Nintendo Switch 1+2 give third-party publishers a sales lift as Ampere reports $2.3 billion revenue

14 April 2026
Nintendo Switch 2Nintendo Switch
10 min.
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Nintendo Switch 1+2 give third-party publishers a sales lift as Ampere reports $2.3 billion revenue

Summary:

The latest figures from Ampere Analysis paint a striking picture of how much the Nintendo Switch ecosystem changed once Nintendo Switch 2 entered the market. According to the firm, combined third-party full game sales across Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 reached $2.3 billion from Q2 to Q4 2025. That is a major rise from the $1.3 billion recorded during the same stretch in 2024, which means third-party revenue across the ecosystem climbed by 76% year-on-year. It is the kind of jump that makes people stop and look twice, because Nintendo platforms have traditionally been seen as spaces where first-party releases dominate the spotlight.

What makes the shift more interesting is that the growth was not simply about more copies flying off digital shelves. Ampere also noted that third-party full game sales volume declined by 2.5% over the same period, while average selling prices rose by 81%. In other words, publishers earned more money even without a matching rise in unit sales. That gives the whole story a different texture. This was not just a case of more games being sold. It was also a case of higher-value releases, stronger pricing, and a platform mix that suddenly looked more attractive to major publishers.

Warner Bros. Games came out on top among third-party publishers on Switch and Switch 2 during the June to December 2025 window, helped heavily by Hogwarts Legacy and support from its LEGO lineup. Bandai Namco followed in second place with a broader spread of titles, while Electronic Arts took third with the help of EA Sports FC 25, EA Sports FC 26, and It Takes Two. Taken together, the figures suggest Nintendo Switch 2 has not rewritten the entire console business overnight, but it has made Nintendo hardware a more serious part of modern multi-platform planning. That is a meaningful shift, and one that could shape publisher support for years rather than months.

Ampere – The Switch ecosystem just became more valuable for third parties

For years, Nintendo hardware has carried a familiar reputation. It has often been the home of Nintendo’s own biggest hits, while many outside publishers treated the platform more cautiously. That is why Ampere Analysis’s latest figures stand out so clearly. The firm reports that third-party full game sales across Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 reached $2.3 billion from Q2 to Q4 2025, up from $1.3 billion over the same period in 2024. A 76% jump is not a little bump or a polite nudge. It is the kind of movement that makes boardrooms pay attention, especially when every major publisher is trying to decide where growth will come from next.

The wider meaning is just as important as the raw number. This suggests the combined Switch ecosystem is becoming harder to ignore when publishers map out where their games should go. Nintendo platforms are no longer being discussed only as places for family-friendly exclusives or occasional side versions. They are looking more like meaningful parts of a broader commercial plan. That does not mean Nintendo’s own releases suddenly take a back seat, because they do not. It means third-party publishers now have stronger reasons to treat the ecosystem as a serious revenue lane rather than an optional extra.

Ampere’s numbers show a sharp jump in sales

The headline figure does a lot of work on its own, but the context around it makes it even more revealing. Ampere’s research focuses on third-party full game sales from Q2 to Q4 2025 and compares that performance with the same stretch in 2024. The result is a rise from $1.3 billion to $2.3 billion. That extra $1 billion in revenue shows just how much momentum entered the ecosystem after Switch 2 arrived. It also gives a cleaner picture of what changed, because the comparison uses the same part of the calendar across both years rather than mixing unrelated windows together.

That matters because it strips away some of the usual noise. Instead of vague chatter about stronger support or healthier momentum, there is a hard commercial signal here. Third-party publishers made substantially more money on Nintendo’s platforms during that period. In an industry that constantly talks about risk, rising budgets, and the need to squeeze more value out of each launch, that kind of result has real weight. Money talks, and in this case it is practically using a megaphone.

Why Switch 2 changed the conversation

Switch 2 appears to be the main reason this story feels different from the usual cycle of platform chatter. Ampere says the launch of Nintendo’s newer hardware in June 2025 helped drive the rise in third-party sales across all Switch devices. That phrase matters. The benefit was not locked to the newer system alone. The arrival of Switch 2 seems to have lifted how publishers viewed the broader Nintendo ecosystem, creating stronger momentum across both generations. It is a bit like opening the windows in a stuffy room. Suddenly the whole place feels different, not just one corner of it.

