Nintendo’s Switch was recognized for various achievements and exploits last year, and another interesting fact about the hybrid system in 2023 was that it had the most game releases of any “console” hardware in the US, putting it ahead of the PlayStation and Xbox.
As Circana analyst Anthony Silva pointed out (via Mata Piscatella ), the Switch had a huge 2,360 games released on it. With an install base of more than 132 million Switch users worldwide as of September 30, 2023, it’s no surprise that many developers want a piece of the pie. As impressive as this figure is, Valve’s digital platform Steam (and we assume Steam Deck is standard) technically blows it out of the water, launching more than 14,000 titles in 2023
Circane Industry Analyst Mat Piscatella: “According to @WeAreCircana @SilvaStandard, the closest any other platform has come in the US is 2,360 games released on Switch, also in 2023. 14,000 is a lot. Steam breaks another annual record, launching over 14,000 games in 2023”
While there are all kinds of amazing games to play on the Switch (and Nintendo is no doubt pleased that it’s getting a lot of attention) as it enters its seventh year on the market, the sheer volume of releases has admittedly had a bit of a negative effect. These include an “increase in scam games,” an increase in shovelware, and generally just making it harder for users to browse the system’s eShop.
