Japanese hardware sales, Apr. 9 - Apr. 15: Run the course edition

by Ludwig Kietzmann { Apr 20th 2007 at 11:45PM }

There were many buttons typed to bring you this information, but it is a fate they gladly endure in order to keep you abreast of things abroad. This week's Japanese charts reveal that all is still well in the land of Nintendonia, where people waggle without care and enjoy the company of their portable money printers. But in the land of Sony, er, land, things are somewhat gloomy.

Indeed, the PS3 will have to double its efforts -- which means the Xbox 360 had better start practicing some serious multiplication.

- DS Lite: 133,325

22,480 (20.28%)
- Wii: 75,759

23,176 (44.08%)
- PSP: 24,850

6,653 (21.12%)
- PS2: 12,872

1,362 (9.57%)
- PS3: 11,948

2,572 (17.71%)
- Xbox 360: 2,900

63 (2.13%)
- GBA SP: 654

179 (21.49%)
- Game Boy Micro: 617

105 (20.51%)
- Gamecube: 167

88 (34.51%)
- DS Phat: 146

56 (62.22%)
- GBA: 26

14 (116.67%)

[Source: Media Create]

See also: Previous Japanese hardware sales charts

Oh, and if you've been with us all day, there's one more thing worth mentioning...

STAR WARS

(Okay, we're done now.)

Tags: Japanese hardware sales, JapaneseHardwareSales

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Chris @ Apr 20th 2007 11:50PM

Will we ever get an explanation for the Star Wars mania today? Or will it remain a mystery, leaving just a little bit of wonder in our lives...

Tim @ Apr 21st 2007 12:12AM

Ahh, that last bit made me laugh.

hvnlysoldr @ Apr 21st 2007 12:19AM

Dangit Ludwig that's just an anticlimatic way to sum up today. Not as bad as Today on 'stiq though. Only Nintendo products went up. Wii and DS Lite raised double digit growth.

Champloo @ Apr 21st 2007 12:26AM

I have in fact been with you all day, and thusly, that Star Wars comment? Brilliant. Now to the topic at hand... you don't need to worry about the Xbox 360 in Japan. Eternal Sonata will be released soon, bundled with the 360, and much like Blue Dragon before it, it will move thousands of consoles.

The following quote is taken from a sourced article on Wikipedia:

"With a total of 80,348 units sold in the first four days of release in Japan, Blue Dragon became the fastest selling Xbox 360 game in the region. Many gamers in Japan purchased an Xbox 360 to play Blue Dragon. Of the 80,000 units sold in the first week, "approximately 30,000 of those copies were included with the Xbox 360 system in a bundle". On October 19, 2006 all 10,000 Blue Dragon preorders bundled with a limited edition Xbox 360 Core system were sold-out in Japan."

You can expect similar results from Eternal Sonata. Not to mention the upcoming Mistwalker RPGs, and various multi-platform games (IE: Devil May Cry 4).

waves @ Apr 21st 2007 12:40AM

Seems like a trend. Once again The DS outsells everything else put together and the Wii outsells everything below it put together.

Jounin @ Apr 21st 2007 1:30AM

Sorry Champloo, but your hopes for the XBox360 in Japan will not be realized. Blue Dragon sold only 140K units and the hardware sales increase was a mere blip then leveled off to about the same flat line. If anything Eternal Sonata will probably only sell a few more because it is really just those who played BD who will go get ES. You need the killer game and the XBox360 is just putting out prettier versions of the same for the Japanese market. If you want to see a system mover, watch what Dragon Quest will do to the DS and almost every Japanese person owns one already.

Champloo @ Apr 21st 2007 1:48AM

Ha, well, I didn't mean it would make the Xbox 360 a success in Japan. I merely meant it would temporarily increase sales, making it more of a success than it was previously.

The Xbox 360 is making some great strides to break into that market: having a studio dedicated to RPGs exclusively for the Xbox 360 created by the creator of Final Fantasy (as well as some other Square-Enix veterans), getting some key Japanese franchises to go multi-platform (Devil May Cry, Resident Evil, etc), and their ability to promote is increasing.

Take the Blue Dragon anime and manga for example. For the kids that don't already have the game or an Xbox 360, if they like the anime/manga they'll go and buy the game and a 360 just because they love the series, and it's the only option to play the game on. It also helps that games like Blue Dragon aren't just throw-away titles, and have been getting very favorable reviews.

