Fire Emblem Engage Debuts at Number One in Japanese Charts, Overtaking Pokémon Scarlet and Violet

Fire Emblem Engage Debuts at Number One in Japanese Charts, Overtaking Pokémon Scarlet and Violet The latest Japanese sales charts reveal a significant shift, as Fire Emblem Engage from Nintendo has surged ahead to claim the top spot, dethroning long-standing leader Pokémon Scarlet and Violet.

This week’s data, sourced from Gematsu, spotlights major movements in both software and hardware markets for the week ending January 22, 2023. Impressive Launch for Fire Emblem Engage on Nintendo Switch Released exclusively for Nintendo Switch on January 20, 2023, Fire Emblem Engage opened with robust sales, moving an impressive 144,558 physical copies in its debut week.

According to sales trackers, this strong performance marks one of the best launch periods for the tactical RPG franchise in Japan, trailing only Fire Emblem: Three Houses in terms of boxed launch numbers.

The game's early success in Japan mirrors its strong sales in other major markets, including the United Kingdom, where it secured the second-highest launch for the Fire Emblem series. Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, developed by The Pokémon Company and released for Nintendo Switch on November 18, 2022, sold 43,983 units in the same week, pushing the combined lifetime sales of both titles to an impressive 4,739,035 copies.

These numbers further solidify the franchise’s enduring popularity on Nintendo platforms. Software Chart Highlights Top Nintendo Switch Titles The remainder of Japan’s weekly software chart features Nintendo Switch titles dominating the top spots.

Following Fire Emblem Engage and the Pokémon duo, Splatoon 3 sold 16,091 units (lifetime: 3,833,699), while Mario Kart 8 Deluxe added another 13,857 units (lifetime: 5,115,176) to its consistently strong performance since its 2017 launch.

Other notable titles include Nintendo Switch Sports (9,220 units), Microsoft’s Minecraft (8,146 units), and Mario Party Superstars (6,009 units). Gran Turismo 7 for PlayStation 5 was the highest-ranking non-Switch title, selling 5,468 copies, further showcasing the platform’s competitive software lineup in Japan. PlayStation 5 Leads Hardware Sales, Switch Remains Strong Across Variants In hardware, Sony’s PlayStation 5 claimed the number one position for the week with 38,602 units sold, surpassing the Nintendo Switch OLED Model’s 28,626 units.

However, when combining all three Nintendo Switch variants—OLED Model, standard Switch (12,820 units), and Switch Lite (10,141 units)—Nintendo’s platform continues to demonstrate market dominance in cumulative hardware sales. The full hardware rankings also include the PlayStation 5 Digital Edition (3,550 units), PlayStation 4 (2,544 units), Xbox Series S (740 units), Xbox Series X (205 units), and New 2DS LL including 2DS (83 units). Continued Success for Nintendo and Industry Leaders This week’s Japanese charts underscore the robust performance of major franchises on Nintendo Switch and highlight strong competition in the hardware space.

Fire Emblem Engage’s successful launch proves the ongoing appeal of tactical RPGs, while Nintendo and its partners maintain a steady grip on software rankings.

As the industry enters 2023, these metrics continue to shape the landscape for both developers and consumers alike.

Pokémon Fire Emblem Pokémon Scarlet and Violet Nintendo PlayStation PlayStation 5 Pokémon Scarlet Fire Emblem Engage Scarlet and Violet