Xbox PS5 Japan Sales
Image: Push Square

It's no secret that Xbox has historically struggled in Japan — especially when it comes to moving hardware. This generation has been no different for the team in green, with the Xbox Series X|S barely registering on the sales charts week after week.

But in a shocking twist, Microsoft's current-gen systems actually outsold the PS5 and PS4 last week (and the week before). It's the kind of result that could fuel fanboy wars for years to come... if there wasn't an obvious reason as to why it happened.

So, why did the PS5 sell a pathetic 1,090 units last week? Well, it's because of the imminent release of the new PS5 model, innit. Sony will have been phasing out old stock for weeks now, and more clued-in consumers will know that the smaller redesign is about to hit store shelves. As such, it's highly likely that no one's buying the old PS5, and there's no stock to go around anyway.

It's assumed that the new PS5 — commonly referred to as the 'Slim' — will see Sony's system rocket back up the charts. But until then, we'll have to come to terms with a world where Xbox Series X and S's combined 5,000 sales are somehow enough to top PlayStation.

[source gematsu.com]