The Nintendo Switch hasn’t just been hot in the west, it’s been hot in Japan, despite the Japanese gaming market cooling down on consoles the past few years.
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But to put it’s relevance in Japan into context, here’s a little factoid: it outsold the PS4 in the country during 2018 2:1.
More specifically, the Nintendo Switch sold a hearty 3,534,165 units in Japan in 2018. Meanwhile the PS4 and PS4 Pro together sold just 1,726,031 units. Now, it’s worth pointing out the Switch is much newer, and thus has a market advantage in this regard, but it also didn’t have many great software releases beyond Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, while the PS4 had multiple big games come its way in 2018, including Monster Hunter: World, which certainly shipped quite a few consoles.
What’s even more impressive is that the Switch has now surpassed 7 million units in Japan, which is very close to PlayStation 4’s 7.7 million units. The Switch hasn’t even been on the market for two years, while the PS4 has been available for nearly five years in Japan, making the achievement even more special.
So, why has the Switch been so successful in Japan? Well, for one, it’s not just a console. As you may know, console gaming has been on a steady decline in Japan for years now, with the market dominated by mobile games. The console market used to be vibrant in Japan, but now, it’s far, far more niche. But the Switch isn’t a console. I mean, it is, but it is also a handheld. And there’s no doubt its portability has helped it sink its teeth into the Japanese gaming market more than it would if it was just a traditional at-home console.
The Switch probably could be even more successful in Japan if it had more open-world games, which is by far one of the more popular genres in the shrinking console market. In this regard, the PS4 has a lot more to offer.
Anyway, as always, feel free to leave a comment letting us know what you think. How many units do you suspect the Switch will sell in Japan? 10, 15 million? 20 million?
Thanks, TwinInfinite.