There are practical reasons for that. Ampere points to the original Switch’s huge installed base and the improved technical capabilities of Switch 2 as two important factors. Together, those give publishers a better mix of reach and performance. A large audience is valuable, but a platform also needs to feel viable for modern multi-platform releases. Switch 2 helps on that second front. It gives publishers a stronger chance to bring games over without the platform feeling like an awkward afterthought. That alone can shift planning meetings in a big way.

Warner Bros. took the lead with a familiar heavyweight

Among third-party publishers, Warner Bros. Games finished first in Ampere’s ranking for full game sales value on Switch and Switch 2 from June to December 2025. The company’s position was powered largely by Hogwarts Legacy, which Ampere described as the standout title, alongside solid results from LEGO games. That combination makes a lot of sense. Hogwarts Legacy has broad reach, strong name recognition, and the sort of fantasy pull that can keep selling well long after its first burst of attention. LEGO titles, meanwhile, tend to have sturdy legs of their own thanks to their wider appeal.

There is something telling about Warner Bros. leading the pack here. It was not only about one lucky launch or one surprise hit. It was about having recognizable games that could meet players where they were, across a Nintendo ecosystem that now looked more commercially inviting. Hogwarts Legacy in particular has the kind of pull that can act like a shop window. It attracts interest quickly, gets people talking, and helps prove that big third-party releases can land with real force on Nintendo platforms. For Warner Bros., that turned into leadership. For the ecosystem, it turned into a message.

Bandai Namco built strength through variety

Bandai Namco took second place in Ampere’s ranking, and its route there says something important about the current shape of Nintendo hardware. Rather than leaning on one giant blockbuster alone, Bandai Namco benefited from a broad portfolio. Ampere highlighted titles such as Little Nightmares II, Once Upon a Katamari, Patapon 1&2 Replay, and Tamagotchi Plaza as notable performers. That spread matters because it shows Nintendo’s audience is not responding to just one style of game. Different tones, different genres, and different scales all found room to breathe.

That kind of flexibility is valuable for any publisher. It means success is not tied to a single all-or-nothing bet. Instead, a company can build momentum through a mix of releases that appeal to different slices of the audience. On Nintendo hardware, that matters more than ever. The ecosystem has always been a little unusual compared with its competitors. It can reward charm, nostalgia, experimentation, and mass-market appeal all at once. Bandai Namco’s performance reflects that reality nicely. It shows that the path to strong sales can be wide rather than narrow.

EA stayed near the top with reliable global brands

Electronic Arts came in third, supported by EA Sports FC 25, EA Sports FC 26, and It Takes Two. That trio is revealing in its own way. EA Sports FC gives EA a huge advantage because sports games tend to travel well across regions, age groups, and play habits. They have a dependable rhythm to them. Players know what they are getting, friends buy them together, and yearly releases keep the brand in motion. When those kinds of games perform on Nintendo platforms, publishers notice, because it suggests the audience is large enough and engaged enough to support repeatable business.

It Takes Two adds a different flavor to EA’s position. It is not a football giant, but it has a strong reputation and a style that fits Nintendo-friendly play habits rather well. Cooperative games can feel especially natural on hardware designed around flexibility and shared play. That makes EA’s third-place finish more than a simple ranking note. It shows Nintendo platforms can support both giant annual brands and other well-liked releases that thrive through word of mouth and strong design. That balance is healthy, and publishers usually love healthy ecosystems almost as much as they love graphs that go up.

Revenue rose even as unit sales faced pressure

One of the most interesting parts of Ampere’s findings is that revenue climbed sharply even while third-party full game sales volume on Switch consoles fell by 2.5% year-on-year during the same period. That sounds contradictory at first. How can publishers make much more money if fewer units are being sold? Yet this is exactly where the real shape of the market becomes clearer. Revenue is not only about how many copies move. It is also about what players are paying for those copies, what kinds of releases are in the mix, and how pricing shifts over time.

In practical terms, this means the Switch ecosystem became more lucrative without needing a matching explosion in raw volume. That is a meaningful distinction. It tells us this was not just a volume story driven by sheer traffic. It was a value story. Publishers were earning more from the sales they did make. In a business where costs continue to rise and every platform holder wants publishers to stay invested, that can be just as powerful as headline-grabbing unit totals. Sometimes fewer, pricier tickets still pack the train.

