Best-Selling Western Games in Japan (500k+ Sales)

Salnax

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Salnax on 06 February 2021

VGChartz_gamrConnect said:

does the sale inculding digital

Only were digital sales are available. I break down the numbers below each entry.

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bigjon on 07 February 2021

most of this list I consider to be Japanese games. (Donkey Kong)

so ya.

1. Minecraft
2. GTA5

shocked.

End of 2009 Predictions (Set, January 1st 2009)

Wii- 72 million 3rd Year Peak, better slate of releases

360- 37 million Should trend down slightly after 3rd year peak

PS3- 29 million Sales should pick up next year, 3rd year peak and price cut

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curl-6 on 07 February 2021

bigjon said:

most of this list I consider to be Japanese games. (Donkey Kong)

The DKC games were developed in England and Texas, they're Western.

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Salnax on 11 September 2021

Just making the first update in a few months. Only thing that's changed are the sales of Minecraft, which is just shy of 6 million sales right now.

Here are a few games that may be relevant in the foreseeable future:

Ghost of Tsushima - Already had over 410k sales on the PS4 before the Director's Cut came out on the PS4 and PS5 and sold another 24k copies their first week. These games will likely continue to sell as more people get access to the PS5, which is appaarently extra-rare in Japan atm.
Grand Theft Auto V - Being released on the PS5 could give this game the push it needs to reach the #4 all-time spot, though we won't see until next year.
Marvel's Spider-Man 2 - The original game sold about 325k, so a sequel can contend for a lower spot on the list depending on the PS5's popularity down the line.

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konnichiwa

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konnichiwa on 12 September 2021

It feels like MC is still undertracked.

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Salnax on 12 September 2021

konnichiwa said:

It feels like MC is still undertracked.

Honestly, a lot of these games probably are. A lot of the data I'm using comes from Famitsu, and they don't report on sales of a game unless the game does well enough at least one week. That means a game can theoretically fly under the radar for up to a few years selling hundreds of copies per week, which can add up.

Even that's not counting for some platforms which we just don't have data for. The lack of PC sales is the most obvious example, but we're also missing things like Virtual Console sales of the Donkey Kong Country games.

I could either give up the entire thing as a waste of time or be satisfied that I'm providing the best info possible. I choose the latter.

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Agente42 on 12 September 2021

Endymion said:

Donkey Kong Land shipped in total 1.08 million units in Japan.

Donkey Kong 64 too was a million seller in Japan.

Shipment totals in Japan:

Donkey Kong Country (SNES): 3.00M
Donkey Kong Country 2 (SNES): 2.21M
Donkey Kong Country 3 (SNES): 1.77M
Crash Bandicoot 3 Warped (PS1): 1.45M
Crash Bandicoot 2 (PS1): 1.33M
Luigi's Mansion 2 (3DS): 1.31
Donkey Kong 64 (N64): 1.10M
Donkey Kong Land (GB): 1.08M
Donkey Kong Country Returns (Wii): 1.00M
Luigi's Mansion 3 (NSW): 0.92M (soon to be announced as a million seller)

Japan loves animal mascots, period. And green Mario with vacuum cleaner

a DK vs Crash vs Luigi Mansion will be a Monster Hunter level of sales.