A new report claims that many developers still don’t have Nintendo Switch 2 dev kits, raising questions about what the launch lineup might look like.
It feels like we’re finally inching closer to the official reveal of the Nintendo Switch 2. After years of speculation, Nintendo is finally set to reveal more details about its next-gen console during a dedicated Direct presentation on April 2.
The excitement is high, and so are expectations, especially with all the recent leaks and rumors going around, from first-party launch titles to potential third-party heavy hitters.
But amid all the noise, a new report suggests that Nintendo is being very cautious to rollout the Switch 2 development kits, particularly for medium to smaller third-party developers.
Many Developers Still Waiting on Switch 2 Hardware
According to a recent report from Insider Gaming, many studios—especially those in the small-to-mid-sized range—still haven’t received development kits for the Nintendo Switch 2. That’s surprising, given that the console is expected to launch in late June 2025, just a few months from now.
Now, these claims have been backed up by John Linneman of Digital Foundry, who also shared what they heard during this year’s Game Developers Conference (GDC). Speaking on the latest episode of Direct Weekly, he said:
“Based on a lot of the things I’ve heard, it also seems like many, many, many, many developers are still without kit. So they are very slow at rolling this out to a lot of developers. I think there will be third-party games early on, of course. It just seems like a lot of medium to small developers still do not have access to development hardware. So, Nintendo has been very selective with who they allow to do it.”
In simpler terms, Nintendo appears to be hand-picking which studios can start working on Switch 2 titles right now, which might mean some games won’t be ready for launch or even anytime soon after.
Of course, it’s always smart to take these kinds of reports with a grain of salt. Plans can change, and Nintendo is known for doing things on its own timeline.
Still, we’ve already seen reports suggesting that pre-orders for Nintendo Switch 2 could go live on April 9 and that Nintendo is planning a three-phase release strategy for games. The first wave would focus on first-party titles in June, followed by third-party games in the fall, and a mix of both by holiday 2025.
So what do you think? Will this slow dev kit rollout affect the Switch 2’s early momentum? Let us know your thoughts below!
