Tag: Japan
News Square Enix to Absorb Subsidiary Tokyo RPG Factory and All Its Assets
Closing the production line
Tokyo RPG Factory was established by Square Enix approximately a decade ago in order to recapture the magic of the “golden age” of role-playing releases. However, following the launch of three titles – I Am Setsuna, Lost Sphear, and Oninaki – the subsidiary has been absorbed into its parent company, and will...
News PS5 Had Sony's Best Year in Japan for Almost 20 Years
Hardware strong, software not
Sony managed to sell an enormous 2.6 million PS5 consoles in Japan last year, representing a colossal 124 per cent increase year-over-year. Of course, the dramatic upswing was to be expected following the dismal hardware shortages that plagued the platform in the post-pandemic period. This result, however, represents...
News Japan Sales Charts: PS5 Can't Quite Topple 100k in Final Weeks of Year
But a solid year for Sony in its home nation
All in all, Sony had a decent year in Japan in 2023 – although it couldn’t topple 100k in the final two weeks of December. The system instead settled for a total tally of 81,943 units, less than half that of ageing rival Nintendo Switch. Obviously, the House of Mario’s role as market leader in its...
News Japan Sales Charts: PS5 Still Flying Off Shelves Despite Switch Software Dominance
Riding the wave
The PS5 has topped the Japanese hardware charts for a second week in a row, following on from the recent arrival of the PS5 'Slim' model. Sony's current-gen console claimed the number one spot (second in combined sales) with around 51,300 units sold; an expected drop-off from its previous tally, but still a good showing for a system...
News PlayStation's Prepared a Massive PS5 Marketing Push in Japan
Return of the King (Gnu)
Earlier this week, a tease from PlayStation Japan had people speculating over some kind of secret announcement — but as we pointed out in our news coverage, the company was just hinting at a collaboration with popular Japanese band King Gnu. As it turns out, though, this promotion is actually a much bigger deal than we...
News Japan Sales Charts: PS5 Rockets to the Top as 'Slim' Model Arrives
Like a Dragon Gaiden also sells well
Just in case there was any doubt about why PS5 sales plummeted in Japan over the last few weeks, Sony's current-gen console has now rocketed to the top of the hardware charts thanks to the arrival of fresh stock. The new PS5 model, commonly referred to as the 'Slim', is now readily available in the region, and...
News Star Ocean The Second Story R Sells Reasonably Well at Japanese Retail
R-tfully done
Recently released remake Star Ocean The Second Story R is enjoying a decent physical debut in Japan, the latest Famitsu sales charts reveal. It's not remotely surprising, but the classic RPG revival sold best on Nintendo Switch, followed by PS5 and then PS4. In total, the title moved just over 50,000 copies — which obviously isn't...
News Stop the Presses: Xbox Actually Outsold PlayStation in Japan Last Week, But There's a Big Catch
Calm before the storm
It's no secret that Xbox has historically struggled in Japan — especially when it comes to moving hardware. This generation has been no different for the team in green, with the Xbox Series X|S barely registering on the sales charts week after week. But in a shocking twist, Microsoft's current-gen systems actually outsold...
News Of Course Baldur's Gate 3 Will Be Heavily Censored in Japan
Careful now
Baldur's Gate 3 might have a high fantasy backdrop, but it certainly doesn't shy away from adult themes. In particular, the RPG is packed with intimate cutscenes and sexually-charged character interactions — to the point where the title's reputation practically hinges on such content outside of our more hardcore sphere. The game also...
News Elden Ring, Dark Souls Dev FromSoftware Beefing Up for Multiple New PS5 Games
Webinars to introduce roles in December
FromSoftware may have a long history dating all the way back to 1994’s King’s Field on the PS1, but it’s become an industry darling in more recent years. The veteran developer has unexpectedly discovered mainstream success with titles like Dark Souls and Elden Ring, and even the sixth instalment in its...
News PlayStation Japan Hype Trailer Brings PS5, PS4's Biggest Names
Final Fantasy! Tekken! Granblue Fantasy!
PlayStation Japan has released its bi-annual hype trailer for a bunch of upcoming PS5 (and PS4) games, with Final Fantasy VII Rebirth understandably occupying the headline spot. It’s flanked by an eclectic slate of software, including Armored Core 6, Tekken 8, and Like a Dragon Gaiden
News Demand for PlayStation Portal Sky High in Japan, Pre-Orders Reportedly Sold Out
Thinking with portals
The PlayStation Portal has been met with raised eyebrows and shrugged shoulders among enthusiasts in the West, but it seems as though Japan is very much onboard with the Remote Play handheld. Pre-orders for the device recently went live at various retailers, and over in Sony's homeland, demand is reportedly high; PS Portal is...
