Famitsu: Japanese sales data for past Fiscal Year (April 2021 – March 2022)
During its yearly seminar, held on April 22nd, Koichi Hamamura (Senior Advisor for Digital Entertainment at Kadokawa) shared some data about the Japanese video games market during the past fiscal Year (March 29th 2021 to March 27th 2022 to be precise).
Worldwide, the video games market grew by approximately 6% between the Fiscal Year ended March 2021 and the Fiscal Year ended March 2022, but the growth was low in East Asia due, in part, to China (who blocked approvals for the release of new games in the country).
The Covid-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the industry as a whole, but even though the worst of the pandemic is (seemingly) behind us, the market did not return to its pre-pandemic levels. In fact, sales have kept growing in Europe and the United States.
During the Fiscal Year ended March 2021, all three console manufacturers saw a major increase in sales. And during the Fiscal Year ended March 2022, Nintendo was the only one to see a drop in sales, due to the incredible success of Animal Crossing: New Horizons the previous year.
In the United States (the biggest market for video games in the world), sales topped $60 billion (+8% Year on Year), with the mobile market specifically growing fast (+14% Year on Year). Hardware sales were mostly driven by what Koichi Hamamura calls “high-end game consoles” (PlayStation 5, Xbox). The UK saw a similar trend in sales.
Worldwide, the Nintendo Switch accounts for roughly half of total sales, but that’s not the case in Japan where the console is the uncontested king. Therefore, it’s hardly a surprise when the market as a whole is down by about 10% when Nintendo Switch sales themselves (both Hardware and Software) are slightly down Year on Year.
Hardware
In Japan specifically, the Nintendo Switch sold nearly 1 million units less than during the previous Fiscal Year, but sales remained unusually strong for such an old platform (it’s now in its 6th year on the market).
+-------+------------+------------+-------------+
|System | This FY | Last FY | LTD |
+-------+------------+------------+-------------+
| NSW # | 5.191.763 | 6.001.565 | 24.277.111 |
| PS5 # | 917.306 | 580.211 | 1.497.517 |
| XBS # | 124.281 | 40.009 | 164.290 |
| PS4 # | 44.336 | 432.450 | 9.395.115 |
| 3DS # | 24.220 | 56.959 | 24.592.496 |
+-------+------------+------------+-------------+
| ALL | 6.301.906 | 7.113.377 | 61.110.873 |
+-------+------------+------------+-------------+
| PS5 | 786.274 | 485.476 | 1.271.750 |
| PS5DE | 131.032 | 94.735 | 225.767 |
| XBS X | 58.595 | 30.636 | 89.231 |
| XBS S | 65.686 | 9.373 | 75.059 |
|NSWOLED| 1.490.352 | | 1.490.352 |
| NSW L | 1.121.403 | 1.517.510 | 4.648.386 |
| NSW | 2.580.008 | 4.484.055 | 18.138.373 |
| PS4 | 44.336 | 320.167 | 7.819.392 |
|n-2DSLL| 24.220 | 54.835 | 1.197.551 |
+-------+------------+------------+-------------+The Nintendo Switch is slowly but surely nearing the 30 million units milestone. Koichi Hamamura explained that he believed the console will be able to catch up with the Nintendo DS (+32 million units sold) and maybe even outsell it. As for the Nintendo 3DS, it’s only a matter of weeks before the Nintendo Switch outsells it.
Since launch, Nintendo sales have grown at a steady pace, with a notable uptick following the release of the Lite model. Koichi Hamamura also explains that in the past, Nintendo consoles tended to see a big boost in sales during the year-end holiday season. The Nintendo Switch, on the other hand, sells well regardless of the season (though there’s still a notable boost in December).
Koichi Hamamura calls the OLED model a “modest success,” and mentions the various shortages that have impacted it following its release. He also reveals that since its launch, it has accounted for roughly half of Nintendo Switch sales.
From bottom to top: original model, Lite model, OLED model.
Software
Software-wise, the vast majority of games sold during the previous Fiscal Year were Nintendo Switch titles. Despite the lack of mega-hit on the scale of Animal Crossing: New Horizons, the drop Year on Year is rather limited.
+-------+------------+------------+
|System | This FY | Last FY |
+-------+------------+------------+
| NSW | 21.385.788 | 23.096.768 |
| PS4 | 3.760.592 | 6.046.573 |
| PS5 | 1.061.551 | 179.650 |
| OTH | 54.902 | 183.617 |
+-------+------------+------------+
| ALL | 26.262.833 | 29.506.608 |
+-------+------------+------------+Here’s the Top 10 Software, entirely dominated by the Nintendo Switch (not another platform to be found):
01./00. [NSW] Pokemon Brilliant Diamond / Shining Pearl # <RPG> (Pokemon Co.) {2021.11.19} (¥5.980) – 2.530.218 / NEW
02./00. [NSW] Pokemon Legends: Arceus <RPG> (Pokemon Co.) {2022.01.28} (¥5.980) – 2.195.400 / NEW
03./04. [NSW] Monster Hunter Rise # <ACT> (Capcom) {2021.03.26} (¥7.990) – 1.056.539 / 2.358.671 (-19%)
04./00. [NSW] Mario Party Superstars <ETC> (Nintendo) {2021.10.29} (¥5.980) – 920.035 / NEW
05./06. [NSW] Mario Kart 8 Deluxe <RCE> (Nintendo) {2017.04.28} (¥5.980) – 766.879 / 4.518.473 (-16%)
06./12. [NSW] Minecraft # <ADV> (Microsoft Game Studios) {2018.06.21} (¥3.600) – 701.985 / 2.574.724 (+30%)
07./03. [NSW] Ring Fit Adventure # <HOB> (Nintendo) {2019.10.18} (¥7.980) – 627.763 / 3.107.336 (-64%)
08./08. [NSW] Super Smash Bros. Ultimate # <FTG> (Nintendo) {2018.12.07} (¥7.200) – 603.684 / 4.822.623 (+1%)
09./02. [NSW] Momotaro Dentetsu: Showa, Heisei, Reiwa mo Teiban! <TBL> (Konami) {2020.11.19} (¥6.300) – 556.887 / 2.629.183 (-73%)
10./01. [NSW] Animal Crossing: New Horizons # <ETC> (Nintendo) {2020.03.20} (¥5.980) – 509.228 / 7.220.089 (-88%)
Source: Famitsu
Data compiled by Chris1964 (Install Base)
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