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What is going on with PS5 in Japan? Xbox Series came only a few hundreds units away from beating PS5 in weekly number

Meh. Call me when Xbox Series gets even close to 1M.

Now, let's use some actual logic here. Was there anything, say a shopping season, that was coming up in a very big market that Sony would want to prioritize their console shipments towards. Especially since everyone is seeing a chip shortage. Hmm, I think there's something that comes to mind.
 

Hezekiah

Banned
Funny when you're the one who acting up as one while giving out false information about market situations and calling other as immature.

Also Phone isn't only popular in Japan but also the whole world if you're still unaware.
I have no idea what you're on about at this point. I made the point that the Switch is a portable console so in a different category to the Playstation consoles, and you're having a meltdown and talking about iPhones because Bodomism.

All you've done is reinforce how much of a weirdo you are 😮. Now go work on some spreadsheets ad graphs 😄.
 

Goalus

Member
Meh. Call me when Xbox Series gets even close to 1M.

Now, let's use some actual logic here. Was there anything, say a shopping season, that was coming up in a very big market that Sony would want to prioritize their console shipments towards. Especially since everyone is seeing a chip shortage. Hmm, I think there's something that comes to mind.
If that were the case, shouldn't PS5 have beaten XSS during Black Friday?
 
Oh I did not expect that Switch OLED has more sells compared to PlayStation 5. Well, what do you guys recommend, I am actually looking for a new gaming platform. I am planning on buying PlayStation 5 but I think I will be going with Switch Lite since I can bring it anywhere. Aside from playing games, I am also kind of interested in learning more about cryptocurrency.
 

Bodomism

Banned
I have no idea what you're on about at this point. I made the point that the Switch is a portable console so in a different category to the Playstation consoles, and you're having a meltdown and talking about iPhones because Bodomism.

All you've done is reinforce how much of a weirdo you are 😮. Now go work on some spreadsheets ad graphs 😄.
The point is simple.
Nintendo is more popular than PlayStation based on hardware sold on the market, using Golden Joystick Awards as a barometer isn't going to make you sound logical.
 

Daymos

Member
Man freaking Nintendo.. the physical situation of the world is funneling everything to them. Thank God for Metroid Dread.. maybe not the best game, but if there's a franchise that deserves a spotlight and some forced attention it's Metroid. Smt5 too.
 

Woopah

Member
To try and answer the actual question in a bit of detail, let's look at the history of the Japanese market in the last 25 years or so and the stages it went through. This is a pretty high level explanation but hopefully people find it useful.

Stage 1

PS1 launches as a very attractive proposition for third parties, moving away from cartridges and Nintendo's draconian policies. Third parties jump ship and with their combined forces (particularly Square, Capcom and Enix) plus some breakout hits from Sony the platform is able to take control of the Japanese market

Stage 2

Sony is able to successfully transfer their power from PS1 to PS2. Third parties provide a lot of exclusives to the platform, with more players finding success like Koei and Konami.

Stage 3

HD development throws a huge spanner in the works. Games take much longer and are far more expensive to make, and Japanese third parties can no longer afford to give PS3 the same level of exclusives they gave the PS2. They need to either go multiplat with PS3/360/PC or take some moneyhats from Microsoft. Their other option is DS and PSP which offer much cheaper development costs. Many Japanese third parties move their development resources to these platforms and the market follows. There's also the Wii, but it's caught in the middle as its not as cheap to develop for as DS and PSP, but its also not powerful enough to get the game made for PS3/360/PC.

Sony's first party became a lot a stronger than on PS1 and PS2, but not in Japan

Stage 4

PS4 launches and is a big success worldwide, but the same can't be said of other platforms. Vita and Wii U are complete disasters and 3DS has a bad start which spooks third parties. the 3DS does recover and does very well in Japan but only sells mediocre else where. Sony makes a smart move to push developers towards releasing gamse across PS3/PS4/PSV and this works at maintaining good support. However, third parties in Japan are not having the same level of breakout hits with new / invigorated IP as they did on PS1, PS2, DS and PSP. The only publishers able to do this any more are Nintendo and Level 5

Stage 5

Switch launches and third parties are understandably sceptical given Nintendo's recent history. But Nintnedo's ability to make hits for the Japanese market again pays off and the Switch quickly proves its strong hardware and software sales. But this is not another 3DS. Unlike that platform and other Nintendo platforms it is successful globally, uses standard controls, and has the power and engine support to get a lot of the games aimed at the PlayStation console.

