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There's Not a Single PS5, PS4 Game in the Japanese Sales Charts (Is Sony losing Japanese ground)

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kingfey

Banned
Missing from the entire top 30


zYtsIqY.png

For the first time since the late 1980s, the Japanese sales charts are dominated by a single console. The latest Famitsu results, which track physical software sales from 2nd August through 8th August, are completely occupied by Nintendo Switch titles. To clarify: every game, from 1st position to 30th position, belongs to the House of Mario’s hybrid hardware.

There were times during the 90s where Nintendo completely conquered the charts, but software was divided between the Famicom, Super Famicom, and Game Boy – this is the first time every single game has belonged to a single piece of hardware. Of course, from the perspective of a PlayStation website, this shows how poorly Sony’s games are selling in the company’s home nation.

Now there are, of course, caveats: the data only takes into account physical software sales, and we know that PlayStation has been skewing more towards digital of late – although uptake in Japan has been marginally slower than in Western territories. It’s also worth remembering that the PS5 is still out of stock, and PS4 hardware supply has abruptly tailed off.

Nevertheless, this is eye-opening stuff. The PS5 did manage to sell another 13.5k units for the week, which is a decent number considering the supply constraints. But its attach rate is extremely poor in the region, at least in terms of physical software sales anyway. Obviously the next-gen console is performing well globally, but it looks like Japan is increasingly becoming a lost cause for the company.
 

StreetsofBeige

Gold Member
Sony lost ground big time with PS3 and it's continued ever since.

Japan has fully embraced the mobile market since the games (Switch) are good enough. It's not like handheld games are like cruddy Gameboy or DS games. Switch is dual purpose too - handheld and console.

All those favourite PS franchises from old PS generations were tossed in the garbage in favour of portability.
 

Unknown?

Member
they have been losing ground step by step for the last 2 generations, so yes. Japan is all about mobile these days, and PC is becoming more relevant as well, which doesn't help
Isn't PS4 ahead of PS3 there? I know PS5 is ahead of PS4 right now.
 

kingfey

Banned
For all this talk about 🇯🇵 going handheld I would like there to be a survey of how much they are playing Switch games in front of 📺 vs on a train, on a break etc. Just out of curiosity. Maybe it’s not as black/white as we think it is.
For me, its more of japanese culture work. Due to being overworked to death, Switch is the easy escape route. Play while you have a break.

I have been experiencing this lately, due to work. I got my station changed, and I get home very tired everyday. Playing on my console is too much work. So i just browse youtube, or play 1-2 fifa matches, during work days. Gaming is hard, when your brain is overloaded.
 

StreetsofBeige

Gold Member
Isn't PS4 ahead of PS3 there? I know PS5 is ahead of PS4 right now.

Japan​

ManufacturerConsoleReleasedUnits soldDate of figure
Sony PlayStation 2 March 4, 2000 21,454,325[8] July 2008
Sony PlayStation Portable December 12, 2004 19,632,197 December 14, 2014
Sony PlayStation December 3, 1994 18,855,344 April 1, 2004
Sony PlayStation 3 November 11, 2006 10,469,971[10] 2017
Sony PlayStation 4 # February 22, 2014 9,377,534 August 8, 2021
Sony PlayStation Vita # December 17, 2011 5,863,022 December 29, 2019
Sony PlayStation 5 # November 12, 2020 953,733 August 8, 2021
 

Bryank75

Banned
PlayStation leadership is too busy chasing pennies to mind their core business....

They bought Nixxes to port to PC, where they undermine their own platform and have to share profits with Steam and Epic..... when they have countless classic games stuck on PS3 that could be ported to run on PS5 and add value and make 100% of the profit for themselves.

They shutdown Japan Studioand lost Yakuza and KH exclusivity.

It's time to invest HEAVILY in PlayStation as a console and expand PS Studios from 13 (Really about 9) studios.... to about 20 or so.
Or just buy Square. Maybe Kadokawa...

With Steam Deck coming, priced around the same as a PS5.... and it has access to PC, Xbox and any PS exclusives that go to PC....... PlayStation starts looking like a lower value proposition.

Theyhave lost massive ground to Nintendo (They have REAL Exclusives) in Japan..... AND they have a lot more competition in the USA and the entire US media machine against them.

If they don't make some serious moves, they will lose more ground in the longterm.
 
For me, its more of japanese culture work. Due to being overworked to death, Switch is the easy escape route. Play while you have a break.

I have been experiencing this lately, due to work. I got my station changed, and I get home very tired everyday. Playing on my console is too much work. So i just browse youtube, or play 1-2 fifa matches, during work days. Gaming is hard, when your brain is overloaded.
But narrative is that PS was stronger, much stronger in the past and they had same work culture then. I don’t know how PSP and Vita faired there but PS home consoles were much more important than now. Then again, sales facts tell that PS5 is selling good but no one is buying or playing games.

