The latest Famitsu’s Japanese chart figures have been released and, yet again,Nintendois dominating.Animal Crossing: New Horizonsis topping that list. Of the top ten physical video game sales from August 17 through August 23, nine areNintendo Switchgames. And of the top thirty games, twenty-six are Nintendo Switch games, providing proof of the Big N’s supremacy.
It is not surprising to seeAnimal Crossingtop the list with 42,863 physical copy sales, as recentlyNew Horizonsbecame the second highest-selling game in Japan’s history. The game has now sold 5.6 million physical copy sales. The lovable, cute, relaxing game came at the perfect time, as the stress-filled world pandemic forced players indoors andAnimal Crossingrelieved tensions and allowed players to explore ‘outside.’
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The second highest-selling game on the list could be a bit more surprising, however, asRing Fit Adventuresold 30,689 copies, with nearly 1.4 million games sold since the launch. The third best-selling game during the period was the only non-Nintendo game on the list,Ghost of Tsushima,which has sold well since its launch.
Other notable games on the list would includeClubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classicsat four on the list,the hilariousPaper Mario: The Origami Kingat seven, andSuper Smash Bros. Ultimaterounding off the list ten. The ever-popularSplatoon 2is also on the list at nine, a game that is certainly enjoyed in the United States but is absolutely beloved in Japan, as the once highest-selling Switch title beforeNew Horizonstook the throne.
TheAnimal Crossingtrain doesn’t seem to be stopping any time soon.New Horizonshas sold over 22 million copies worldwide since the launch, a number not many would have predicted. With the Switch becoming more available lately, and the holiday push sure to help, it’s possible thatAnimal Crossinghits 30 million at some point this year.
One of the things that will make everything even more interesting is if therumored Nintendo Switch Proreleases next year. If players have the Switch Lite as a dedicated handheld to choose from and a more powerful sleek Switch Pro to play next-gen-esque games on the go or the big screen, Nintendo may find a perfect balance.
Nintendo dominating the Japanese market is part of the reason why analysts think that thePlayStation 5 will not win the holiday, but the Nintendo Switch will. Handhelds have always found remarkable success in Japan, so it makes a lot of sense that Nintendo’s hybrid is finding itself in the hands of countless gamers. And with so many fun first party, third party, and indie titles to choose from, it’s likely that the Nintendo Switch software sales will continue to top the charts.
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