Japan: Famitsu sales for November 2018 (Top 5 Software, Top 3 Publishers, Hardware)
Earlier this week, Famitsu shared their report on video games sales in Japan in November (and more precisely the period going from October 29th to November 25th, so 4 weeks in total).
It reveals that Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! / Let’s Go, Eevee! was the best-selling game during that month with about 822 000 units sold in a little under two weeks. It’s the second best debut after Splatoon 2, and it will reach 1 million units before the end of the year.
The other Nintendo game in the Top 20 is Super Mario Party with 84 497 units sold during its second month on the market: a solid performance ahead of the holiday season.
Unfortunately, November was another weak month, since Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! / Let’s Go, Eevee! is the only one that sold over 100 000 units: all the other games sold less, including new releases.
In December, they key titles will be Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (Nintendo Switch), Dragon Quest Builders 2 (Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4), and JUDGE EYES (PlayStation 4).
Here’s the Top 5 Software for November from Famitsu:
01./00. [NSW] Pokemon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! / Let’s Go, Eevee! # <RPG> (Pokemon Co.) {2018.11.16} (¥5.980) – 821.892 / NEW
02./00. [PS4] Battlefield V <ACT> (Electronic Arts) {2018.11.20} (¥7.800) – 98.105 / NEW
03./02. [NSW] Super Mario Party # <ETC> (Nintendo) {2018.10.05} (¥5.980) – 84.497 / 347.598 (-68%)
04./01. [PS4] Call of Duty: Black Ops IIII <ACT> (Sony Interactive Entertainment) {2018.10.12} (¥7.900) – 75.329 / 451.470 (-80%)
05./00. [PS4] Fallout 76 # <RPG> (Bethesda Softworks) {2018.11.15} (¥7.980) – 72.506 / NEW
As you can see, the Nintendo Switch isn’t the console with the most games in the Top 5, as Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! / Let’s Go, Eevee! was the only major new release.
- PS4 – 3
- NSW – 2
And this time around, Nintendo isn’t the most successful publisher in Japan, due to The Pokémon Company publishing Pokémon games in Japan. The vast majority of its sales come from Pokemon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! / Let’s Go, Eevee!, with Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon making up the rest.
Nintendo is the second most successful publisher with 326 000 units sold. Most of those come from the usual evergreen titles (Splatoon 2, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Super Mario Odyssey, etc.), along with Luigi’s Mansion on Nintendo 3DS.
Here’s the Top 3 Publishers for November from Famitsu:
- Pokemon Co. – 844.000
- Nintendo – 326.000
- Sony Interactive Entertainment – 129.000
Hardware-wise, the Nintendo Switch once again dominated sales with 388 000 units sold (about twice as much as in October): that’s the 9th month in a row it’s #1 of Hardware sales in Japan. Sales increased by 223.5%, mainly driven by the release of Pokemon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! / Let’s Go, Eevee!.
The Nintendo Switch also sold slightly more than last year during the same period, which is definitely a positive (though one has to keep in mind the console was still supply-constrained last year, in November).
Nintendo 3DS sales did increase slightly compared to last month (from 23 000 units to 26 000 units), but they’re about 4 times below their November 2017 level due to Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon providing a boost last year.
