PS4 software has done well in Japan thanks in part to big hitters like Monster Hunter World, Dragon Quest XI, and Final Fantasy XV. It is a better result than the PS3 but falls short of the mark when we compare it to the Nintendo Switch.
PS4 has been quite successful in getting support from some of the biggest publishers and most popular IPs in Japan. Monster Hunter World is one of the best selling games from Capcom and it has sold more than two million copies on the PS4 in Japan. Similarly, Dragon Quest XI was a huge hit selling close to 1.3 million copies in Japan. Lastly, Final Fantasy XV was the first million seller on the PS4.
Top 3 Best Selling Games For PS4 In Japan (Million Sellers)
- Monster Hunter World
- Dragon Quest XI
- Final Fantasy XV
So far, PS4 had a grand total of three million sellers at retail without counting any digital sales for them. It is a much better number than the PS3, which only had a single million seller with Final Fantasy XIII, but lacked big hitters like Dragon Quest and Monster Hunter. PS4 also has a single two million seller with Monster Hunter World, which is the only game to accomplish this feat on the PS4.
As impressive as this all sounds, this is nothing compared to the Nintendo Switch, which is basically dominating in Japan with first-party software sales. Nintendo Switch has amassed a total of six million-sellers with Splatoon 2, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Super Mario Odyssey, Pokemon Let’s Go Pikachu/Eevee (Combined), and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Out of these, Splatoon 2, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe have all sold more than two million copies.
The interesting difference here is how PS4 top software is dominated by third-party games while Nintendo Switch software lineup is full of top selling first-party games. It shows the difference between the audience taste and support from the companies for both platforms.
Top 3 Best Selling First-Party Games In Japan
So where do the first-party exclusive games stand for the PS4? Here are the top three best selling first-party exclusives for the PS4.
- Marvel’s Spider-Man
- Knack
- Bloodborne
This list is surprising to see since there is no Uncharted 4, God of War, Horizon Zero Dawn or other blockbusters that were a hit in the Western market. Knack actually makes the jump here since it was a launch bundle for the PS4 in Japan which had a staggered release window for the Japanese market and Sony decided to bundle Knack with all of the launch units thus leading to the game selling more than 300K copies on the PlayStation 4 in Japan.
If we count out the bundles, Gran Turismo Sport is the next best selling game after Bloodborne in Japan.
Source (GameDataLibrary)
