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[Luminoth-4545]

Famitsu Sales: Week 18+19, 2023 (April 24 - May 07)

SOFTWARE

01./00. [NSW] Mario Kart 8 Deluxe <RCE> (Nintendo) {2017.04.28} (¥5.980) - 32.713 / 5.283.684
02./00. [PS4] Hogwarts Legacy # <RPG> (WB Games) {2023.05.05} (¥7.980) - 31.918 / NEW
03./00. [NSW] Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe <ACT> (Nintendo) {2023.02.24} (¥5.980) - 27.325 / 419.970
04./00. [NSW] Pokemon Scarlet / Violet # <RPG> (Pokemon Co.) {2022.11.18} (¥5.980) - 23.401 / 5.022.302
05./00. [NSW] Splatoon 3 <ACT> (Nintendo) {2022.09.09} (¥5.980) - 18.304 / 4.009.837
06./00. [NSW] Minecraft # <ADV> (Microsoft Game Studios) {2018.06.21} (¥3.600) - 18.244 / 313.249
07./00. [PS5] Star Wars Jedi: Survivor # <ADV> (Electronic Arts) {2023.04.28} (¥8.818) - 16.742 / NEW
08./00. [NSW] Super Smash Bros. Ultimate # <FTG> (Nintendo) {2018.12.07} (¥7.200) - 16.534 / 5.185.620
09./00. [NSW] Nintendo Switch Sports # <SPT> (Nintendo) {2022.04.29} (¥4.980) - 14.179 / 1.074.358
10./00. [NSW] Mario Party Superstars <ETC> (Nintendo) {2021.10.29} (¥5.980) - 12.541 / 1.226.636

Top 10

NSW - 8
PS4 - 1
PS5 - 1


HARDWARE

 

[feynoob]

PS4 wins, XBS losses this round.

 

[Fake]

HL on Japan? Bunch of surprises this month.

PS4 still doing.

 

[mansoor1980]

the last samurai giving ps5 new life in japan

an older quote from a famitsu interview after ps5 launch

"SIE has deep ties with Japanese licensees, so we would like to further strengthen our cooperation in the future and develop titles made in Japan for PlayStation fans around the world"

this man knows whats up

 

[Elios83]

Great sales for Switch (Zelda boost) and PS5.

 

[Mr Moose]

Some nice hardware numbers from Switch and PS5.

 

[Saber]

Wow, Hogwarts for PS4. Thats something.

 

[Ronin_7]

PS4 vs Xbox Series is what makes these charts exciting

 

[Luminoth-4545]

 

[onQ123]

PS4 with the yoy growth in it's 10th year while Xbox Series is down in it's 3rd year

 

[Mibu no ookami]

Nautilus what are your thoughts here?

 

[drganon]

Nautilus what are your thoughts here?

Oh, don't worry. I'm sure he'll be here eventually to spin the ps5 sales negatively.

 

[Nautilus]

Holy moly, Switch hardware sales are really impressive! For a system on its 7th year, its still up compared to last year, and the Zelda impact will only be felt next week. Obviously this won't offset (That much) the fact that Switch will still be down YOY, but this makes me really confident that the Switch will be the best selling console ever in Japan, either taking into account other Nintendo consoles, or Sony consoles.

PS5 did as expected. It would look really bad if it went beneath 80k(So less than 40k each week), so all things considered, that's a good result for Sony. What's worrying is the software, of which there is only one, and its a brand release at that. Granted, nobody expected a western game to sell much, but given that Star Wars is well known and beloved in Japan, I expected better.

Other than that, nothing too exciting. Evergreens keep being evergreens.

 

[Nautilus]

Oh, don't worry. I'm sure he'll be here eventually to spin the ps5 sales negatively.

Me, and I believe others too, would appreciate if you discussed the topic at hand and added to the conversation, instead of derailing it with tangent topics.

So please, if you would do just that, at least I would appreciate it greatly.

 

[drganon]

Me, and I believe others too, would appreciate if you discussed the topic at hand and added to the conversation, instead of derailing it with tangent topics.