Feature I Visited Yakuza's Real-Life Kamurocho, And Somehow Avoided an Ass Stomping
The armpit of Tokyo
In the latest trailer for Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, protagonist Ichiban Kasuga describes his home town of Kamurocho as the “armpit of Tokyo”. During a recent visit to the capital, I wanted to see if the real-life location the virtual sandbox is based on lived up to that description. There was no point in visiting during...
News There's a Lot to Look Forward to At Tokyo Game Show This Year
And it's happening soon
Tokyo Game Show is coming back with a bang this year, and it looks like there’ll be a lot to look forward to throughout the extended weekend. Scheduled to start on 21st September through 24th September, organisers the Computer Entertainment Supplier’s Association have been billing this as the biggest TGS in some time,...
News PS5 Quietly Crosses 4 Million Units Milestone in Japan
And rising
Contrary to reports suggesting otherwise, the PS5 has quietly been on the upswing in recent days, particularly in Sony's home region of Japan. Famitsu's latest report (thanks Gematsu) records that the PlayStation 5 family sold 53,211 units during the week of 24th July to 30th July 30, 2023 (with little brother PS4 notching up a...
News Japanese Final Fantasy 16 Sales Plummet by 90% in Second Week
Beaten by Master Detective Archives too
Japan really doesn't seem as hot on Final Fantasy titles anymore, as after the 16th mainline entry failed to hand the PS5 a chart-topping position, sales of the game have dropped considerably by 90 per cent. In its first week on the market, Final Fantasy XVI sold just over 336,000 physical copies. However, in...
News Even with Final Fantasy 16, PS5 Can't Outsell Switch in Japan
Game sells 330,000+ copies
If you need any more evidence the Nintendo Switch has Japan on complete lock, then here it is: even with Final Fantasy XVI backing it, the PS5 couldn't outsell the hybrid system last week. Famitsu statistics reveal (via Gematsu) the PS5 — disc console and digital edition combined — sold 85,385 units. Meanwhile, the...
News Final Fantasy 16's Painterly Japanese Commercial Is Epic
Packing a punch
The Japanese commercial for Final Fantasy 16 goes hard – alarmingly so. This extended television spot features several renaissance (?) style paintings, which are animated in a kind of stop-motion style to bring them to life. While dramatic music plays in the background, a voiceover speaks in Japanese, presumably spouting deeply...
News Jim Ryan: Japanese Market Still Very Important to Sony
It's the "birthplace" of PlayStation
PlayStation boss Jim Ryan has reinforced Sony's commitment to the Japanese gaming market in a new interview with Famitsu, where he states it continues to be an important region for the company. Ryan explains (via Google Translate): "The Japanese market has been and will continue to be one of the most important...
News Japan Sales Charts: Golden Week Helps Drive PS5 Just Shy of 100k Units
All yellow
The latest Japanese sales charts, compiled and published by gaming bible Famitsu, account for two weeks of data, which is worth pointing out right away. Golden Week was kind to the PS5, however, driving the system to sales just shy of 100k units, specifically 99,938. Sony’s system was, as usual, handily outsold by the Nintendo Switch,...
News Toro Inoue Fronts PlayStation's Tokyo Rainbow Pride 2023 Booth
Meet PlayStation's mascot
PlayStation mascot Toro Inoue could be spotted greeting attendees at Tokyo Rainbow Pride 2023 today, as Sony setup a pretty large booth at the weekend event. The company was giving away badges and fans, while SEGA was also in attendance at the parade. The platform holder has backed various Pride events around the...
News Japan Sales Charts: PS5 Sales Beaten by Switch But Remain Steady
Just shy of 40,000 consoles bought
Sales of the PS5 in Japan flatlined last week, stopping the steady decrease in console purchases Sony has seen in the region for the past month or so. Since hitting the highs of 65,000 systems shifted in the space of seven days, sales are beginning to rest around the 40,000 mark when both models are combined. Case...
News Japan Sales Charts: Huge Drop in PS5 Sales But Still on Top, Just
Only 1,004 units in it
Sales of the PS5 console in Japan are down for a second week running, but the system still shifted just enough units to be named the country's best-selling box last week. 34,156 PS5 disc consoles were sold during the week beginning 13th March 2023 while 6,255 PS5 digital editions got bought. The PS5's closest rival was the...
News Japan Sales Charts: PS5 Is Slowing But Still Soaring
Another solid week
PS5 has absolutely exploded in Japan this year, crossing the three million units milestone, and overtaking the PS4 and PS3 launch aligned. An influx of stock availability has absolutely catapulted the console to extraordinary numbers domestically, but things are very slowly beginning to level off now. Case in point: this week the...
