After all the hullabaloo surrounding the PlayStation 5’s launch in Japan – stock issues mean that it was trending behind even the Nintendo Wii U at one point – the next-gen console is now selling faster than its predecessor the PS4 did in the region when launch aligned. It’s worth remembering that the PS4 didn’t arrive until February domestically meaning the two devices are on different schedules, but the PS5 is still practically impossible to purchase around the globe.
According to Famitsu hardware sales data, the PS4 had an install base of 643,912 units by the conclusion of its 24th week on sale, whereas the PS5 has now notched up 658,778 units. Golden Week is fast approaching in Japan, which could give the next-gen console another bump – assuming, of course, Sony can effectively get stock on shelves. It’ll also be promoting Resident Evil Village hard over the coming days.
Unfortunately, the console just isn’t moving software at all. The week ending 25th April saw the release of Judgment’s remaster on the PS5, and SEGA dropped the price of physical copies to just ¥1,800 (~$16) in order to help push it. However, it managed to sell just 5,539 units according to Famitsu sales data. NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139 did surpass 108k units on the PS4, and we’re curious whether PS5 owners decided to purchase that instead.
Exactly what’s going on with PS5 software sales is still unclear. Obviously, the industry at large is shifting more towards digital on the PS Store, as referenced by Sony’s financials. But the drop off for PS5 releases like Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales – especially after its predecessor did so well in Japan – has been enormous. What exactly are local gamers playing on their next-gen consoles? Is backwards compatibility affecting the sales of new software? Is the hardware being bought up and exported to other Asian nations?
Resident Evil Village should give us some indication, as while it’s also available on the PS4, it’s the next tentpole PS5 release with real Japanese consumer interest. If it flops, though – and we don’t expect the numbers to be extraordinary by any stretch – then real questions need to be asked about what is happening in the region. Sony’s selling more games than ever globally, of course, but its physical software sales are practically non-existent domestically right now.
[source famitsu.com, via gematsu.com, resetera.com]
Comments 24
You don't need to buy games straight away as Astro's playroom is awesome! Bugsnax was fun as well
Hopefully this trend of hardware selling well but software not shifting extends across the globe. The only way to show Sony that these price hikes are nonsense is to vote with your wallet.
If japanese people didn't buy games for ps5 maybe sony should allocate more ps5 shipment to others asia country or western country 😕
@nessisonett I mean, this doesn't just apply to Sony's games, but all games. SEGA literally reduced the price of Judgment to 1,800JPY (I know it's a remaster!) and it still barely sold anything!
@wiiware Hilariously, there were a ton of comments saying when PS5 first launched there that Sony was irresponsible for not providing Japanese gamers with more stock and it was further proof of them turning their back on the country...!
Maybe giving ps5 ps plus owners loads of free games in the collection, then a load of free games due to lockdown, plus making it backwards compatible, plus giving plus snd now games...
@get2sammyb I already have ps5 but my nephew and my friends still haven't got their ps5 yet (at normal price), I think sony needs to prioritize other country first if japanese people is like this. Oh well, I hope resident evil 8 and ff7 remake will sells great there 😃
@thefourfoldroot That's one of the reason, but on usa most games sold best on ps5, so it's not like ps5 owners only play free games and nothing else. I think it's more like there's no big AAA japanese games yet for ps5, that's why I'm interested in re8 sales in japan. Although that game is also available on ps4 😅
@get2sammyb We live in a post-game society.
Like a few comments above I feel the excellent PS+ games and the free games like HZD affect games sales. No complaints from me.
No body is in a hurry to buy games for 70$/70€. For example in East Europe where the avarage salary is around 400-500€ to pay these kind of prices for games is outrageous . And most people still trying to buy a PS5 (me included) at least after a raffle in Romania you are put on a waiting list when available you will be notified if u still want to buy.
Everyone in Japan is too busy buying Monster Hunter Rise.
So less people were buying a launch PS4 in February 2014 in Japan as opposed to the two months leading up to Christmas in 2020 for the PS5? Well that's as clear as mud then...
@Batty5 Exactly! PS5 has few games of interest for the Japanese market - especially when put up against a £200 console with Monster Hunter on it (PSP anyone?)
It could be a lot of things. It could be people with PS4's using it as a Pro upgrade with futureproofing. It could be people that didn't have PS4s buying one and using the Plus collection and the money is in subs. It could be people buying them just to use with whatever F2P games are trending in Japan right now that aren't on Switch. Maybe Genshin Impact is all one needs in life. It could be FOMO of buying the console because they're scarce even when people don't want to play anything on it yet.
My guess, though, is that the scarcity is mostly just driving business opportunity through export sales and the PS5s are little more than a commodity for trade. Japan is Nintendo country. They know how to handle artificial scarcity.
There are almost no adults playing video games seriously in Japan. Looking at real-world adults in Japan, they just take video games seriously over there in Japan.
Can anybody tell me what "Golden week" entails?
Some probably still have their ps4 as well as the new ps5 and a lot are still getting use out of the older console so why pay over £50 for a new game when they've more than likely still got a backlog of games on the ps4?
I always used to wonder about PS4 in the UK and game attachment rates like last of us 2 sales against how many PS4 have been sold.
Then realised asking about, I now know a good few PS4 owners that buy COD and FIFA new every year and then just the odd cheap second hand game.
They miss out on GOW, GOT, TLOU etc.
I guess it takes all sorts in the gaming world.
Yes, it's Unicorn.
And I can't understand this state.
@thefourfoldroot So this free effect only works on people from Japan? Pretty sure the rest of the world got all those freebies as well.
They are buying them, gutting the insides and using them as cheap apartments
@Juanalf
Yes, and pretty sure software sales are down everywhere on what they would be if there weren’t all these free game. It’s just more noticeable in Japan as there is now more of a mobile culture and games sales are down anyway on consoles.
@Grimwood Well, if I had the chance to buy me a PS5 I'd just get Demon's Souls with it. Then I'd use it to clean my huge PS4 backlog while waiting for R&C and Returnal to receive a price drop.
I don't think it is a dumb thing to do...
@deathaxe Totally agree with you everything will be in the hands of corporate and then after that we will see the real pricehike.
Ofcourse the platforms get all the money and ownership. While we complain why everything is liveservice or cut up into pieces plus all the nice F2P mechanics put into your full priced games.
Which are not in the Firstparty €70 games.
But everyone wants its €60 game while they have to pay from day one for the expansions, microtransactions, always online stuff. Games from Ubisoft/EA and all the others never are that price they just sell you the content later. 🤣
@andreoni79 yeah especially with the enhancements many PS4 games have when played on the PS5.
Tap here to load 24 comments
Leave A Comment
Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...