Why pricing played a bigger role than pure volume

Ampere says average selling prices rose by 81% from Q2 to Q4 2025 compared with the same period in 2024. That is the engine behind the revenue surge. Higher prices changed the commercial picture even though unit sales slipped. This suggests publishers benefited from a mix that included more premium-priced software and stronger monetisation per copy sold. On newer hardware, that tends to happen when publishers feel more confident releasing versions that carry higher pricing expectations rather than treating the platform like a bargain-bin side stop.

There is a wider industry angle here too. Ampere notes that the combined active installed base of PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series consoles is about 15 million units below the previous generation, a 13% decline in addressable devices. That creates pressure. Publishers need audiences, and when growth is not coming as easily elsewhere, a stronger Nintendo platform becomes more attractive. If Switch 2 can serve as a more viable multi-platform destination, then higher-priced releases on Nintendo hardware stop looking unusual and start looking logical. That is not just a sales note. It is a strategic signal.

What this says about publisher strategy on Nintendo hardware

The broader takeaway is not that Switch 2 instantly transformed Nintendo into the industry’s main third-party battlefield. Ampere senior analyst Katie Holt was careful on that point, noting there is no significant evidence yet of a dramatic shift in the commercial balance between Nintendo’s own releases and those from other publishers on Switch 2. That restraint matters because it keeps the picture grounded. Nintendo still has enormous first-party pull, and nobody serious would pretend otherwise. Mario, Zelda, Pokémon, and the rest still cast a very long shadow.

Even so, Holt also said there is evidence of increased third-party support earlier in the lifecycle compared with previous Nintendo consoles. That may be the most important point in the entire discussion. Early support matters because it shapes habit. It affects player expectations, publisher planning, and how the platform is discussed over time. If third-party publishers show up sooner and with stronger pricing power, that can gradually reshape the ecosystem. Not overnight. Not with fireworks in every direction. But steadily, and sometimes steadily is how the most durable changes happen.

Why this matters for the future of the Switch ecosystem

The long-term importance of these figures is simple. They suggest Nintendo Switch 2 is already making the overall Switch ecosystem more attractive to outside publishers, and it is doing so at a time when the wider console market is still searching for stable momentum. That gives Nintendo extra leverage. A healthier ecosystem means more variety for players, more confidence for publishers, and a stronger sense that Nintendo hardware can support both major exclusives and meaningful third-party business. That is the kind of balance platform holders chase for years.

For players, this could lead to a more interesting future library. For publishers, it opens the door to broader planning and potentially stronger support. For Nintendo, it reinforces the idea that the company can keep its unique identity while still becoming a more important stop for multi-platform releases. The numbers do not say every problem is solved. They do not say every publisher will suddenly treat Nintendo as its number one home. What they do say is that the commercial picture shifted in a notable way. And when a market shifts by $1 billion, even the quietest executives tend to stop being quiet.

Conclusion

Ampere Analysis’s latest figures show that Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 gave third-party publishers a major boost from Q2 to Q4 2025, pushing combined full game sales value to $2.3 billion and lifting revenue by 76% year-on-year. Warner Bros. Games led the field thanks to Hogwarts Legacy and its LEGO lineup, with Bandai Namco and Electronic Arts close behind through a mix of recognizable and well-positioned releases. Just as importantly, the numbers show that stronger revenue was driven more by higher prices than by rising unit volume, which says a lot about how publishers now view Nintendo’s hardware opportunity. The picture has not flipped completely in favour of third parties, but the ecosystem looks stronger, more valuable, and more strategically important than it did before Switch 2 arrived.

FAQs
  • How much did third-party game sales on Switch and Switch 2 reach?
    • Ampere Analysis reported that combined third-party full game sales across Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 reached $2.3 billion from Q2 to Q4 2025.
  • How much did third-party sales grow compared with 2024?
    • Sales value was up 76% year-on-year, rising from $1.3 billion over the same period in 2024 to $2.3 billion in 2025.
  • Which publisher led third-party sales on the Switch ecosystem?
    • Warner Bros. Games ranked first in third-party full game sales value from June to December 2025, helped heavily by Hogwarts Legacy and support from LEGO titles.
  • Why did revenue rise if unit sales were down?
    • Ampere said third-party full game sales volume fell by 2.5%, but average selling prices rose by 81%, which pushed overall revenue much higher.
  • Does this mean third-party publishers now dominate on Nintendo hardware?
    • No. Ampere said there is not yet significant evidence of a dramatic shift in the balance between Nintendo’s own releases and those from outside publishers, though earlier and stronger third-party support is becoming more visible.
Sources
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