The first week of sales estimates in Japan for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S are in, with Sony dominating over Microsoft.
Famitsu reports (translation: DeepL) that the PlayStation 5 sold an estimated 118,085 units in four days since its launch (the first week of its launch), while the Xbox Series X sold an estimated 21,534 units in six days of its launch. During that week, the Nintendo Switch sold 116,267 units (93,671 as the original Nintendo Switch, and 22,596 as Switch Lite).
This estimation further breaks down, with 103,901 PlayStation 5 units and 14,184 units of the Digital Edition. Meanwhile, the Xbox Series X sold 16,247 units, while the Xbox Series S sold 4,287 units. While Microsoft have the lesser figures, Famitsu report that both consoles immediately sold out once pre-orders began.
The best physical game sold on PlayStation 5 was Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales at 18,640 copies, followed by Demon’s Souls (2020) at 18,607 copies. When it came to the Xbox Series X however, Famitsu reports “most of them are available for download.”
An earlier report by Famitsu notes that in comparison, the PlayStation 4 sold 322,083 units on its first two days on sale. The Xbox One sold 23,562 units within its first four days on sale. Earlier than that, the PlayStation 3 sold 88,443 units in two days, while the Xbox 360 sold 62,135 units in two days.
While many would assume Japan would be dominated by Nintendo and Sony Interactive Entertainment, Microsoft has reportedly made new efforts to crack the market in that region.
A Bloomberg report discussed how Microsoft are attempting to attract more consumers in Japan, by seeking new acquisitions. Head of Xbox Phil Spencer previously stated at Tokyo Game Show 2020 that Japan is their “fastest growing install base.” However, anonymous Sony staff claimed that the company had begun to focus more on the US after the PlayStation 4 had been disappointing in Japan.
A Sony spokeswoman denied those claims, and that Sony’s “home market remains of utmost importance.” It should be noted that Japanese fans were not happy with Sony’s decision to switch the X and O commands to the western standard, and two major PlayStation 5 livestreams premiering at 5 a.m. JST.
Image: PlayStation, Xbox