So please, if you would do just that, at least I would appreciate it greatly.

 

[John Wick]

Me, and I believe others too, would appreciate if you discussed the topic at hand and added to the conversation, instead of derailing it with tangent topics.

So please, if you would do just that, at least I would appreciate it greatly.

But why do we need your insights for? Are you a professional like Matt?
Other than stating the obvious you add nothing to the thread barring concern trolling.

 

[Nautilus]

Still wonder how this behavior is accepted, and how anyone thinks this console warring leads to any healthy discussion, especially on a thread where sales and hard data is the backbone.

But enough of that from me, and derailing the discussion further by my side.

 

[MrA]

Wow, Hogwarts for PS4. Thats something.

Yeah for a late downgrade port thats fantastic numbers,
Going to wager that during the summer switch will baseline around 50k and ps5 40k, both doing very nicely

 

[Nautilus]

But why do we need your insights for? Are you a professional like Matt?
Other than stating the obvious you add nothing to the thread barring concern trolling.

Because that's the point of the whole thread as the people that gathers here are not professionals but rather enthusiasts, that likes numbers and want to discuss them?

I assumed as much anyway.

 

[Nautilus]

What are you guys expectations of both Switch hardware and Tears of the Kingdom numbers?

Considering this week sales, I expect the Switch to do around 100k next week, while Zelda should do at least a million physically.

 

[smbu2000]

What are you guys expectations of both Switch hardware and Tears of the Kingdom numbers?

Considering this week sales, I expect the Switch to do around 100k next week, while Zelda should do at least a million physically.

I believe that the Zelda Switch special edition console released on 4/29 so that may have helped Switch numbers during GW and might suppress sales a bit during the actual release on May 12th.

https://www.nintendo.co.jp/hardware/detail/switch-oled/zelda-totk/

Not sure how many of those were produced/released though.

 

[Nautilus]

I believe that the Zelda Switch special edition console released on 4/29 so that may have helped Switch numbers during GW and might suppress sales a bit during the actual release on May 12th.

https://www.nintendo.co.jp/hardware/detail/switch-oled/zelda-totk/

Not sure how many of those were produced/released though.

Oh yeah, the special edition released, or was at least sold, before the game launched.

Hmmmmmmmm

That makes it harder to predict. Switch is very much on the decline, so anyone getting a Switch for Zelda got that. Maybe it will be 80k next week then? I feel less confident about 100k now anyways.

 

[Gaiff]

Jim Ryan after increasing PS5 supply in Japan for just one week:

 

[NonPhixion]

Wow the PS5 with some solid numbers even during a dry release period. That has really gotta chap the ass of that one guy that was saying PlayStation was dying in Japan. What an idiot.

 

[Nautilus]

Wow the PS5 with some solid numbers even during a dry release period. That has really gotta chap the ass of that one guy that was saying PlayStation was dying in Japan. What an idiot.

Not only this week's data compromises of two weeks worth of data, but last week was also a big japanese holiday(Golden Week) that people like to use to buy stuff.

Hence why Switch and PS5 are doing well this week. Especially the Switch.

 

[smbu2000]

Oh yeah, the special edition released, or was at least sold, before the game launched.

Hmmmmmmmm

That makes it harder to predict. Switch is very much on the decline, so anyone getting a Switch for Zelda got that. Maybe it will be 80k next week then? I feel less confident about 100k now anyways.

Well it looks like they made plenty of them. Just did a quick check and it is available to buy at retail price from the big electronics stores like Bic Camera, Yodobashi Camera, Yamada Denki, Joshin. Even the Nintendo online store will let you reserve it, with systems shipping out in mid-May.

I almost went for one myself, but I already have a regular OLED Switch.

 

[Woopah]

• ZOLED putting in some serious work in Japan like it did in the UK. Would expect to see this happening elsewhere too
• Switch crosses 29 million lifetime
• PS5 crosses 1 million for the year
• Splatoon 3 crosses 4 million, Scarlet/ Violet crosses 5 million and Kirby crosses 400,000
• Hogwarts on PS4 does well, but Jedi not so much

 

[leo-j]

I guess an example of AAA games increasing market share

 

[Brucey]

Nautilus what are your thoughts here?

