Minecraft: PS Vita Edition has sold over one million units at retail in Japan according to tracking firm Media Create. This means that – despite the brand being owned by Microsoft – it's the first Sony published title since 2004 to hit seven digits. The last first-party release to achieve the target was Gran Turismo 4 on the PlayStation 2.
Of course, Minecraft: PS Vita Edition wasn't developed by the Japanese giant, but the firm did publish its retail release in the East, so this kind of counts if you squint. It does demonstrate how Sony's brands have much more pull in Western territories these days, though, as Nintendo is regularly knocking out million sellers in its home nation, while Sony's been made to wait 12 years for one.
[source neogaf.com]
Comments (11)
Since this is only retail, and Minecraft strikes me as the kind of game you would buy digitally, I think half of Vita owners must own Minecraft. Is this cross-buy in Japan? B/c if it is, probably every Vita owner has access to it from a PS3 or PS4 purchase and wouldn't even need to buy a Vita version at retail.
My kid hasn't spent $5 for the PS4 version yet as we spent yesterday installing the new source forge on PC, his preferred way to play. Maybe someday when we get a 2nd PS4 controller, he doesn't like to play alone.
So how many million more copies does it need to sell before MS earns it's $2B purchase price back? 😉
Sony really need to look at bringing out a decent smartphone/handheld hybrid, (perhaps have the smartphone be, well a smartphone, and have a dock of sorts with R1/2 L1/2 and so fourth that you just clip on when you want to play those awesome PS games) I'm thinking, PlayStation Xperia (I realise their past attempt at phone gaming was poor but with some real dedication I think they could dominate Japan)
Microsoft doing more for the Vita than Sony.
@Rsco6969 With respect, that sounds like it'd be a disaster. I think they're doing the right things already: focusing mainly on the West, while continuing to nurture Japan as best they can.
@get2sammyb suppose that's why I'm not running a company lol I'm just hoping we don't lose Japan in its entirety, don't know what I'd do if gaming became more shooters less, well, diverse. There are some amazing games coming from western developers don't get me wrong but the Japanese seem to know how to make messed up (in a good way) games especially in the RPG and Horror Genres.
@Rsco6969 Sony will go more for the western market i hope the games dont go alle out western though.
Minecraft, the second biggest selling game with mine in the title. A pushsquare point for anyone who knows the biggest selling game with mine in the title.
@themcnoisy
Minesweeper? 😀 I'd guess This War of Mine, although I don't think it's anywhere near Minecraft.
Ok, I give up. Do tell...
@Fight_Teza_Fight Or Sony doing more for Minecraft and Microsoft in Japan then they do.
@themcnoisy Manic Miner !
TBH it must also be said that people tend to buy Sony's hardware for a variety of reasons, not just Sony published software while after N64's era you basically buy a Nintendo console to play first/second party titles only. With this I don't mean to undervalue Nintendo's exclusives appeal, they are pretty stellar games most of the times, but especially with the WiiU they were basically the only interesting software on the console, so it's logical they will sell a lot.
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