PlayStation Vita

It’s the console that everyone loves to kick, but the PlayStation Vita is actually on the rise in Japan right now. Media Create statistics show that Sony’s flagship handheld format is the only device to build upon its early 2013 sales, with the diminutive device seeing an impressive 150 per cent upswing in popularity year-on-year.

Four weeks into the previous year, the machine had managed to move just 63,181 units – but it’s already up to 157,669 units in 2014. The difference can largely be attributed to the recent PlayStation Vita Slim hardware revision, but also the release of coveted software such as God Eater 2 and Final Fantasy X|X-2 HD Remaster.

Fortunately for Sony, there’s plenty more content on the horizon, too, with Soul Sacrifice Delta and Hatsune Miku Project Diva F 2nd due out in early March. The system’s still trailing the Nintendo 3DS by a significant margin in its home territory, but it’s no longer the commercial disaster that it was once perceived to be.

PlayStation 3 sales, on the other hand, are starting to flag, with the ageing appliance’s numbers down by 35 per cent year-on-year. With the PlayStation 4 due out in a matter of weeks, though, we doubt that the platform holder will be too worried with that tally – especially seeing as software continues to sell exceeding well on the machine.

Speaking of which, Sengoku Basara 4 was the biggest performer this week, moving 176,313 units. Saints Row IV started strong, too, finishing in fourth position with 34,486 units sold. Elsewhere, Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Z debuted with 30,192 units on the PS3 and 22,901 units on the Vita, while SEGA’s handheld rhythm game Uta Kumi 575 flopped with just 9,701 units shifted.

We’ve included the full list of software and hardware sales below. Are you impressed by the Vita’s revival, or did you always believe that the slender system would make a recovery? Celebrate good times in the comments section.

Hardware Sales (followed by last week’s sales)

1. 3DS LL – 26,484 (32,393)
2. PlayStation Vita – 21,498 (24,755)
3. PlayStation 3 – 13,360 (13,243)
4. 3DS – 11,745 (15,045)
5. Wii U – 8,490 (11,443)
6. PSP – 3,428 (4,024)
7. PlayStation Vita TV – 1,792 (2,208)
8. Xbox 360 – 260 (273)

Software Sales (followed by lifetime sales)

1. [PS3] Sengoku Basara 4 (Capcom, 01/23/14) – 176,313 (New)
2. [3DS] Kirby: Triple Deluxe (Nintendo, 01/09/14) – 58,015 (353,291)
3. [3DS] Puzzle & Dragons Z (GungHo Online Entertainment, 12/12/31) – 35,568 (1,300,778)
4. [PS3] Saints Row IV (Spike Chunsoft, 01/23/14) – 34,486 (New)
5. [PS3] Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Z (Namco Bandai, 1/23/14) – 30,192 (New)
6. [PSV] Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Z (Namco Bandai, 1/23/14) – 22,901 (New)
7. [3DS] Yokai Watch (Level-5, 07/11/13) – 17,544 (345,529)
8. [3DS] Attack on Titan: The Last Wings of Mankind (Spike Chunsoft, 12/05/13) – 17,282 (221,249)
9. [3DS] Pokemon X and Y (Nintendo, 10/12/13) – 16,933 (3,910,658)
10. [3DS] The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds (Nintendo, 12/26/13) – 15,095 (356,494)
11. [PS3] Final Fantasy X | X-2 HD Remaster (Square Enix, 12/26/13) – 10,412 (266,171)
12. [PSP] Kiniro no Corda 3: Another Sky feat. Jinnan (Tecmo Koei, 01/23/14) – 10,295 (New)
13. [PSV] Uta Kumi 575 (Sega, 01/23/14) – 9,701 (New)
14. [3DS] Sentouchu Densetsu no Shinobi to Survival Battle (NB, 10/17/13) – 9,271 (251,197)
15. [3DS] Monster Hunter 4 (Capcom, 09/14/13) – 8,285 (3,201,132)
16. [Wii U] Super Mario 3D World (Nintendo, 11/21/13) – 7,667 (470,687)
17. [PS3] Grand Theft Auto V (Take-Two, 10/10/13) – 7,199 (689,415)
18. [PSV] Final Fantasy X | X-2 HD Remaster Twin Pack (Square Enix, 12/26/13) – 7,033 (214,245)
19. [3DS] Animal Crossing: New Leaf (Nintendo, 11/08/13) – 6,437 (3,656,250)
20. [360] Saints Row IV (Spike Chunsoft, 01/23/14) – 5,393 (New)

[source 4gamer.net, via gematsu.com, neogaf.com]