I can't speak for him but I'm very, very concerned about the sales growth rate of the PS5......

 

[thicc_girls_are_teh_best]

Holy moly, Switch hardware sales are really impressive! For a system on its 7th year, its still up compared to last year, and the Zelda impact will only be felt next week. Obviously this won't offset (That much) the fact that Switch will still be down YOY, but this makes me really confident that the Switch will be the best selling console ever in Japan, either taking into account other Nintendo consoles, or Sony consoles.

PS5 did as expected. It would look really bad if it went beneath 80k(So less than 40k each week), so all things considered, that's a good result for Sony. What's worrying is the software, of which there is only one, and its a brand release at that. Granted, nobody expected a western game to sell much, but given that Star Wars is well known and beloved in Japan, I expected better.

Other than that, nothing too exciting. Evergreens keep being evergreens.

Star Wars as an IP is not in the best spot right now so I'm not surprised if that is hurting adaption of the game, compounded with the game's own technical problems. So I'm not sure how you expected the game to perform better than it has just because there may be nostalgia for the OT and PT.

PS4 with the yoy growth in it's 10th year while Xbox Series is down in it's 3rd year

I'm sure MS could increase supply for the system in Japan if they felt the demand was present, but it's not, so why bother?

Meanwhile Series X systems aren't nearly as hard to find in places like UK & US as some people want to believe, so they must be focusing stock of that model to the markets where they can expect at least some decent sales in the meanwhile.

 

[Mibu no ookami]

Not only this week's data compromises of two weeks worth of data, but last week was also a big japanese holiday(Golden Week) that people like to use to buy stuff.

Hence why Switch and PS5 are doing well this week. Especially the Switch.

When you thought it was golden week a month ago (which goes to how much you know about Japan). You thought the numbers which were lower than this were better than you expected.

Your ability to absolutely change the narrative regardless of the numbers is astonishing.

You've convinced yourself that people are buying PS5s as "art pieces" rather than they could be buying digitally.

The constant spin here is tremendous.

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

Jim Ryan after increasing PS5 supply in Japan for just one week:

is because "they dont care about consoles sales™" in japan

 

[Nautilus]

Star Wars as an IP is not in the best spot right now so I'm not surprised if that is hurting adaption of the game, compounded with the game's own technical problems. So I'm not sure how you expected the game to perform better than it has just because there may be nostalgia for the OT and PT.



I'm sure MS could increase supply for the system in Japan if they felt the demand was present, but it's not, so why bother?

Meanwhile Series X systems aren't nearly as hard to find in places like UK & US as some people want to believe, so they must be focusing stock of that model to the markets where they can expect at least some decent sales in the meanwhile.

Its just that 17k is especially low, and if I'm not mistaken, the game did open higher everywhere else compared to the first game.But you are right. The recent films/shows/etc did no favours for Star Wars, and Disney doesn't seem to know what to do with it outside of games.

 

[Azelover]

Any news on the review scores this week? I can't find them anywhere..

 

[thicc_girls_are_teh_best]

Its just that 17k is especially low, and if I'm not mistaken, the game did open higher everywhere else compared to the first game.But you are right. The recent films/shows/etc did no favours for Star Wars, and Disney doesn't seem to know what to do with it outside of games.

IIRC it opened lower on the UK physical charts compared to the first game, but that may've just been physical. That said, it could indicate that maybe it's only the physical sales that were weak in Japan for the game on PS4/5 and, like the UK, the digital sales were much stronger.

Which could theoretically be extrapolated to explaining likely software sales in Japan for other PS5 games, which is also particularly telling considering Famitsu & Media Create, IIRC, don't track digital software sales. Or at least, if they do track digital, they do not include it in these charts which only track physical software & hardware sales.

 

[Draxon Gamer]

What happened last year where Xbox sold 14k but only sold 1k same time this year?