Third parties are caught off guard and don't' have much for the system in 2017 apart from the games gave support with. They then start off by mostly doing late ports and these come in 2018. Nintendo continues to deliver strong hits for the system and we start seeing a steady increase in third party support for Switch (thought some third parties move quicker than others). The preferred platforms for small to mid third parties moves from PS3/PS4/PSV to PS4/Switch. Nintendo's long held approach of "build a big enough userbase and the third parties will come" is actually working for once.

Stage 6

PS5 launches and struggles with a lack of supply and the chip shortage. There are still some significant third party titles that are PS4/PS5 but a lot of third party output is now firmly PS4/Switch with Switch also getting some significant exclusives. The questions now are:
  • Will PS5 get enough supply to build a big userbase in Japan?
  • What will the third party situation be for Switch? Will we see it continue to steadily improve, will it stay at the same level as it was in 2021, or will it decline as third parties move to PS5 and make games that Switch can't run?
  • Which publishers will make the next breakout hits in the Japanese market, and which platforms will those hits be released on?

Those are the questions that will decide what Stage 7 is like.
 

Masterri

Member
It won't get better.
The chip shortage will last for another two years at mininum and there are no upcoming games that can improve this sad situation.
What, Final Fantasy XVI? Please, it will be a miracle if it sells more than 3/400k.
Forspoken? An American isekai from the writer of After Earth? Gimme a break.
Sony only cares about US and the UK nowadays.
PlayStation is dead in Japan.
 

oldergamer

Member
funny that no one is mentioning that Xbox has holiday exclusives this year (Horizon 5 and Halo) where as Sony has nothing new.

but it must be supply issues….
Yes, I don't know why it wasn't mentioned. I think supply constraint and that sony doesn't have any major releases for the holidays is the driving factor.
 

Woopah

Member
funny that no one is mentioning that Xbox has holiday exclusives this year (Horizon 5 and Halo) where as Sony has nothing new.

but it must be supply issues….
Because Horizon and Halo are non-factors in Japan, and they are not the reason PS5 only sold 4k this week.
 

Hezekiah

Banned
The point is simple.
Nintendo is more popular than PlayStation based on hardware sold on the market, using Golden Joystick Awards as a barometer isn't going to make you sound logical.
Well yeah in Japan it has.

And worldwide the PS4 has sold more hardware than the Switch so it remains the most popular console currently on the market. And the most popular console of all-time was PS2 (and voted the no.2 hardware of all-time by the Golden Joystick Awards, behind PC).
 

Hezekiah

Banned
I mean the truth is simply Sony doesn't have any software thats relevant to this market and that doesn't look to be changing anytime soon.
What about Forspoken, that's out in the Spring. Will that appeal to Japanese gamers? Also GT7 out in March. Next one after that would be Final Fantasy 16.
 

TheTony316

Member
funny that no one is mentioning that Xbox has holiday exclusives this year (Horizon 5 and Halo) where as Sony has nothing new.

but it must be supply issues….
Halo and Forza are a non-factor in Japan. It is a supply issue. Sony allocated everything to the US and Europe for Black Friday. The PS5 was selling 10-20k consistently in Japan. I bet things will normalize again in the coming weeks.
 
What about Forspoken, that's out in the Spring. Will that appeal to Japanese gamers? Also GT7 out in March. Next one after that would be Final Fantasy 16.
Idk maybe? That seems to be the aim but the approach is outdated in my opinion, just look at switch software. That's whats relevant there ,aside from FF-Online iterations, that series doesn't have the draw it used to have. The market has pivoted to favor WRPG models.

My opinion btw. And not sure on GT I haven’t really followed that series since the PS2 days, how did the last one do in JPN?
 

Hezekiah

Banned
Idk maybe? That seems to be the aim but the approach is outdated in my opinion, just look at switch software. That's whats relevant there ,aside from FF-Online iterations, that series doesn't have the draw it used to have. The market has pivoted to favor WRPG models.

My opinion btw. And not sure on GT I haven’t really followed that series since the PS2 days, how did the last one do in JPN?
Honestly I'm not sure. I think GT Sport sold well in Japan, but I never bought it myself or followed its trajectory.
 

Neff

Member
There's certainly not high demand in Japan for PS5 software, and that's quite telling. You would think Sony would allocate Japan 50k units to sell in its native territory just to make a statement at this point, if the demand was actually there.

You've misread the situation. There's a dire shortage of consoles being manufactured and Sony are shipping the bulk of them to where their customers are primarily established- Europe, America, then Japan, in that order. MS is doing the same- America, Europe, then Japan, in that order.

