Nintendo Switch development

Due to Nintendo licensing restrictions access to Defold versions with support for the Nintendo Switch platform is not included in the standard version of Defold. In order to get access to versions of Defold with Nintendo Switch support you need to become an approved game developer for Nintendo Switch.

Registering as a Nintendo Switch developer

You can register as a game developer for Nintendo Switch at the Nintendo Developer Portal:

When you have been approved by Nintendo you will get access to the Tools and Middleware page of the Nintendo Developer Portal where you can sign up for Defold access. When you register for Defold access we will get an email from Nintendo verifying you as a registered Nintendo developer.

Nintendo Switch access in Defold

Once we have confirmed your status as an approved Nintendo Switch developer we will provide you with access to the following:

• Source code access to the Nintendo Switch extension with console specific API integrations.
• Source code access to the Nintendo Switch enabled version of the Defold game engine. Note that the source code access is not required to build games for Nintendo Switch, but we provide access in case you wish to make source contributions to the engine core.
• Command line tool with support for bundling to the Nintendo Switch platform. Bundling from the Defold editor is not supported.
• Forum where you are able to get Nintendo Switch specific support.

FAQ

Q: Do I need to install additional tools to build for consoles?

A: You will be able to create application bundles from the command line tools. Information about how to test on PlayStation®4, PlayStation®5 and Nintendo Switch hardware will be provided to you when you are given access to the respective platforms.

Q: Is it still easy to use a single code base if I decide to also target consoles?

A: Yes, all of the standard Defold API functions are available also for the console platforms. In addition to the standard functionality you will also have access to a couple of PlayStation®4, PlayStation®5 and Nintendo Switch specific functions, but in general the code should be able to remain exactly the same across multiple platforms.