to enthusiasts and early adopters for long.

It's how Nintendo has done business since 1983.

New system will have backward compatibility so it would be stupid to abandon the best selling console of all time to make some enthusiasts who googled ray tracing and DLSS happy.

 

[KarlRemarx]

Nintendo is probably afraid of how they will get the majority of the Switch user base to upgrade to Switch 2, Sony doesn't need to fear that at all due to the incredible third party support and third party exclusive games they can get for every new console they make. For Nintendo they know that only new, exclusive first party games will sell the new system. Nintendo also have fewer tech obsessed gamers that will get a new system just for the power upgrade compared to the PS ecosystem.

I mean the PS5 had next to nothing except power upgrade to entise people at release, still people flocked to the system just for the power upgrade. That i don't think happens for new Nintendo consoles, at all. The Switch 2 would bomb if it had the first 2 years the PS5 had for instance in terms of new releases.

Nintendo has many more casuals and families in their ecosystem, that group cares the least about upgrading for power, so Nintendo wants to find ways to get all those people willing to buy a new, more expensive Switch, that is a lot harder than to get tech obsessed gamers to buy your new system because they want 4K gaming experiences.

3rd parties are the least able to take risks on exclusives for new hardware. Nintendo absolutely can, because they directly benefit from increasing new hardware sales as a platform holder, and they have cultivated an extremely long-tail sales model relative to Sony/MS, to the point that they can rely on a customer who arrives to next-gen years late absolutely buying a years-old Mario Kart game, regardless of trends. The reason the crossgen period has been so long for the likes of Sony and Microsoft is because 3rd parties are averse to the risk of selling on platforms with less reach, which is why everything that could possibly be delivered on a PS4 absolutely does so, even including 1st party games.

Sony hardware sells well because they are the de facto choice for a 4K videogame box under your TV in a huge number of markets, and they have strong continuity from PS4. 3rd parties follow them onto new hardware because:

1) A large part of the appeal of their output is often "realism" or elements enabled by tech advancement that will stand out in the market
2) It is financially irresponsible to create e.g. a last-gen exclusive when the power increase makes a cross-gen version near-trivial to implement on modern hardware
3) 3rd parties have incentives to leave behind aging hardware, as it becomes harder to derive more power from them to deliver graphically impressive games
4) Targeting PS5 still allows 3rd parties to target both Steam and Xbox customers due to hardware similarities, so there is still a broad market of customers

As long as 3rd parties continue to fail to compete with Nintendo within Nintendo's genres, Nintendo avoids these issues. The point of reference for comparisons for the next Luigi's Mansion or Animal Crossing can only ever be the previous Luigi's Mansion or Animal Crossing, or maybe an indie title. If you bought the previous games in a Nintendo series and are interested in dipping into the next one, what exactly is your choice besides buying the next Nintendo hardware? As long as the price and hardware offering are reasonable, and the software schedule maintains a similar pace/quality to much of the Switch lifecycle, I don't think Nintendo will have issues with converting people to new hardware. Conversely Sony tried to sell a console on "we believe in generations" as some kind of rebuttal to Xbox, which turned out to be a complete bait-and-switch that led to years of cross-gen software.

 

[ILikeFeet]

New system will have backward compatibility so it would be stupid to abandon the best selling console of all time to make some enthusiasts who googled ray tracing and DLSS happy.

for nintendo's audience there might not be that many people. if they're just going to rely on BC, why even make this new system then?

 

[Felony]

It feels like they've started really focusing big projects toward the switch successor while some teams have been allocated to remastering/remaking last gen titles. I wouldn't be surprised if they have one or two more GameCube/Wii or even 3DS era remasters being worked on still.

It's hard to say one way or another without being inside. Makes sense that a lot of resources would have already been allocated to, or are in the process of transitioning to the next iteration of hardware.