Mass Effect premieres at No. 3 spot in Japan

by Alexander Sliwinski { May 29th 2009 at 3:00AM }

Looking over Media Create's weekly Japanese software sales chart for May 24 reveals something distinctly non-Japanese is mucking up the list. BioWare's space opera Mass Effect for Xbox 360 premiered in the number three spot, having sold 18,000 copies. Sure, that's less than half of Pro Yakyuu Team o Tsukurou 2, but good on the western RPG for even charting.

Mass Effect released in the Very-Near West in 2007 and -- believe it or not -- actually has a sequel in the works. Oh, and in case you're wondering, Sloan to Michael: Nazo No Monogatari was in the number one spot with 44,000 units.

Tags: japan, japanese-software-sales, mass-effect, media-create

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

darthbob @ May 29th 2009 3:25AM

So Mass Effect 'just' launched in Japan?

Wow...and I thought Japanese -> English games had a long turnaround time.

Joystick Hero @ May 29th 2009 3:33AM

In it's defense, the game had a -lot- of English to translate.

Duke @ May 29th 2009 10:15AM

They should have done a worse job with the translation to sell more. 'Mass Happy Pie Ships of Affection' would have sold more copies there I think.

borland502 (SDF Macross) @ May 29th 2009 10:39AM

@Duke
And you know they should have made a mini-game out of the elevator load sequences. It'd chart at #1 then.

Freestyle Farfetchd @ May 29th 2009 10:02PM

I guess now they know how it feels. Which as a European who normaly has to wait even longer for JRPGs to come here, is somewhat satisfying.

Vespene @ May 29th 2009 3:38AM

Could this be the beginning of the western RPG taking over the JRPG in the homeland?

The Baron @ May 29th 2009 6:15AM

No. 18,000 compared to the millions in the US who buy JRPGs.

I wish more people would experience this game though, it's one of my favorites this generation.

tmacairjordan87 @ May 29th 2009 9:32AM

I could only hope so. Maybe it would force the japanese to actually adapt to current times instead of making jrpgs the same way they were made 15 years ago.

Josh @ May 29th 2009 12:32PM

cry moar

Jess Q. @ May 29th 2009 4:31AM

I think it would be so cool if the West could create a franchise that the East loved as much as [some of us] love Final Fantasy.

Rentaro @ May 29th 2009 5:11AM

World of Warcraft?

Soviet Song @ May 29th 2009 5:52AM

I believe the proper word is loathed for World of Warcraft.

Jess Q. @ May 29th 2009 6:21AM

You think? That's disappointing. I mean, I play it sometimes. But it kind of sucks. I wish there was a better MMO out there but I've yet to find one. :p

The Dark Wayne @ May 29th 2009 7:40AM

well they certainly seem to love it. So much so that they have to make camps to get people to stop playing it right?

Josh @ May 29th 2009 12:32PM

But that's not Japan. Japan is different from the rest of East Asia.

Soviet Song @ May 29th 2009 5:56AM

Is it just me or does Commander Shepard's face look a little different?

The Dark Wayne @ May 29th 2009 7:34AM

it does, all the stuff they used for promotional images, box art, and most of the earliest trailers and demos for it used a different premade face. I'll try and find a video for you

The Dark Wayne @ May 29th 2009 7:38AM

http://www.gametrailers.com/video/e3-2k6-mass-effect/11786
that one gets you the best look but there are plenty others you can find at GT

Drew -- PS360: uphillbothways @ May 29th 2009 11:29AM

My Commander Shephard was a girl with red hair and a small scar above her eye, and she had sex with a blue alien...

Alzheimers @ May 29th 2009 1:16PM

Drew: I am intrigued by your ideas and would like to subscribe to your newsletter.

Soviet Song @ May 29th 2009 2:04PM

I know they always used different stuff for the promotions, I was just wondering if they changed him in the Japanese version of the game.

Tuxy79 @ May 29th 2009 8:07AM

Great news for Bioware.

Ethan @ May 29th 2009 10:20AM

To be fair, you can give Shepard a wacky hairstyle if you want.

Manly Mcbeefington (Mr. ESC) @ May 29th 2009 11:11AM

I haven't played this but I guess I'll start with the new and improved sequel.

R @ May 29th 2009 11:16AM

Mr.Esc, thats seriously like starting the lord of the rings series with The Two Towers.

You have no idea what you're missing out on. You're like my friend sam, who insists that "mass effect looks like a good game, but I have no interest in playing it."

Not to mention its probably like $20 used now. FFS pick up a copy.