There isn't a lack of demand in Japan, it's just much stronger elsewhere. And console manufacturers are simply being smart about how they distribute their products.
 
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Brofist

Member
I’m sure if there were more PS5s on the shelves they would sell, but I also don’t think there’s as much demand in Japan for it as some seem to think.
 

Woopah

Member
Honestly I'm not sure. I think GT Sport sold well in Japan, but I never bought it myself or followed its trajectory.
FFXV is the biggest thing coming to PS5 in the foreseeable future. Forespoken could be a breakout hit but that's unknown at this point. If we look at the lifetime sales of franchises coming and what thy did on PS4:

PS4 - Final Fantasy XV:1,042,951
PS4 - Final Fantasy VII remake: 954,342
PS4 - GT Sport: 280,520
PS4 - Horizon Zero Dawn: 258,945
PS4 - God of War: 104,395
 

Bryank75

Banned
FFXV is the biggest thing coming to PS5 in the foreseeable future. Forespoken could be a breakout hit but that's unknown at this point. If we look at the lifetime sales of franchises coming and what thy did on PS4:

PS4 - Final Fantasy XV:1,042,951
PS4 - Final Fantasy VII remake: 954,342
PS4 - GT Sport: 280,520
PS4 - Horizon Zero Dawn: 258,945
PS4 - God of War: 104,395

The solution is to buy or merge with Square Enix.
 

Astral Dog

Member
They aren't doing anything drastically different from last time, but there are a few key differences, PS gamers like to act shocked but Sony hasn't placed the japanese market as the top priority since the PS3 generation

COVID delayed many projects,wich means less games overall and more cross generation releases, less reason to get an expensive PS5 right now.
Competition is stronger, last time it was against the Wii U and Xbox ONE, now its the Switch and GamePass, the former is selling as a handheld system, Nintendo series appeal to a broad number of gamers including the family friendly market, and now many hardcore gamers as well.

Sony won't change their strategy since their main market buys the biggest AAA releases like God of War, SpiderMan and Uncharted, not possible on a handheld and unless key titles like FFXVI aren't out, there is nothing they can do, but it WILL get better,just accept it and move on. Or i guess you could hope the next Switch 2 bombs 🤭
 

Bryank75

Banned
I can't see SE wanting to be bought. It would be a hugely expensive acquisition, so the Forespoken/FF16 exclusivity deals are far cheaper.

Yup, it's cheaper but they are likely timed deals.

Expensive isn't an issue if it is worth it and I think that if you look at the landscape of the industry, the amount of IP's Square has and the leverage they have in Japan still along with the global appeal and the fact that they earn over half their cash from mobile gaming.... along with the possibilities for their IP's being adapted to other media.... it would be massive for Sony, not only PlayStation.

In the short term it would boost their revenue up through 30 billion and also give them one of the biggest MMO's in the industry.

It would also give them enough games and backcatalogue to have their own launcher on PC with massive pull on PC...

PS right now is just so stagnant, the potency of the product has been significantly dulled by losing tons of exclusives from Sega, Square and many others along with putting their own exclusives on PC, even if there is a delay. There's already a delay to get a PS5 due to supply...so saying games are going to PC really impacts long term console sales.....

Very poor strategy, very shortsighted, regressive and arrogant.
 
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Jigsaah

Gold Member
I think this is as close as it has ever got between Playstation and Xbox. I don't remember it's ever this close, not even in PS3 era

Also I think this is the lowest Playstation weekly number ever. Even PS3 typically hovered around 7-10K, it's never this low


Hardware Sales (followed by lifetime sales)

  1. Switch OLED Model – 68,796 (377,001)
  2. Switch – 60,512 (17,454,460)
  3. Switch Lite – 38,470 (4,195,309)
  4. PlayStation 5 – 4,134 (988,400)
  5. Xbox Series X – 2,203 (69,919)
  6. Xbox Series S – 1,219 (52,218)
  7. New 2DS LL (including 2DS) – 365 (1,177,353)
  8. PlayStation 4 – 188 (7,818,813)
  9. PlayStation 5 Digital Edition – 173 (188,845)


So is this really supply issue?........ or more like a demand issue? Has Japan totally given up on Playstation brand?
I mean...Jesus, the Switch. Nothing else even deserves conversation right now when it comes to Japan.
 

Bryank75

Banned
Sony can probably afford to buy back the stake in S-E they had to sell during their major debt years now.

