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Third-party publishers in Japan caught off-guard by Switch's success, big games arriving later as a result

Jason Clement

By Jason Clement (edited)

Given how the Wii U ultimately failed for Nintendo last generation, it isn't hard to see why third-party publishers would be skeptical to believe that the Switch would fare any differently.

 

Except, the new console was a major heel turn for the Japanese manufacturer.

 

The Nintendo Switch picked up steam the moment it was revealed in its initial teaser trailer last year and then became an overnight sensation when it launched. Now, thanks to a steady supply of top-notch, heavy-hitting first party titles and a well-curated collection of regularly released indie titles, the console/handheld hybrid is selling like gangbusters (as evidenced by Nintendo's recent financial report).

 

Last week, the Wall Street Journal was told by Hirozaku Hamamura, CEO of Japanese magazine publisher Gzbrain, that Japanese third-party publishers have been caught off guard by the Switch's success and are now switching gears to put their titles on it. However, Hamamura cautioned that we might not see most of the biggest titles from third-parties until 2019 given that many weren't in production for Switch until recently.

 

As for what 2018 holds for Japanese third-parties on Switch, we'll have to wait and see.

 

Source: Wall Street Journal (via Game Informer)

Edited by Jason Clement

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Venom

I don't really care about "their biggest titles" being on Switch because to me that just sounds like they're going to release multiplatform games on Switch as well, which is fine, but I prefer PS4 for those. I'm more interested in seeing what's made for Switch specifically, so I'll keep an eye out for those in the next couple of years.

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Royzoga

I'm there with Venom on the whole mentality of not caring about ports to the Switch. No, I want Switch exclusives that make the console worth buying, and I'm gonna be real, it's really bad that the only two HUGE main stay Nintendo titles we've gotten so far for it were 7 months apart. That's really terrible, way too much a gap.

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Jason Clement
2 hours ago, Royzoga said:

I'm there with Venom on the whole mentality of not caring about ports to the Switch. No, I want Switch exclusives that make the console worth buying, and I'm gonna be real, it's really bad that the only two HUGE main stay Nintendo titles we've gotten so far for it were 7 months apart. That's really terrible, way too much a gap.

 

 

You mean Zelda and Mario? I mean, I get that ARMS is a newer IP, but that, Splatoon 2, Mario + Rabbids, and Fire Emblem Warriors are no slouches in their own right. Honestly, compared to most consoles' first year, this is a pretty amazing year 1 first-party lineup.

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