Famitsu Releases Latest Japan Game Sales: Code Vein II Tops PS5, Nintendo Switch 2 Continues Strong Hardware Momentum
This week, Famitsu unveiled its latest sales data for the Japanese gaming market, highlighting a period of particularly modest activity across both hardware and software.
No single game managed to surpass the 15,000 unit sales mark, underscoring what has been described as a "sleepy" week for video game retail in Japan. Leading the software rankings is Bandai Namco's Code Vein II on PlayStation 5, which managed an impressive debut, selling 14,452 copies in its first week.
This launch narrowly outpaced perennial Nintendo Switch favorite Mario Kart World, which, on its latest Switch 2 iteration, achieved 12,445 units sold and now boasts a cumulative total of over 2.8 million units.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons continued its robust presence, with the new Switch 2 Edition selling 9,941 units, while the original Switch version added another 9,042 to its lifetime tally, which now exceeds 8.36 million units in Japan. Pokémon Legends: Z-A also maintained strong momentum, with both the Switch and Switch 2 editions combining to add more than 12,000 units this week and pushing their total sales to over 2.68 million across both platforms.
Meanwhile, Momotaro Dentetsu 2 and Kirby Air Riders further demonstrated the enduring appeal of Nintendo franchises among Japanese consumers. Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade, which had topped the charts previously, experienced a notable drop, finishing in the number nine position this week with its Switch 2 version selling 5,289 copies and total sales reaching 28,717 since launch.
The continued dominance of Nintendo titles is underscored by the fact that three franchises accounted for six of the top ten spots, an achievement shared by both original and updated Switch 2 editions. Japan’s Top 10 Physical Game Sales (26 January – 1 February 2024): 1.
Code Vein II (PS5) – 14,452 [NEW] 2.
Mario Kart World (Switch 2) – 12,445 (Total: 2,805,146) 3.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons – Switch 2 Edition (Switch 2) – 9,941 (Total: 52,918) 4.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons (Switch) – 9,042 (Total: 8,362,221) 5.
Pokémon Legends: Z-A (Switch) – 6,744 (Total: 1,601,782) 6.
Momotaro Dentetsu 2: Anata no Machi mo Kitto Aru – Higashi Nihon Hen + Nishi Nihon Hen - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition (Switch 2) – 6,203 (Total: 262,314) 7.
Pokémon Legends: Z-A - Switch 2 Edition (Switch 2) – 5,875 (Total: 1,078,445) 8.
Kirby Air Riders (Switch 2) – 5,324 (Total: 491,424) 9.
Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade (Switch 2) – 5,289 (Total: 28,717) 10.
Momotaro Dentetsu 2: Anata no Machi mo Kitto Aru – Higashi Nihon Hen + Nishi Nihon Hen (Switch) – 5,243 (Total: 313,300) On the hardware front, Nintendo’s Switch 2 remains the best-selling console for the week, adding 69,586 units to its considerable run, raising its lifetime sales total to over 4.3 million in Japan.
Sony’s PlayStation 5 family, when combining standard and digital editions, edged ahead of the original Switch models, recording 10,949 units compared to 10,678 Switch 1 units. Japan’s Top 5 Hardware Sales (26 January – 1 February 2024): 1.
Switch 2 – 69,586 (Lifetime: 4,307,086) 2.
PlayStation 5 Digital Edition – 5,803 (Lifetime: 1,172,069) 3.
Switch OLED – 4,526 (Lifetime: 9,431,437) 4.
Switch Lite – 4,462 (Lifetime: 6,848,650) 5.
PlayStation 5 – 3,575 (Lifetime: 5,884,066) Despite a quieter week overall, the strong performance of Nintendo’s Switch 2 hardware and the remarkable staying power of its key franchises underscore the continued health of Japan’s gaming market.
Developers such as Bandai Namco, Nintendo, and Square Enix continue to play a crucial role in shaping the gaming landscape — both in Japan and globally.
No single game managed to surpass the 15,000 unit sales mark, underscoring what has been described as a "sleepy" week for video game retail in Japan. Leading the software rankings is Bandai Namco's Code Vein II on PlayStation 5, which managed an impressive debut, selling 14,452 copies in its first week.
This launch narrowly outpaced perennial Nintendo Switch favorite Mario Kart World, which, on its latest Switch 2 iteration, achieved 12,445 units sold and now boasts a cumulative total of over 2.8 million units.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons continued its robust presence, with the new Switch 2 Edition selling 9,941 units, while the original Switch version added another 9,042 to its lifetime tally, which now exceeds 8.36 million units in Japan. Pokémon Legends: Z-A also maintained strong momentum, with both the Switch and Switch 2 editions combining to add more than 12,000 units this week and pushing their total sales to over 2.68 million across both platforms.
Meanwhile, Momotaro Dentetsu 2 and Kirby Air Riders further demonstrated the enduring appeal of Nintendo franchises among Japanese consumers. Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade, which had topped the charts previously, experienced a notable drop, finishing in the number nine position this week with its Switch 2 version selling 5,289 copies and total sales reaching 28,717 since launch.
The continued dominance of Nintendo titles is underscored by the fact that three franchises accounted for six of the top ten spots, an achievement shared by both original and updated Switch 2 editions. Japan’s Top 10 Physical Game Sales (26 January – 1 February 2024): 1.
Code Vein II (PS5) – 14,452 [NEW] 2.
Mario Kart World (Switch 2) – 12,445 (Total: 2,805,146) 3.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons – Switch 2 Edition (Switch 2) – 9,941 (Total: 52,918) 4.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons (Switch) – 9,042 (Total: 8,362,221) 5.
Pokémon Legends: Z-A (Switch) – 6,744 (Total: 1,601,782) 6.
Momotaro Dentetsu 2: Anata no Machi mo Kitto Aru – Higashi Nihon Hen + Nishi Nihon Hen - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition (Switch 2) – 6,203 (Total: 262,314) 7.
Pokémon Legends: Z-A - Switch 2 Edition (Switch 2) – 5,875 (Total: 1,078,445) 8.
Kirby Air Riders (Switch 2) – 5,324 (Total: 491,424) 9.
Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade (Switch 2) – 5,289 (Total: 28,717) 10.
Momotaro Dentetsu 2: Anata no Machi mo Kitto Aru – Higashi Nihon Hen + Nishi Nihon Hen (Switch) – 5,243 (Total: 313,300) On the hardware front, Nintendo’s Switch 2 remains the best-selling console for the week, adding 69,586 units to its considerable run, raising its lifetime sales total to over 4.3 million in Japan.
Sony’s PlayStation 5 family, when combining standard and digital editions, edged ahead of the original Switch models, recording 10,949 units compared to 10,678 Switch 1 units. Japan’s Top 5 Hardware Sales (26 January – 1 February 2024): 1.
Switch 2 – 69,586 (Lifetime: 4,307,086) 2.
PlayStation 5 Digital Edition – 5,803 (Lifetime: 1,172,069) 3.
Switch OLED – 4,526 (Lifetime: 9,431,437) 4.
Switch Lite – 4,462 (Lifetime: 6,848,650) 5.
PlayStation 5 – 3,575 (Lifetime: 5,884,066) Despite a quieter week overall, the strong performance of Nintendo’s Switch 2 hardware and the remarkable staying power of its key franchises underscore the continued health of Japan’s gaming market.
Developers such as Bandai Namco, Nintendo, and Square Enix continue to play a crucial role in shaping the gaming landscape — both in Japan and globally.