So no, I doubt the Xbox 360 will ever be a true success in Japan in comparison to the Wii and PS3, but I think Microsoft is doing a good job establishing itself as more than just "That American brand". Should things keep going like they are, they may be able to lay the groundwork for future Microsoft console generations.

Champloo @ Apr 21st 2007 1:53AM

Oh, and on a side note, you can't expect two newly established series like Blue Dragon and Eternal Sonata to sell half as well as a game like Dragon Quest in Japan. Not with the Japanese market being as standoffish about American products as they are. But providing that the first games do well (which Blue Dragon did, for a new title from a new studio), sales will increase, word-of-mouth will spread, and eventually their sequels and other games from those studios will do better and better.

Revo @ Apr 21st 2007 2:10AM

The Wii outsold the PS3 6.34 to 1 in Japan this week.

At the current rate, the Wii will reach 3 million sold in Japan before the PS3 reaches 1 million.

Seriously, people, let that sink in. What the PS3 is experiencing over there is a complete and utter massacre. The 360 now has what looks to be a serious challenger to compete with for Japan's coveted Most Irrelevant Console Award.

LongshotX @ Apr 21st 2007 2:37AM

Microsoft doesn't need Japan...didn't you get the Memo?

oni-link @ Apr 21st 2007 3:45AM

PS3 and to a degree the PSP are the BIGGEST "FLOP" in gaming history. Well maybe not the biggest; but going from hero to zero must be depressing for all the fanboys out there. Regardless of what the Sony boys are saying the PS3 and PSP is a corporate disappointment; that's already showing in cutbacks and managerial changes. If this continues I wouldn't be suprised if both PS3 and PSP goes the way of the dreamccast!!!!

John @ Apr 21st 2007 4:04AM

lol look at nintendo go

Striderhayasa @ Apr 21st 2007 6:14AM

Looking at those sales figures makes me think of david and goliath....or when bruce lee beat the hell out of chuck norris in Return of the Dragon..

Jeez the 360 sales are consistently putrid in Japan. Maybe the Japanese know something we don't...

syco @ Apr 21st 2007 7:06AM

And Nintendo was terrified that people wouldn't like the DS!

Plsk1n @ Apr 21st 2007 7:53AM

Mistwalker.. I just love Cry on artwork. Thats enough victory in japan for Microsoft to me.

Jason @ Apr 21st 2007 8:11AM

The Wii will probably hit an even higher sales ratio once the public gets ahold of these in Japan http://smashbrossource.com/?p=34

mr mobius @ Apr 21st 2007 8:43AM

I'm surprised and yet it feels familiar.

Nintendo is the only company to have a rise from last week in terms of every console on the list from Nintendo is rising.

Nintendo Wii has outsold PS3, and 360 is barely on the list. Then we go to the DS and someday, somehow, the sales of DS has to drop below 100k for 4 consequtive weeks in Japan. Somehow people are all going to have a DS who want a DS. There is only limited supply apparently still for the DS so this could be a long time away.

DS is bound to come close to eclipsing the PS2 title of best selling console (something PS3 looks damned to follow) if Nintendo allow the DS to stay available for long enough before releasing another handheld which isn't a DS.

I'm surprised as well by how little the Micro sells, because if there was limited supply of the DS, then surely people would want to buy a cheap Micro in the meantime and play any rpgs etc on the Micro. This is how the trend goes in America where the Micro is still selling relatively well as far as I rememebr.

Nintendo have Japanese market, and at the moment just have the American market (though 360 has the more units out because of the year ahead release), and Europe is sold out as far as I know, but 360 has the European market at the moment but its close.

V @ Apr 21st 2007 9:24AM

Geesh, I'm not sure I wanted Sony to get slaughtered this badly. Competition makes this industry better.

I do wonder why would anyone buy a PS3 now when it's clear that Sony will a) lower the price soon and b) bundle rumble-enabled controllers with the systems. Comments from Sony have made it pretty clear that, now that the Immersion deal has been settled, we'll be seing a totally different SIXAXIS controller soon.

FrankTheCrank @ Apr 21st 2007 10:24AM

Who cares about graphics?

480P is good enough for me.

Tron Knotts @ Apr 21st 2007 12:02PM

Some big name games, like Crash of the Titans, are coming out for every system other than the PS3.

If that trend continues, will the PS3 die?

