Japan's Gaming Scene: A Quiet Week with a New Switch 2 Release
The gaming charts in Japan have taken a surprising turn, with a new Nintendo Switch 2 title making its debut. Despite the excitement of a new release, the overall sales numbers are surprisingly low, leaving us with a rather uneventful week.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition takes the crown with a modest 31,372 copies sold, which is a far cry from the usual blockbuster launches. But here's where it gets interesting: the original Switch 1 version of the game received a boost, climbing to fourth place. Meanwhile, Mario Kart World and Pokémon Legends: Z-A complete the top three.
This week's sales figures reveal a general slowdown, which is perhaps expected during the post-holiday lull. But the lack of major releases or significant events makes it a rather unremarkable period for gamers.
Here's a breakdown of the top 10 physical game sales in Japan:
| Position | Game | Platform | Unit Sales (Jan 12-18) | Total Unit Sales |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | Animal Crossing: New Horizons - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition | Switch 2 | 31,372 (New) | - |
| 2 | Mario Kart World | Switch 2 | 17,639 | 2,778,889 |
| 3 | Pokémon Legends: Z-A | Switch | 9,990 | 1,587,653 |
| 4 | Animal Crossing: New Horizons | Switch | 9,047 | 8,343,109 |
| 5 | Pokémon Legends: Z-A - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition | Switch 2 | 8,560 | 1,065,074 |
| 6 | Momotaro Dentetsu 2 (East & West Japan) - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition | Switch 2 | 8,415 | 249,798 |
| 7 | Momotaro Dentetsu 2 (East & West Japan) | Switch | 8,070 | 302,212 |
| 8 | Kirby Air Riders | Switch 2 | 7,942 | 480,491 |
| 9 | Minecraft | Switch | 5,465 | 4,133,500 |
| 10 | Donkey Kong Bananza | Switch 2 | 4,966 | 465,146 |
As for hardware, Nintendo dominates with the Switch 2, Switch Lite, and Switch OLED occupying the top three spots. However, console sales are relatively low, reflecting the quiet nature of the week. Combining all Switch 1 models yields 27,234 sales, while the PS5 models collectively sold 9,983 units.
Here's the hardware chart for the week:
| Position | Console | Unit Sales (Jan 12-18) | Lifetime Unit Sales |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | Switch 2 | 67,509 | 4,165,414 |
| 2 | Switch Lite | 12,686 | 6,835,611 |
| 3 | Switch OLED | 8,631 | 9,423,469 |
| 4 | PlayStation 5 Digital Edition | 6,358 | 1,167,422 |
| 5 | Switch | 5,917 | 20,230,657 |
| 6 | PlayStation 5 | 2,378 | 5,877,836 |
| 7 | PlayStation 5 Pro | 1,247 | 316,368 |
| 8 | Xbox Series X Digital Edition | 230 | 25,090 |
| 9 | Xbox Series S | 50 | 340,514 |
| 10 | Xbox Series X | 23 | 323,907 |
| 11 | PlayStation 4 | 10 | 7,930,186 |
And this is the part most people miss: despite the lack of major headlines, these charts offer a fascinating insight into the Japanese gaming market's ebb and flow. Do you think the post-holiday sales dip is a temporary blip, or is it a sign of a larger trend? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and let's discuss the future of gaming in Japan!