 

[Nautilus]

IIRC it opened lower on the UK physical charts compared to the first game, but that may've just been physical. That said, it could indicate that maybe it's only the physical sales that were weak in Japan for the game on PS4/5 and, like the UK, the digital sales were much stronger.

Which could theoretically be extrapolated to explaining likely software sales in Japan for other PS5 games, which is also particularly telling considering Famitsu & Media Create, IIRC, don't track digital software sales. Or at least, if they do track digital, they do not include it in these charts which only track physical software & hardware sales.

But that's not likely the case, as we know that the split in Japan is not as big as everywhere else.

Sure, Jedi Survivor may be an exception to the rule, but until proven otherwise, what is more likely to happen is probably the truth. And that also applies to the rest of the PS5 software, which most don't even appear in the physical charts.

 

[drganon]

IIRC it opened lower on the UK physical charts compared to the first game, but that may've just been physical. That said, it could indicate that maybe it's only the physical sales that were weak in Japan for the game on PS4/5 and, like the UK, the digital sales were much stronger.

Which could theoretically be extrapolated to explaining likely software sales in Japan for other PS5 games, which is also particularly telling considering Famitsu & Media Create, IIRC, don't track digital software sales. Or at least, if they do track digital, they do not include it in these charts which only track physical software & hardware sales.

You're wasting your time. There's no arguing with him. Every week Sony is doomed, etc.

 

[thicc_girls_are_teh_best]

But that's not likely the case, as we know that the split in Japan is not as big as everywhere else.

We know this based on what, exactly? Was there a report provided with data showing as such? Has Sony published digital sales data for PS software in Japan, or a 3P entity? We always assumed that in places like the UK, Xbox digital was a lot higher than PlayStation but then actual data came out showing PS digital is almost 2:1 over Xbox on average even in markets like the UK.

Sure, Jedi Survivor may be an exception to the rule, but until proven otherwise, what is more likely to happen is probably the truth. And that also applies to the rest of the PS5 software, which most don't even appear in the physical charts.

Possibly, but also look at the fact most Switch software that charts is Nintendo software, and the weekly sales are less than 1% of the total install base of the hardware in Japan. So I don't see a reason to specify PS5's software problem in Japan, if such exists, is specific to that platform when 3P software sales on Switch are very low compared to Nintendo's own games.

It seems a lot more like an issue with the software market in Japan for anything that's not a big Nintendo IP.

You're wasting your time. There's no arguing with him. Every week Sony is doomed, etc.

Well, we can try I suppose

 

[Luigi Mario]

What happened last year where Xbox sold 14k but only sold 1k same time this year?

Famitsu were likely over-tracking Xbox Series hardware in comparison to Media Create, who had way lower Xbox numbers but they don’t publicly release their weekly sales charts anymore. So again, these low numbers the past few months aren’t that surprising.

 

[Nautilus]

We know this based on what, exactly? Was there a report provided with data showing as such? Has Sony published digital sales data for PS software in Japan, or a 3P entity? We always assumed that in places like the UK, Xbox digital was a lot higher than PlayStation but then actual data came out showing PS digital is almost 2:1 over Xbox on average even in markets like the UK.



Possibly, but also look at the fact most Switch software that charts is Nintendo software, and the weekly sales are less than 1% of the total install base of the hardware in Japan. So I don't see a reason to specify PS5's software problem in Japan, if such exists, is specific to that platform when 3P software sales on Switch are very low compared to Nintendo's own games.

It seems a lot more like an issue with the software market in Japan for anything that's not a big Nintendo IP.



Well, we can try I suppose

Thanks to CESA White Book, we have an idea.

Digital Sales were 17,5% of retail sales in Japan in 2018 but only represented 8,8% revenue

First of all, please note that only games with retail version are included. Digital-only, DLC, etc are not included. Here the evolution if the Japanese digital market from 2013 to 2018. Software year 2018: Ratio package to downloads Software by number of units sold (Legend: Total units sold =...

www.resetera.com

Yes, its from Resetera, but the source he uses is from CESA, and its all nicely formated.