AKM @ Apr 21st 2007 12:47PM

You guys really think wii will be here around 2008? Common… my cell phones have more power and better graphics. Unlike 360 and ps3 who lose money on every system sold, wii make money on every chip system. But… average wii owner will hardly spend more than $5.99 on games.
To say wii outsold ps3 or 360 it’s the same as to say peoples buy more 0.25c Pepsi then GreyGoose vodka.

Ken @ Apr 21st 2007 12:55PM

AKM,

You've opened my eyes! Nintendo's console will not last more than a year. I can't believe it.

That's the same old shit that people have been saying since the concept of the controllers came out. "It wont last long in the market."

Now it looks like ps3/360 fanboys are worried that Nintendo is finally dominating the SHIT out of you, and that's your only argument left.

That and the "bad graphics" arguement.. oh wait, you already said that.

Quit being a tool.

lukee @ Apr 21st 2007 1:05PM

I don't think that the wii will be around next MONTH.

Why?

People will all simultaneously realize that the wii actually *is* a gimmick and that it's not fun and that the most important factor in fun is graphics and not having any money left at the end of the day. I imagine that at around this time, people will also catch on to the gimmick and overall lameness of the DS. Additionally, people will be quite mad at Nintendo for "artifically creating demand" by sitting on stockpiles of Wiis (something that the masses are paying close attention to I might add), that they will literally tear the company apart, brick for brick, all the while singing praises of the PS3 and the Xbox360 and singing glorious songs, moaning and chanting "hardcore gamR" "nxt gen" and "hd".

Or, you know, people will continue to buy the shit out of Nintendo products because they are well made, fun as hell, and historically relevant.

(On a related note, I really don't think that "gamers" who call for the downfall of Nintendo have a soul. Isn't that like pissing on a WWII vet or something?)

Cunt of No Trades @ Apr 21st 2007 1:05PM

AKM- people don't buy Wii games eh?

Is that so? well lets see shall we?

http://vgchartz.com/aweekly.php

In its first week, Paper Mario has sold nearly as many as Motorstorm has in its whole time out.

Week ending April 15th, Wii takes 28.6% of software sales, compared to 26% for the 360, and a laughable 5.7% for the PS3.

Seems like you were right all along, eh?

Jim @ Apr 21st 2007 1:23PM

A few weeks more and PS3 has Xbox 360 sales numbers, which are measly?!

is @ Apr 21st 2007 1:24PM

Seriously, nintendo should stop making hardware and just make games.

!

Im gonna say it every week.

Joshua @ Apr 21st 2007 1:39PM

Wow, PS3 is almost under 10,000. That's really bad.

Kye @ Apr 21st 2007 1:40PM

Wow,
According to that chart. 10 of of the top 15 games sold are made by Nintendo.

Thats deep.

2006 Coupe Sport @ Apr 21st 2007 1:51PM

Nintendo has a reputation for a certain type of game and gamer and they are sticking to this. For a while it's fun to play the 11 year old girl games and they're popular now. Wii's are selling at a low enough price point that people will pick one up for the best titles, then in a few months it'll be collecting dust.

My PS3 out-of-the-box can play Underworld Evolution blu-ray for me, my wife, and my neighbours, then give me a Formula 1 high def' gaming speed rush that is just simply not possible on any other platform due to the massive processing power of the cell processor / supercomputer inside.

They are two different worlds and this is a good thing -- there is no such product to appeal to everyone at the same time. Good thing -- you whiny fan boys would have to find something new to whine about. Peace.

locuaz @ Apr 21st 2007 2:18PM

"then in a few months it'll be collecting dust." Just like the DS did, right?

Fernando Rocker @ Apr 21st 2007 2:35PM

I bet my Wii that, in 1 year, the PS3 will be gone... its the new Dreamcast...

Sorry PS3 Fanboys... the truth always hurts...

PS: Nintendo is for veterans gamers, 21 and older... mature persons... PS Brand is for new gamers, 15 years, that thinks that blood and violence is "grow up"... Just look the stores, Gamestop, Walmart... the "puberty" boys are the ones who buy PS3...

Kesh @ Apr 21st 2007 2:36PM

"Artificially creating demand by sitting on stockpiles..."

I've had it with this BS argument. When was the last time you went and spent a hundred bucks on a console because you heard it is in short supply?

Seriously, how could this work? Both consoles have been out for a while now so there is no point pure publicity stunts, when it means compromising on sales.