Either they buy 51% + or don't bother at all.... minority stakes are not going to achieve what they need.

If you look at the Steam concurrent users and how many games and users are on MSFT games there..... while PS MAU are actually down a few million already..... it is time for some urgent action.

I didn't think we would see signs of Jim RYans poor management impacting the business negatively so soon but it just goes to show how incompetent his direction has been.

They put their biggest assets on PC for meager sales and lost so many exclusives.... they really added to PC's momentum at a critical juncture.

Nobody seems to be questioning these things at investor meeting or at a corporate level either, so I am very worried about the levels of degradation PS will suffer now and in the future.
 

Neff

Member
Either they buy 51% + or don't bother at all.... minority stakes are not going to achieve what they need.

A Majority stake is not happening. That minority stake they originally had led to a lot of damn good PlayStation exclusives, but most of them were in the affordable '00s on PS2 and PSP. With games costing what they do these days, ol' Jim tossing the PC crowd his five year-old tablescraps is the only way to justify the kind of production values PlayStation fans demand.
 

Bodomism

Banned
It won't get better.
The chip shortage will last for another two years at mininum and there are no upcoming games that can improve this sad situation.
What, Final Fantasy XVI? Please, it will be a miracle if it sells more than 3/400k.
Forspoken? An American isekai from the writer of After Earth? Gimme a break.
Sony only cares about US and the UK nowadays.
PlayStation is dead in Japan.
This is true.
FF XVI will be the lowest selling final fantasy game in Japan.
Forspoken is lol worthy of sales potential
GT franchise is in downward trend
Horizon Forbidden West isn't relevant in Japan

The only games that could elevate PlayStation sales are mainline Monster Hunter and Dragon Quest.
 
If that were the case, shouldn't PS5 have beaten XSS during Black Friday?
You don't think it did? Oh, you're basing that on an article with no actual sales numbers? Well, let's look at the ranking of this week on Amazon.

Let's see...PS5 #1. XSX #12. XSS #57. Just because XSS is still selling now, because it's the only one available, doesn't mean it's enough to outsell the amount of PS5s that sold out in minutes. XSS is by far the least sought after next gen system. Let's wait til NPD for the full picture.
 
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Bodomism

Banned
Look at the state of those Switch numbers.

Sony and MS in the midst of a ‘who’s the tallest dwarf’ contest.
And software too.

Top 20 best selling games in Japan 2021
  1. [NSW] Monster Hunter Rise (Capcom) - 2.326.057
  2. [NSW] Pokemon Brilliant Diamond / Shining Pearl (Pokemon Co.) - 1.395.642 / NEW
  3. [NSW] Momotaro Dentetsu (Konami) – 1.182.172
  4. [NSW] Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury (Nintendo) - 922.526
  5. [NSW] Ring Fit Adventure (Nintendo) – 830.573
  6. [NSW] Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (Nintendo) – 684.967
  7. [NSW] Minecraft (Microsoft) – 576.755
  8. [NSW] Animal Crossing: New Horizons (Nintendo) – 567.586
  9. [NSW] Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (Nintendo) – 493.565
  10. [NSW] Pokemon Sword / Shield + EP (Pokemon Co.) - 364.487
  11. [NSW] Mario Party Superstars (Nintendo) - 329.497
  12. [NSW] Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town (Marvelous) – 309.722
  13. [NSW] Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics (Nintendo) - 309.505
  14. [NSW] New Pokemon Snap (Pokemon Co.) - 293.393
  15. [NSW] Splatoon 2 + EP (Nintendo) - 292.898
  16. [NSW] Super Mario Party (Nintendo) - 283.675
  17. [NSW] The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD (Nintendo) - 267.332
  18. [NSW] Miitopia (Nintendo) - 248.003
  19. [NSW] Game Builder Garage (Nintendo) - 243.566
  20. [NSW] Monster Hunter Stories 2 (Capcom) - 227.554
 

Bryank75

Banned
A Majority stake is not happening. That minority stake they originally had led to a lot of damn good PlayStation exclusives, but most of them were in the affordable '00s on PS2 and PSP. With games costing what they do these days, ol' Jim tossing the PC crowd his five year-old tablescraps is the only way to justify the kind of production values PlayStation fans demand.

Well, they are making record profits and Xbox are justifying basically buying the games and giving them to their customers for free..... so they better figure out how to give PS customers something unique and worthwhile, cause right now, I am a huge PS fan and I am considering moving to PC and if I am.... that is a problem and I have seen countless other very engaged PS fans say similar.
 

