Here's how Nintendo chooses its indie partners on Switch

Nintendo's senior manager for publisher and developer relations Damon Baker has offered some insight into how the company chooses which developers to work with on the Switch.  

The Japanese console maker has made no secret of its desire to be more selective when working with smaller developers on the Switch, with Baker telling Gamasutra last year that Nintendo was keen to avoid employing the same "quantity over quality" approach it took with the Wii U. 

Now, over a year after the console landed on shelves, Baker believes the platform is slowly but surely opening up, and in a recent interview with Kotaku revealed a bit more about how Nintendo selects its indie partners. 

"I think the best way to explain it is, over the last year we have been evolving past what was initially more of a curated content position to now a curated partnership position," he commented. 

"Part of the pitch process for new developers or new publishers who come on board with Switch is to not just pitch us a brand new game or a brand new concept, but to use that opportunity to prove their background."

Baker suggests budding Switch developers must also prove their aptitude as creators, and will have to convince Nintendo they'll be able to handle the complicated process of development and certification. 

"I can tell you that those partners that are able to instill a level of trust and confidence in us that they’re going to be very capable of getting through the development process and are knowledgeable about bringing content out on consoles, those are the ones that are resonating," he added. 

"Some of developers do have a negative reaction or are bummed because we haven’t opened up the door to hobbyists or students at this time. But one day, we may. We may be going towards that direction. But for now, we’re still staying the course in terms of a closed dev environment for Switch."

The full interview is full of other interesting tidbits that might prove useful if you're planning on targeting the Switch. Go and check it out over on Kotaku.