News PS5 Has Surpassed 3 Million Sales in Japan, By the Way
On the up
A headline that seems to have been overlooked earlier in the week, the PS5 has actually just surpassed the 3 million sales mark in Japan. That's a promising milestone for a console that appeared to be struggling right out of the gate — but as has been the case worldwide, PS5 sales have been skyrocketing thanks to Sony's stock issues...
News PS5 Sales Just Aren't Stopping in Japan as Sony's Console Is Still King
Tops Japanese charts again
It's almost hard to believe since the Nintendo Switch has utterly dominated the Japanese hardware (and software) charts for so many years, but the PS5 is top of the pile yet again in the latest sales list. Sony's current-gen console just isn't slowing down in Japan, where it sold through another 78,412 units last week...
News Sony Capitalises on PS5's Huge Japan Sales with Hype Software Montage
This is the punch line up
PS5 is pushing some extraordinary numbers in Japan, and is trending ahead of the PS4 and PS3 now Sony’s finally managed to get some stock onto store shelves. That means it’s time for one of the Japanese division’s trademark montage videos, this time with a police detective theme. The clips leads, as you’d expect, on...
News PS5 Sold More Last Month in Japan Than a Chunk of 2022
Things are looking up
PS5 sales increased by an eye-opening 457 per cent year-over-year in Japan last month, as Sony finally managed to get the system’s stock situation under control. The new-gen console sold an incredible 366,982 units in February 2023, more than the first four months of 2022 combined. That’s despite an increase in price, too!...
News PS5 Finally Starts Shifting Software in Japan on Back of Stock Rebound
On the rise
PS5’s astronomic rise in Japan continues, with another impressive 91,729 units flogged during the week ending 26th February, 2023. The new-gen system has been readily available in the region since the beginning of the year, and it’s had a colossal impact on the console’s install base, which is really motoring now. However, there...
News PS5 Records Another Good Week of Sales in Japan, 2.5 Million Sold Since Launch
Hogwarts Legacy still sells best
As the PS5 Stock situation has less of an effect on consumers' ability to purchase the system, sales of the console have continued to grow in Sony's native country of Japan. It's now topped the region's hardware sales chart for five weeks in a row, with this latest round of purchases meaning over 2.5 million consoles...
News Hogwarts Legacy Tops Japanese Charts as PS5 Domination Continues
As if by magic
The PS5 continues to outsell the competition by some distance in its native Japan, with hardware numbers pushing past an impressive 93,000 last week. There's been some debate over why the PS5 is doing so well despite the fact that software sales seem so dead, but that's not really a point of contention this time around, as Hogwarts...
News Japanese PS5 Hardware May Be Being Sent Overseas, Explaining Soft Software Sales
Stock allegedly being shipped to China
Sony is selling a lot of PS5 consoles in its native Japan right now, but physical software sales are non-existent. In the latest Famitsu report, the manufacturer moved almost 100k units, but not a single boxed title could break the software top ten – and they only would have needed to sell over 4,480 units to...
News PS5 Still King of the Japanese Charts Despite Having No Games in Top Ten
Closes on 100k in gigantic week
PS5 closed on 100k units sold through the week ending 5th February in Japan. Sony’s new-gen format – which had been flailing in its domestic region due to supply issues – managed to move 93,026 units in total for the seven day week, capping off a meteoric rise for the machine. The firm had promised stock would...
News PS5 Finally Takes Control of Japanese Charts, As Forspoken Flops
New-gen console comfortably outsells Nintendo Switch
It’s taken a long time, but PS5 is finally doing well in Japan. The system, capped for so long by poor availability, has been gradually getting a foothold in its native territory – and while the Nintendo Switch still very much reigns supreme, it’s finally overtaken the hybrid this week. Sony...
News As PS5's Stock Situation Improves, Japanese Retailers Are Ditching Lotteries
Order direct
Sony promised the PS5 would be much easier to find in 2023, and it’s slowly becoming a reality. Sales are improving dramatically in the manufacturer’s native Japan, where for the longest time you’ve had to register your interest with retailers in order to partake in lotteries for the opportunity to purchase a system. That practice...
News PS5 Gaining More Traction in Japan as It Tops Weekly Hardware Chart
Switching things up
It's no secret: anything not related to Nintendo's line of Switch consoles has been struggling to keep up in Japan. However, with Sony beginning to leave behind its manufacturing woes, the PS5 is now finding its footing, offering up some competitive sales numbers in the latest weekly chart. The standard PS5 was last week's...
News One Piece Odyssey Among Japan's Best Sellers During Launch Week
Second only to Pokemon
One Piece Odyssey was one of the best-selling games in Japan during its first week on the market, with only the joint sales of Pokemon Scarlet and Pokemon Violet beating it to top spot. The PS4 version sold best at 35,123 units, while the PS5 edition sold 26,879 copies. It beat out competition from other Nintendo
News PS5 Sales Continue Upward Trajectory in Japan Following Stock Improvements
Back on track
Sony promised it’d ship a healthy supply of PS5 consoles in Japan this holiday, and it’s not disappointed. The console still can’t catch up to the runaway freight train that is the Nintendo Switch, but it’s doing pretty well right now, with another 68,819 units sold in the week spanning 19th December through 25th December...