Hezekiah

Banned
It won't get better.
The chip shortage will last for another two years at mininum and there are no upcoming games that can improve this sad situation.
What, Final Fantasy XVI? Please, it will be a miracle if it sells more than 3/400k.
Forspoken? An American isekai from the writer of After Earth? Gimme a break.
Sony only cares about US and the UK nowadays.
PlayStation is dead in Japan.
Well Sony focuses on the two biggest markets where it sells buckloads of consoles, and which have similar tastes. Make sense to them, and given how quickly PS5 is selling out it makes sense.

If many Japanese gamers don't want a console that's too big, I guess it's tough shit. If they want mobile games there's Fate/Grand Order.
 

Woopah

Member
Well Sony focuses on the two biggest markets where it sells buckloads of consoles, and which have similar tastes. Make sense to them, and given how quickly PS5 is selling out it makes sense.

If many Japanese gamers don't want a console that's too big, I guess it's tough shit. If they want mobile games there's Fate/Grand Order.
Its definitely an interesting challenge for them. Do they give Japan stock to build up the user base for the big software, or do they keep Japan stock low until they have the software to go with it.
 

Hezekiah

Banned
Its definitely an interesting challenge for them. Do they give Japan stock to build up the user base for the big software, or do they keep Japan stock low until they have the software to go with it.
I feel like the US will be a slight priority this gen because it's the one place Xbox is strong.

Europe is a Playstation stronghold, but the biggest market overall so that's next.

With Japan I expect it to continue to be third in terms of priority. I think we'll see more funded games like Bloodborne/Forspoken - made by Japanese developers but designed to appeal to the West. With what Sony spends on first and second-party games I can't see them targeting Japanese gamers solely. I could see them funding some AA games, and going bigger on mobile which this DualSense phone attachment points to.
 

V4skunk

Banned
I think this is as close as it has ever got between Playstation and Xbox. I don't remember it's ever this close, not even in PS3 era

Also I think this is the lowest Playstation weekly number ever. Even PS3 typically hovered around 7-10K, it's never this low


Hardware Sales (followed by lifetime sales)

  1. Switch OLED Model – 68,796 (377,001)
  2. Switch – 60,512 (17,454,460)
  3. Switch Lite – 38,470 (4,195,309)
  4. PlayStation 5 – 4,134 (988,400)
  5. Xbox Series X – 2,203 (69,919)
  6. Xbox Series S – 1,219 (52,218)
  7. New 2DS LL (including 2DS) – 365 (1,177,353)
  8. PlayStation 4 – 188 (7,818,813)
  9. PlayStation 5 Digital Edition – 173 (188,845)


So is this really supply issue?........ or more like a demand issue? Has Japan totally given up on Playstation brand?
Given up by out selling both xbone consoles 10to1?
 

Woopah

Member
Yup, it's cheaper but they are likely timed deals.

Expensive isn't an issue if it is worth it and I think that if you look at the landscape of the industry, the amount of IP's Square has and the leverage they have in Japan still along with the global appeal and the fact that they earn over half their cash from mobile gaming.... along with the possibilities for their IP's being adapted to other media.... it would be massive for Sony, not only PlayStation.

In the short term it would boost their revenue up through 30 billion and also give them one of the biggest MMO's in the industry.

It would also give them enough games and backcatalogue to have their own launcher on PC with massive pull on PC...

PS right now is just so stagnant, the potency of the product has been significantly dulled by losing tons of exclusives from Sega, Square and many others along with putting their own exclusives on PC, even if there is a delay. There's already a delay to get a PS5 due to supply...so saying games are going to PC really impacts long term console sales.....

Very poor strategy, very shortsighted, regressive and arrogant.
There would definitely be advantages to Sony but I think they'd only go for it if SE was interested. I can't imagine a hostile takeover going very well.
I feel like the US will be a slight priority this gen because it's the one place Xbox is strong.

Europe is a Playstation stronghold, but the biggest market overall so that's next.

With Japan I expect it to continue to be third in terms of priority. I think we'll see more funded games like Bloodborne/Forspoken - made by Japanese developers but designed to appeal to the West. With what Sony spends on first and second-party games I can't see them targeting Japanese gamers solely. I could see them funding some AA games, and going bigger on mobile which this DualSense phone attachment points to.
All of that makes sense to me, and yes I can't see them spending too much on games only for Japan. Maybe they could make more deals with other Asia developers like they did with Genshin Impact.
 
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