Only 3 ways that I can see:

one, idiot parents see the news preorder consoles because they don't know how else to decide. But since a console is a major purchase I would think the parent would ask her kid first whether he wants it or not.

Two: people rely on sales reports of the console to tell them how popular it is, and then predict how much good software it will have based on that information.

Now in my experience most people buy consoles on the basis of the games that have already been announced. And more to the point, most poeple do not spend the time to predict third-party support for their consoles 3 years down the line.

Three: people want the same consoles as everyone else, if only for more multiplayer

In my experience, people want to buy the same consoles as their friends, not a million foreigners. Sales figures do not tell them what their friends are buying. Besides, Wii multiplayer is restricted.

Bear in mind that many people cannot be bothered to wait for preorders, so many of the idiots described above would simply not bother.

I see no way of arguing that creating a shortage of wiis will increase demand for it. That might work for FASHION items, when you can jack the price up, but I doubt it would work for a console.

Mr Khan @ Apr 21st 2007 2:43PM

Damn, did everyone sit on a tack today?

@ Jason, i hope that's true

On topic:
I don't think that anyone could've predicted how bad PS3 could do in Japan, and i think the reason for this is that because they see 360 as their biggest rival, they wanted to focus on delivering the same kind of content (always trying to 1up the 360). Sony slaughtered Nintendo in Japan last generation, and figured that the PlayStation brand was the only brand in consoles that the Japanese people even considered. They took the market for granted, apparently, because the only really Japanese-centric content they've delivered thusfar (and not even Sony, just 3rd parties) VF5 and Gundam Musuo

mepaco @ Apr 21st 2007 2:46PM

@29

"give me a Formula 1 high def' gaming speed rush that is just simply not possible on any other platform due to the massive processing power of the cell processor / supercomputer inside."

Man, did you really buy that Sony hype? I love my Wii and I admit it isn't nearly as powerful as the PS3. It won't be able to deliver the same graphics (though I'll have just as much fun). However, the PS3 is not a GAMING supercomputer. It isn't any more powerful than the 360. It rules for Folding ... not so much for gaming. Let me know when it does something GAMING related that the 360 can't.

nintendomaniac64 @ Apr 21st 2007 2:47PM

"then give me a Formula 1 high def' gaming speed rush that is just simply not possible on any other platform due to the massive processing power of the cell processor / supercomputer inside."
---Posted at 1:51PM on Apr 21st 2007 by 2006 Coupe Sport---

If we're talking about adrenaline speed rush, there's a little title on the Gamecube called F-Zero GX. As far as I know, that's the fastest game to date, though I could easily be wrong. The point is though, it WAS fast, it was on the Gamecube, and held 60fps with 30 other racers too.

Kesh @ Apr 21st 2007 2:54PM

if its a rush you want geometry wars does the trick. and you could run that on NES

Jesse @ Apr 21st 2007 5:42PM

"rush that is just simply not possible on any other platform due to the massive processing power of the cell processor / supercomputer inside."

The cell is 1/5th as powerful as my new ATI video card. You realize that the ATI video card can absolutely crush the cell at things like "GPU processing for gaming" and parallel processing like SETI@Home.

The Wii is going to become massively popular once more people get it (and therefore others discover it). What we're seeing now is just the tip of the iceberg.

Speaking of which, the pool of people willing to buy the PS3 at its current price without any interesting games coming out in the next few months is just getting smaller and smaller. I can't believe how sharply the sales have dropped off.

rfom @ Apr 21st 2007 5:45PM

Regarding the Titans game "not on PS3" - from wikipedia: The console versions started on the PS2, and then ported over to the Wii and Xbox 360

But seriously, it does seem like Nintendo did with wii what Sony did with PSP - Sony tried to create a handheld that was more like a PS2, with long load times, excessive specs (not really needed on a handheld), and most importantly games that were suited for a console but not a handheld.
The same could be argued for the wii, in reverse, its as if Ninty copied what made the DS great and just applied it to a console - cheap and underpowered, a lot of "party" games, the wiimote instead of stylus - but, doesnt work

And the bigger problem is that titles like Assasins, GTA4, RE5, Burnout 5, and a lot more are giving it a miss.
Which is a surprise - its already sold in 3 months more than what what 360 hit in 6 months, so why arent 3rd party developers giving it any love?

Matt B @ Apr 21st 2007 5:51PM

"The PS3 will Fail" LMAO!!!