The latest data is from 2018, so its a bit old, but it gives you a good idea on how the split is.

And sure, you might argue that the split in favour for digital is higher nowadays. And you would be right. But it is NOWHERE near the % needed to compensate the complete lack of physical sales to drop even a tiny bit the worry about Sony situation in Japan.

I'm remembering this from memory so it might not be 100% correct(Later at home I can do a better research if you want) but two of the largest releases in the last few years, Animal Crossing(2020) and Splatoon 3 (2022), had about 42% to 45% of their sales being digital. So about half. And we know this by comparing the sales Nintendo reported right after a week of sales has passed, versus what Famitsu and Media Create reported.

And seeing that those franchises are gaming mammoths(so it draws people from all backgrounds and circunstances), and that the Switch is a juggernaut in Japan as it is worldwide, it seems fair to assume(Especially since we have no data to assume otherwise) that the same kind of purchase behavior is similar, if not identical, to Sony consoles in Japan. Even if we round up the split to 50%, 50% of what seems to be either neglegible or non-existant physical software, the total ammount is still neglegible or non-existant.

I keep telling you guys that I have zero beefs with Sony(Outside of when they butcher a franchise I like, much like with The Last Of Us 2), I'm just getting to the conclusions the numbers tell us.

 

[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

Wow, Hogwarts for PS4. Thats something.

If the Switch version is half-decent it has the potential to sell gangbuster on the Nintendo platform as Japan loves Harry Potter (probably the biggest market after UK and US for Harry Potter) and almost everyone has a Switch there.

 

[Captain Toad]

Me, and I believe others too, would appreciate if you discussed the topic at hand and added to the conversation, instead of derailing it with tangent topics.

So please, if you would do just that, at least I would appreciate it greatly.

I wouldn't. I'd rather they call you out it.

 

[feynoob]

the last samurai giving ps5 new life in japan

an older quote from a famitsu interview after ps5 launch

"SIE has deep ties with Japanese licensees, so we would like to further strengthen our cooperation in the future and develop titles made in Japan for PlayStation fans around the world"

this man knows whats up

Less talk and work more.
2 things that grants you success.

 

[Kerotan]

PS5 keeping the dedicated console market alive BABY!!!

PS4 in second!

100k over 2 week's now we're talking!

 

[thicc_girls_are_teh_best]

Thanks to CESA White Book, we have an idea.

Digital Sales were 17,5% of retail sales in Japan in 2018 but only represented 8,8% revenue

First of all, please note that only games with retail version are included. Digital-only, DLC, etc are not included. Here the evolution if the Japanese digital market from 2013 to 2018. Software year 2018: Ratio package to downloads Software by number of units sold (Legend: Total units sold =...

www.resetera.com

Yes, its from Resetera, but the source he uses is from CESA, and its all nicely formated.

The latest data is from 2018, so its a bit old, but it gives you a good idea on how the split is.

And sure, you might argue that the split in favour for digital is higher nowadays. And you would be right. But it is NOWHERE near the % needed to compensate the complete lack of physical sales to drop even a tiny bit the worry about Sony situation in Japan.

I'm remembering this from memory so it might not be 100% correct(Later at home I can do a better research if you want) but two of the largest releases in the last few years, Animal Crossing(2020) and Splatoon 3 (2022), had about 42% to 45% of their sales being digital. So about half. And we know this by comparing the sales Nintendo reported right after a week of sales has passed, versus what Famitsu and Media Create reported.

And seeing that those franchises are gaming mammoths(so it draws people from all backgrounds and circunstances), and that the Switch is a juggernaut in Japan as it is worldwide, it seems fair to assume(Especially since we have no data to assume otherwise) that the same kind of purchase behavior is similar, if not identical, to Sony consoles in Japan. Even if we round up the split to 50%, 50% of what seems to be either neglegible or non-existant physical software, the total ammount is still neglegible or non-existant.

I keep telling you guys that I have zero beefs with Sony(Outside of when they butcher a franchise I like, much like with The Last Of Us 2), I'm just getting to the conclusions the numbers tell us.

