Module 01
Overview and realistic expectations
Publishing on a Nintendo console is a real, official process that individuals can start. It is not a weekend upload of an HTML file, and Nintendo Switch 2 access is not open today.
Nintendo has one developer programme
Nintendo’s public FAQ is clear: the Nintendo Developer Portal is not a separate “indie programme”. It is “Nintendo’s one and only developer program”, for developers “regardless of their size or experience”. You do not have to be a company, and “no prior development experience is required”. You do have to be the legal age of majority in your country. Nintendo also says it accepts home offices; you do not need a business address.
Source: Nintendo Developer Portal FAQ
The official six steps
Nintendo’s public page, “The Process”, lists the path in six stages:
- Create your account on the developer registration form.
- Prepare for Nintendo development. Sign in, accept the Non-Disclosure Agreement and Terms of Service, and then apply separately for Nintendo Switch access. Switch information is not automatic after registration.
- Create your game, using the documents, tools and forums inside the portal (those materials are not public).
- Prepare to sell. Sign a publishing agreement, obtain an age rating, and submit the game for Nintendo to review. Nintendo says this review is “necessary to ensure that the game can be safely played and conforms to Nintendo production standards.”
- Submit your PR materials so Nintendo can prepare the eShop page and online catalogues.
- Sell the game, with tools for post-launch support such as downloadable content, updates and price promotions.
Source: The Process — Nintendo Developer Portal
What officially costs nothing, and what does not
Nintendo’s FAQ answers “How much does it cost to develop on Nintendo platforms?” directly:
- Registering for the portal and downloading the tools is completely free.
- If you plan to release a digital-only title, you can use the IARC system to retrieve the age rating for no fee, which Nintendo says will allow you to publish in all the participating countries.
- “All that is left is the cost of acquiring development hardware: you will find more information on this inside the portal.”
Source: Nintendo Developer Portal FAQ, question 5
Behind the NDA / not on the public site
Nintendo does not publish the price of a development kit on its public FAQ. The official instruction is to look inside the portal. Godot’s own documentation, which is public, also says “the cost of those devkits is confidential.” This course will not invent a hardware price.
Unverified — do not treat as official
Developer blogs sometimes quote kit prices in the hundreds of US dollars, a “30%” eShop revenue share, and lotcheck (certification) taking “two to four weeks”. None of those figures appear on Nintendo’s public portal pages checked for this course. Revenue share, payment schedules and the detailed certification checklist sit in the publishing agreement and portal documents, which you only see after registration and NDA. Treat unofficial numbers as rumours until you read them in Nintendo’s own paperwork.
Switch 2 is a special case right now
The portal has a dedicated page for Switch 2. As of 15 November 2026 it says Nintendo is “not accepting requests for access to the development environment for Nintendo Switch 2” and will “post another announcement when we are ready to begin accepting requests.”
Separately, the registration page still invites you to apply for Nintendo Switch development and publishing resources, after you register, via a “Nintendo Switch Access Request” form in the Getting Started section. You should enter your development experience and information on your planned project.
Sources: Developing for Nintendo Switch 2; Register as a Nintendo Developer
What this means for Super Tank Battles
You can register now, apply for Switch access now, and start a native port on a PC engine (see module 4). You cannot, today, apply for Switch 2 development access. If your aim is specifically the newer console, plan for a wait, keep an eye on that official announcement page, and do not pay anyone who claims they can skip Nintendo’s access process.
Who sets the price and the release date?
Nintendo’s FAQ: “As the developer, the price, release date and content are all set by you.” That is the public position. The practical limits (regional price bands, minimums, how promotions work) are not spelled out on the public site.
Source: Nintendo Developer Portal FAQ, question 3
A realistic picture for this game
Super Tank Battles is a small artillery game, not a 40-hour adventure. That helps. What still takes time, even for a small game:
- Getting approved for platform access — Nintendo says “please understand that it will take time to review your application.” It does not publish a typical wait.
- Rewriting the browser game as a native title and testing it on official hardware, in handheld and docked play.
- Signing the publishing agreement, completing an age rating, preparing store materials, and passing Nintendo’s review.
A publisher or a porting studio can take on some of that (module 9). Either way, think in months, not days. Nintendo does not publish an official end-to-end timeline, so this course will not invent one.