Cause Sony is new to the gaming industry and will just bail on its flagship product 6 months after launch. You wish, but that is your own fanboy dream that you cook up into a false reality that only you believe. Then you have the nuts to flame on people who don't share your views.

syco @ Apr 21st 2007 6:34PM

If you multiply by (US$) price the PS3 isn't actually getting owned quite so ludicrously!

Wii: $18,939,750
PS3: $7,168,800 (Assuming all are 60Gb)
360: $1,160,000 (Assuming all are 20Gb)

Actually, that's still pretty bad...

mepaco @ Apr 21st 2007 6:52PM

@rfom

I don't think you are looking at the same stats I am. The Wii has as many exclusive games coming to it (many from 3rd parties) as any other system. No, they won't get a lot of the same games that the other systems get but that mainly because it just isn't powerful enough, not because the developers aren't supporting it. Moving a game to the Wii requires a big change in the graphics and in the control scheme. I think a lot of the games that come to the Wii won't be coming to the other systems and vice-versa.

Dolla Dolla @ Apr 21st 2007 7:41PM

You silly Nintendo lovers. Look at the numbers!!!

There's only one statistic in this weekly bunch that matters to PS3 fans.

PS3 VS GBA ... PS3 Wins! HUZZAH!!!

Rob @ Apr 21st 2007 8:35PM

LOL @ 29 CoupSport....Whoa, thanks man, I needed that.

accidental @ Apr 21st 2007 8:57PM

Regarding the lack of cross platform titles coming to the Wii: There was never a problem cutting down a PS2 game for the PS1 so there will not be a problem cutting a PS3/360 game down for the Wii.
These incredible sales figures were simply not known when the games you're mentioning were beginning development. Games being commissioned now will more likely be cross platform as developers now know how well the Wii is doing. Most of the games due soon had no idea the Wii would do this well.

V @ Apr 21st 2007 10:28PM

Hmmm... the Sony defenders only talk shit about the rest of the field these days. Even they can't find the heart to defend their choice.

Must be rough riding in a sinking ship.

Evan @ Apr 22nd 2007 8:44AM

@2006 Coupe Sport "For a while it's fun to play the 11 year old girl games and they're popular now."

Yes, 11 year old girls are a fad. They are popular now, but kids will go out of style within a year from now. It's stupid for any video game maker to produce games for kids, after all, there are only 40 million children in the U.S.

/end sarcasm

Almack64 @ Apr 23rd 2007 10:23AM

@ rfom #38
Unless someone just edited wikipedia (which is actually very possible) I think you got it mixed up. It says:

"The Wii will be the main version of the game, and will be ported over to the PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360. The Wii version will also be able to link-up to the DS version to unlock secrets,[5] support 480p and 16:9 Widescreen, [6] and is rumored to support Wi-Fi LAN. [7] According to IGN's preview of the game, the Wii version's graphics is one of Radical Entertainment's main focuses in the game's development,[8] having stated that the Wii has a lot of horsepower under the hood and wanted to make full use of it. [9]
The GBA version is listed as cancelled according to IGN. "

@ Fernando Rocker #31 I agree about the vet gamers comment. The truth is I've been gaming for a long time and played all the "BIG" games. I'm through with that stage of life and I like just having simple fun. For all those that are in the stage of life where you go for the big explosions and hudge effects I'm not going to knock you. But for me its been there done that for years. So maybe I'm not as "hardcore" as I used to be but the Wii is plenty fun for me.

Almack64 @ Apr 23rd 2007 10:28AM

@ Matt B #39
Your comment would hold some weight if it wasn't for that fact that history says it can happen. You remember the story of the Sega Dreamcast right?

Phil @ Apr 23rd 2007 11:27AM

40. If you multiply by (US$) price the PS3 isn't actually getting owned quite so ludicrously!

Wii: $18,939,750
PS3: $7,168,800 (Assuming all are 60Gb)
360: $1,160,000 (Assuming all are 20Gb)

Actually, that's still pretty bad...

Posted at 6:34PM on Apr 21st 2007 by syco

Who cares how much retailers took in! What are the PROFITS from those sales? Well, considering Sony loses money and Nintendo makes money on each unit sold, it is A LOT WORSE THAN IT LOOKS. Sony's hope was to sell lots of consoles and make money on licensing Blu-Ray and games on the console. If no one buys the consoles than no one makes the games and SOny loses their asses in terms of PROFIT. What the systems sold for means NOTHING!!!