News PS5 Soars in Japan After Sony Said Stock Issues Are Resolved
On the up
PS5’s performance in Japan was meme-worthy for a good while, but fresh from claiming it’s resolved the system’s stock issues, the console is on fire of late. To clarify: it’s still a million miles away from the substantially more successful Nintendo Switch – that’s not even up for discussion. But it’s doing a helluva lot...
News Sony Bigwig Teases Very Important 2023 for PS5
"I can’t talk about specifics at this time"
In a wide-ranging interview with Japanese gaming bible Famitsu, Sony’s senior vice president of platform experience Hideaki Nishino hinted that 2023 will be “very important” for PS5. “I can’t talk about specifics at this time,” he said, via Google Translate, “but I hope you will look...
News Elden Ring, Genshin Impact Take Top Honours at PlayStation Partner Awards
Sony schmoozes strongest performing partners
The annual PlayStation Partner Awards are a bit of an oddity, as they celebrate sales as opposed to critical success. The shindig – hosted by Sony’s Japanese department for decades now – is designed to reward publishing partners for their commercial success on PlayStation platforms, so it’s more...
News PS5 Can't Beat Pokémon, But It's Selling Well in Japan Right Now
Numbers on the up
Look, nothing can stop the Nintendo Switch in Japan – especially not with a new Pokémon game on store shelves. But there’s good news for Sony: with the PS5 stock situation finally improving, the console is actually beginning to shift some serious units. The software charts don’t paint a particularly positive picture for the...
News Sony Japan Unveils Mocopi, At-Home Motion Capture for the Metaverse
Groovy
Here's some PlayStation-adjacent news for you from Sony Japan. The company's latest innovation is Mocopi, a set of motion capture devices you attach to your body and use with a mobile device to animate your personal avatar. You can get a feel for what it's all about in the above video. The set includes six small sensors you secure to your...
News PS5, PS4 Finally Shifts Some Software in Japan Again
Still got it
While the PS5 has attracted a somewhat sizeable install base in Japan, there has been concern about its software sales. We know the industry at large is gradually shifting towards digital, but Famitsu’s charts have painted a particularly bleak picture for PlayStation software of late, with the Nintendo Switch effectively steamrolling...
News Hold On, PS5 Just Outsold Switch in Japan
Somehow
Regular readers will know all too well that we don't tend to cover Japanese sales charts these days because Nintendo is just so utterly dominant that it barely counts as PlayStation-related news. But today, things are different. The latest Japanese hardware charts are in, and, shockingly, the PS5 actually managed to outsell the Nintendo...
News Japan Simply Isn't Enough Anymore as Square Enix Calls Global Market a 'Critical' Priority
Times have changed
This industry really has changed, hasn't it? It's no secret that the big Japanese publishers — Capcom, SEGA, Square Enix, etc. — are largely looking to the West these days, as their home nation seems to distance itself more and more from traditional console gaming (well, outside of Nintendo, at least). Whether it's enforcing...
News The Callisto Protocol Cancels Japanese Release After Refusing to Censor Violence
Bound by blood
Fast-approaching PS5 and PS4 horror title The Callisto Protocol has called off its release in Japan just over a month from launch. The announcement comes via the title's official Japanese Twitter account, which states that the game has been refused classification by the country's CERO rating system. In order to be released in Japan,...
News PlayStation Japan Returns with Another Musical Montage of PS5, PS4 Games
One Room Playground
The official PlayStation Japan channel is at it again, producing yet another montage trailer stuffed with upcoming PS5 and PS4 games. This time accompanied by a laid back J-pop tune and a mix of live action and animation, there are numerous exciting titles highlighted here. The video goes over games such as Final Fantasy XVI,...
News PS5, PS4 Had 1.5% of Console Market Share in Japan Last Week
A blot on its record
We all know Splatoon is a phenomenon in Japan, and that Sony’s situation in its domestic market is “challenging” to put it politely. But the latest Famitsu sales report will surely be sobering for the top brass at PlayStation, as its consoles slumped to just 1.5 per cent of the overall market share for the week ending 11th...
News Japanese Gamers Aren't Impressed with PS5's Price Hike
Many say they're simply giving up on the system
Sony is already having a torrid time in its home territory, but it looks like the PS5’s price hike could prove the straw that broke the camel’s back in its domestic Japan. Like the rest of the world – apart from the USA, of course – Japanese gamers have been reacting to the c