Fair enough. Like you said, those are old numbers & old data, but it's the most recent in any case so it's what we have to work with. And I would agree to some extent, then, that digital doesn't make up for lacking physical sales of PS5 software in Japan, and that could potentially be a point of concern down the line when accounting for software revenue from the Japanese market.

However, like I also mentioned and as you even illustrate, it seems the ONLY games that are bucking depreciating software sales in Japan are most of Nintendo's own IP. And I think that's for two key reasons. One, because a lot of those games (Mario, Zelda, Pokemon etc.) have been around for decades and content curated very well over multiple console & portable generations. And two, because those IP benefit from tight vertical integration brand-wise with Nintendo's own hardware. I would say Nintendo being very stern (almost stubborn) in refusing things like regular price drops, or porting their games to non-Nintendo hardware, has benefited the prestige and brand perception of their marquee IP thus adding value to those games and that value creating the perception the games are worth buying, thus increasing the sales.

Because again, if you look at most non-Nintendo 3P software sales in Japan for Switch, they are magnitudes lower than Nintendo's games and most aren't that much higher than PlayStation equivalent releases.

 

[Woopah]

Wow, Hogwarts for PS4. Thats something.

Its the biggest third party game on PS5 so far. I would not be too shocked if, physcially at least, Hogwarts' total sales are higher than those of FFXVI this year.

What are you guys expectations of both Switch hardware and Tears of the Kingdom numbers?

Considering this week sales, I expect the Switch to do around 100k next week, while Zelda should do at least a million physically.

My expctaitons are:

Hardware - 115,000
TOTK - 1.06 million

I believe that the Zelda Switch special edition console released on 4/29 so that may have helped Switch numbers during GW and might suppress sales a bit during the actual release on May 12th.

https://www.nintendo.co.jp/hardware/detail/switch-oled/zelda-totk/

Not sure how many of those were produced/released though.

Nintendo made sure

But that's not likely the case, as we know that the split in Japan is not as big as everywhere else.

Sure, Jedi Survivor may be an exception to the rule, but until proven otherwise, what is more likely to happen is probably the truth. And that also applies to the rest of the PS5 software, which most don't even appear in the physical charts.

Jedi: Fallen Order did 55,062 copies in total physically, so Survivor is likely to do worse physically. However I would expect an increase in digital, so that the total sales of the sequel are not that much below the original.

We know this based on what, exactly? Was there a report provided with data showing as such? Has Sony published digital sales data for PS software in Japan, or a 3P entity? We always assumed that in places like the UK, Xbox digital was a lot higher than PlayStation but then actual data came out showing PS digital is almost 2:1 over Xbox on average even in markets like the UK.



Possibly, but also look at the fact most Switch software that charts is Nintendo software, and the weekly sales are less than 1% of the total install base of the hardware in Japan. So I don't see a reason to specify PS5's software problem in Japan, if such exists, is specific to that platform when 3P software sales on Switch are very low compared to Nintendo's own games.

It seems a lot more like an issue with the software market in Japan for anything that's not a big Nintendo IP.



Well, we can try I suppose

Nintendo games do tend to sell better than most third party games, but that's not unique to Japan. Its the case in other markets such as South Korea and France as well. I can see that being reversed somewhat on Switch 2 if third parties can be there from Day 1, rahrer than scrambling to play catch up like they did on Switch 1 (or still havn't caught up in the case of some, looking at you Bandai Namco Studios).

The software situaiton with PS5 and its disconect from hardware sales is very very odd, and not something we saw with Switch or PS4 so it is quite unique.

 

[DenchDeckard]

Switch domination....ahead of zelda I guess?

 

[Raonak]

Good stuff PS5

 

[Chastten]

Good hardware sales, but man, those are some sad software numbers.

Nintendo better have some surprise announcements soon if they're gonna ride out the Switch for another year, otherwise this is gonna be a long year after Zelda releases.

Pikmin 4 won't do very large numbers and thats pretty much all they have announced right now.