Nintendo Switch 2's huge third-party support is something "we haven't seen" from Nintendo "maybe ever, but at least for a long time, maybe even since the GameCube," analyst says

The old adage is that people buy Nintendo consoles to play Nintendo games. But the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct made a huge statement about third-party titles right out the gate, announcing the likes of Final Fantasy 7 Remake, Cyberpunk 2077, and Elden Ring, as well as a brand new exclusive from FromSoftware, The Duskbloods. So GamesRadar+ asked industry analyst Mat Piscatella about how supporting third parties could affect Nintendo Switch 2.

"Historically, Nintendo products get purchased to play Nintendo games, and Nintendo platforms aren't the first place people look to play third-party content if they have other ways of accessing that content," Piscatella tells us, adding, "Perhaps that changes here because of that support and because of the hybrid nature of the device.

"Maybe we see that start to change this time."

Regardless of how things go, he thinks "it's gonna be super interesting to watch, because we haven't seen this level of support, maybe ever, but at least for a long time – maybe even since the GameCube."

Piscatella continues to say that, "in terms of that third-party partnership approach… that's not something that Nintendo had really pushed so much with prior launches."

He guesses that mouse support opens up other types of games to be supported on Nintendo consoles, and that Nintendo might be "trying to kind of lean over between what a Steam Deck or a PC platform could do, and what a console platform could do."

Considering the original Nintendo Switch launch lineup didn't even include the known console-launch standby Ubisoft (outside of Just Dance 2017), which even heavily supported the Wii-U at launch, it's impressive that the Switch 2 is getting genuine third-party blockbusters.

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