It has to be Sony’s software output that doesn’t appeal anymore to Japanese.
 
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kingfey

Banned

Japan​

Manufacturer
ConsoleReleasedUnits soldDate of figure
Sony PlayStation 2 March 4, 2000 21,454,325[8] July 2008
Sony PlayStation Portable December 12, 2004 19,632,197 December 14, 2014
Sony PlayStation December 3, 1994 18,855,344 April 1, 2004
Sony PlayStation 3 November 11, 2006 10,469,971[10] 2017
Sony PlayStation 4 # February 22, 2014 9,377,534 August 8, 2021
Sony PlayStation Vita # December 17, 2011 5,863,022 December 29, 2019
Sony PlayStation 5 # November 12, 2020 953,733 August 8, 2021
If this is Ok with you, i made them in table format.

ManufacturerConsoleReleasedUnits soldDate of figure
SonyPlayStation 2March 4, 200021,454,325[8]July 2008
SonyPlayStation Portable December 12, 200419,632,197December 14, 2014
SonyPlayStation December 3, 199418,855,344April 1, 2004
SonyPlayStation 3 November 11, 200610,469,971[10]2017
SonyPlayStation 4February 22, 2014 9,377,534 August 8, 2021
SonyPlayStation VitaDecember 17, 20115,863,022 December 29, 2019
SonyPlayStation 5November 12, 2020953,733August 8, 2021
 

kingfey

Banned
But narrative is that PS was stronger, much stronger in the past and they had same work culture then. I don’t know how PSP and Vita faired there but PS home consoles were much more important than now. Then again, sales facts tell that PS5 is selling good but no one is buying or playing games.

It has to be Sony’s software output that doesn’t appeal anymore to Japanese.
You are right on that one. This year were mostly western games, aside of demons souls. None japanese games were made. Even Ps4 had low japanese games. The only one I can think is Ghost of tsushima.

On other hand, Nintendo is killing with japanese games. And mario is their super star. Italian plumber, but a home made character. Also, Japanese love Germans and Italians for some reason.
 

StreetsofBeige

Gold Member
If this is Ok with you, i made them in table format.

ManufacturerConsoleReleasedUnits soldDate of figure
SonyPlayStation 2March 4, 200021,454,325[8]July 2008
SonyPlayStation Portable December 12, 200419,632,197December 14, 2014
SonyPlayStation December 3, 199418,855,344April 1, 2004
SonyPlayStation 3 November 11, 200610,469,971[10]2017
SonyPlayStation 4February 22, 2014 9,377,534 August 8, 2021
SonyPlayStation VitaDecember 17, 20115,863,022 December 29, 2019
SonyPlayStation 5November 12, 2020953,733August 8, 2021
Thanks! I was messing around with it in BB code mode and couldnt figure it out! lol
 

StreetsofBeige

Gold Member
But narrative is that PS was stronger, much stronger in the past and they had same work culture then. I don’t know how PSP and Vita faired there but PS home consoles were much more important than now. Then again, sales facts tell that PS5 is selling good but no one is buying or playing games.

It has to be Sony’s software output that doesn’t appeal anymore to Japanese.
Mobile gaming with Nintendo has always been big in Japan. But console sales of PS have dropped a lot since the heydays of PS1 and PS2 which dominated even Nintendo consoles.

So what are the possible reasons for Sony's decline?

1. People say Sony's focus on games is too western focused last few gens

2. The global trend for gaming has skewed to portable/mobile gaming for years (not just Japan)

3. Switch is a console/mobile hybrid whose quality is good gaming, unlike DS kinds of systems were were clearly not close to consoles

4. You read about this here and there about the average Japanese consumer.... but in reality do Japanese people really care that much on aesthetics and size as priority factors? I dont know. But you read about shit like they live in small homes so every square inch of product size is a big deal. Well, PS3, PS4 and PS5 arent exactly small pieces of hardware

5. Is the Sony brand name big in Japan? Is it the BIGGEST electronics brand there? All I know here in Canada (and probably goes for US too), Sony and Panasonic were probably the defacto quality Japanese electronics makers for decades long time ago. Everyone wanted a Trinitron TV back in the day. Then LG and Samsung came along big out of nowhere somewhere in the 2000s. People buying TVs, electronics and kitchen appliances talk about these brands much more than Sony now
 

OrtizTwelve

Member
Sony has foolishly turned their back to the Japanese market to focus more on the West and Asia, and as such, Japanese consumers have also turned their backs to PlayStation as a brand in favor of mobile gaming (Nintendo).

PlayStation used to have great Japanese exclusives and developer support, and now they’re barely a trickle, instead focusing on franchise rinse and repeat “AAA” only games, which the Japanese market doesn’t care about.
 

Fare thee well

Neophyte
I mean, I haven't had a fair opportunity to even buy the new PS5, letalone games for it 🤪. If enough people are in my demographic, then I can't see how that measurement can be fair?
 

