Nintendo Switch 2 continues to assert its market dominance in Japan, according to the latest sales data released by Famitsu for the week of December 1st to 7th, 2024.
Marking a robust launch period, top-performing software titles such as Mario Kart World, Octopath Traveler 0, and Metroid Prime 4: Beyond have energized a thriving holiday season for Nintendo fans and hardware sales alike. The new releases this week brought much anticipation, but the stalwarts of the Switch platform maintained their stronghold atop the charts.
Mario Kart World for Nintendo Switch 2 remains an unstoppable force, securing the number one position with 102,435 units sold, contributing to a formidable lifetime total of over 2.35 million copies.
Following closely, Kirby Air Riders and Pokémon Legends: Z-A (on both Switch and Switch 2) claimed the next three spots, demonstrating enduring popularity in Nintendo's first-party line-up. Octopath Traveler 0, developed by Square Enix, debuted as the week’s highest-selling new entry, taking fifth place on the Nintendo Switch with 21,698 units sold.
The title also performed well on PlayStation 5 and Switch 2, cementing the RPG’s strong cross-platform appeal.
Meanwhile, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, developed by Retro Studios and eagerly awaited by longtime fans, landed at sixth place on Switch 2 with 21,415 units sold.
Notably, Metroid titles have often faced challenges achieving significant sales in Japan outside of 2021's Metroid Dread, a trend verified by its lower-than-expected debut ranking for Beyond. Other notable entries in the top ten included Momotaro Dentetsu 2: Anata no Machi mo Kitto Aru on both Switch and Switch 2, reflecting Konami's continued success with domestic board-game franchises.
Pokémon Legends: Z-A garnered impressive cumulative sales, surpassing 2.2 million units across both Switch platforms. On the hardware front, Nintendo Switch 2 enjoyed a substantial boost, selling 203,398 units in a single week and surpassing 3.17 million lifetime sales.
The Switch OLED and Switch Lite models followed, with 24,395 and 15,194 units sold, respectively.
In comparison, combined PlayStation 5 sales for the week—including the Digital Edition and PS5 Pro—totaled 25,240 units.
Microsoft's Xbox Series X and Series S platforms, along with the legacy PlayStation 4, continued to trail significantly in Japanese market share. Famitsu’s data underscores Nintendo’s sustained market leadership in Japan, propelled by its diverse software library and the successful rollout of new hardware iterations.
As the busy holiday shopping season continues, these results reinforce the strong consumer demand for Nintendo Switch 2, as well as enduring excitement for exclusive franchises like Mario Kart, Kirby, and Pokémon. With such impressive performances from both evergreen titles and new releases, the Japanese gaming landscape remains firmly in Nintendo’s favor as 2024 draws to a close.
Marking a robust launch period, top-performing software titles such as Mario Kart World, Octopath Traveler 0, and Metroid Prime 4: Beyond have energized a thriving holiday season for Nintendo fans and hardware sales alike. The new releases this week brought much anticipation, but the stalwarts of the Switch platform maintained their stronghold atop the charts.
Mario Kart World for Nintendo Switch 2 remains an unstoppable force, securing the number one position with 102,435 units sold, contributing to a formidable lifetime total of over 2.35 million copies.
Following closely, Kirby Air Riders and Pokémon Legends: Z-A (on both Switch and Switch 2) claimed the next three spots, demonstrating enduring popularity in Nintendo's first-party line-up. Octopath Traveler 0, developed by Square Enix, debuted as the week’s highest-selling new entry, taking fifth place on the Nintendo Switch with 21,698 units sold.
The title also performed well on PlayStation 5 and Switch 2, cementing the RPG’s strong cross-platform appeal.
Meanwhile, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, developed by Retro Studios and eagerly awaited by longtime fans, landed at sixth place on Switch 2 with 21,415 units sold.
Notably, Metroid titles have often faced challenges achieving significant sales in Japan outside of 2021's Metroid Dread, a trend verified by its lower-than-expected debut ranking for Beyond. Other notable entries in the top ten included Momotaro Dentetsu 2: Anata no Machi mo Kitto Aru on both Switch and Switch 2, reflecting Konami's continued success with domestic board-game franchises.
Pokémon Legends: Z-A garnered impressive cumulative sales, surpassing 2.2 million units across both Switch platforms. On the hardware front, Nintendo Switch 2 enjoyed a substantial boost, selling 203,398 units in a single week and surpassing 3.17 million lifetime sales.
The Switch OLED and Switch Lite models followed, with 24,395 and 15,194 units sold, respectively.
In comparison, combined PlayStation 5 sales for the week—including the Digital Edition and PS5 Pro—totaled 25,240 units.
Microsoft's Xbox Series X and Series S platforms, along with the legacy PlayStation 4, continued to trail significantly in Japanese market share. Famitsu’s data underscores Nintendo’s sustained market leadership in Japan, propelled by its diverse software library and the successful rollout of new hardware iterations.
As the busy holiday shopping season continues, these results reinforce the strong consumer demand for Nintendo Switch 2, as well as enduring excitement for exclusive franchises like Mario Kart, Kirby, and Pokémon. With such impressive performances from both evergreen titles and new releases, the Japanese gaming landscape remains firmly in Nintendo’s favor as 2024 draws to a close.