Neofire

Member
PlayStation leadership is too busy chasing pennies to mind their core business....

They bought Nixxes to port to PC, where they undermine their own platform and have to share profits with Steam and Epic..... when they have countless classic games stuck on PS3 that could be ported to run on PS5 and add value and make 100% of the profit for themselves.

They shutdown Japan Studioand lost Yakuza and KH exclusivity.

It's time to invest HEAVILY in PlayStation as a console and expand PS Studios from 13 (Really about 9) studios.... to about 20 or so.
Or just buy Square. Maybe Kadokawa...

With Steam Deck coming, priced around the same as a PS5.... and it has access to PC, Xbox and any PS exclusives that go to PC....... PlayStation starts looking like a lower value proposition.

Theyhave lost massive ground to Nintendo (They have REAL Exclusives) in Japan..... AND they have a lot more competition in the USA and the entire US media machine against them.

If they don't make some serious moves, they will lose more ground in the longterm.
As bad as it is to say it but you are correct. Sony has been undermining their own investments ever since Jimmy boy has taken the reins at PlayStation.
 

kingfey

Banned
I mean, I haven't had a fair opportunity to even buy the new PS5, letalone games for it 🤪. If enough people are in my demographic, then I can't see how that measurement can be fair?
ps4 games too. This isnt exclusive to ps5. There is also the PlayStation exclusive games like persona, which are only released on PlayStation, not on switch or xbox. And none of those type of games hit top 30.
 

Fat Frog

I advertised for Google Stadia
Who is leading mobile market in Japan ?
Ios/apple? Google /Android gaming ? Or a Japanese company ?
 

kingfey

Banned
Who is leading mobile market in Japan ?
Ios/apple? Google /Android gaming ? Or a Japanese company ?
Sony, with fate/grand order was at top 6 overall revenue. here is the chart for japanese mobile games spending. Konami is doing very well in mobile market. Same for square too. Then 2nd quarter dropped them.

 
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Fat Frog

I advertised for Google Stadia
Sony, with fate/grand order was at top 6 overall revenue. here is the chart for japanese mobile games spending. Konami is doing very well in mobile market. Same for square too. Then 2nd quarter dropped them.

I mean is there a popular japanese service like Android/Ios or only US ones ? Mobile games were already popular before the first iphone...
Thanks anyway.
 

kingfey

Banned
I mean is there a popular japanese service like Android/Ios or only US ones ? Mobile games were already popular before the first iphone...
Thanks anyway.
Uma Musume Pretty Derby, which was released February 24, 2021.

This is what i got on the internet.

Launched in Japan at the end of February 2021, Uma Musume Pretty Derby has quickly become one of the biggest mobile games in the world by player spending. The title generated $136.6 million in March alone, showing just how lucrative Japan's mobile market remains.Apr 7, 2021

Translate that to Yen. That is alot of money. and it made it in 2 month.
 
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FStubbs

Member
Japan turned their back on Sony and Sony turned their back on Japan. It’s been over.
PS5 is selling great outside of Japan and Sony hasn't lost a single Japanese game. I think it's a small concern for them, but that's about it.
 

Javthusiast

Banned
Nah.

They've lost a lot of marketshare since the Switch came out but they're still doing great.

Nothing wrong with being second or third in any industry as long as you're making bank and meeting your internal goals.

That was my point. They are still so huge worldwide this japanese decline won't do any harm to them.
 
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Fat Frog

I advertised for Google Stadia
Uma Musume Pretty Derby, which was released February 24, 2021.

This is what i got on the internet.

Launched in Japan at the end of February 2021, Uma Musume Pretty Derby has quickly become one of the biggest mobile games in the world by player spending. The title generated $136.6 million in March alone, showing just how lucrative Japan's mobile market remains.Apr 7, 2021

Translate that to Yen. That is alot of money. and it made it in 2 month.
Sorry I meant companies who makes mobiles with their own stores. For instance, is there some Docomo Store ? Do they own 20% of the mobile gaming market in Japan ? 1%? I saw a lot of mobile games before the birth of Iphone/ios gaming in japan...
 
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Marty-McFly

Banned
Sony abandoning PSP and Vita was just the beginning
Killing Japan Studio was the final nail
The thing about conceding Japan is that they have also surrendered the top marketshare in NA for the past 30 months of NPD. WW you just can't claim market leader without at least one of those two markets and now Nintendo has both. Playstation is Sony's chief breadwinner, so while this is very important news to them, we also need to realise how much money they're still making for Sony. Software sales have looked a little anaemic so far on PS5 though that's the one concern, but I'm sure that will pick up when their big guns arrive. It looks unlikely in Japan though.
 
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rolandss

Member
Doesn’t help there hasn’t been many notable releases this year. It’s a typical year of transitioning between old and next gen for PlayStation resulting in drought of notable releases.
 
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