In Japanese gaming market, Momotaro Dentetsu(NSW) becomes leading player on the holiday season.

Many of you surprised and think "Why?"

So, I try to explain about it ("Do you post here for the first time in twelve years?" Never mind).

First, in fact, Japanese game sales watchers received its current sales as big surprise.

Momotaro dentetsu franchise is very long life, first one is released in 1988 as a spin-off game of earlier JRPG, Momotaro Densetsu.

Momotaro Dentetsu(NSW) is released as 13th game of its franchise on console and first Konami published one (first~11th:Hudson, 12th:Nintendo)

So, this franchise is well known in Japanese game players, especially, as once an annual holiday regular game since it released in December.

Their sales has been usually 200k~700k and Japanese game sales watchers have treated them as a backseat of market.

OK, so now, I listed "why it is being sold so much?" from the sight of Japanese.

1. Konami permitted players to stream the game playing and monetization.

Playing Momotaro Dentetsu is like a nail-biter and this concept is very suitable for streaming.

Many players, especially famous YouTubers, streaming their play on Youtube and various streaming services, and more it is featured on TV programs.

So, people get many chances to see Momotaro Dentetsu widely. This stimulate the demand.

2. COVID-19

COVID-19 affects Japanese lifestyle largely same as USA, Europe and so on.

Notably one is "increase the opportunity to communicate with family".

Momotaro Dentetsu is traditionally good tool for communication with family, friends and so.

So, it fits ideally on current Japanese society (and Nintendo is advertising it based on this concept)

Co-supervisor Shoji Masuda said "Momotaro Dentetsu(NSW) is good seller because people wants to listen the voice with fun of their families or friends"

3. Change of Graphics

Momotaro Densetsu and Momotaro Dentetsu franchise employ Takayuki Doi as a Character Designer because he worked with "Jump Housoukyoku" on weekly Syounen Jump(1982~1995).

But, in Momotaro Dentetsu(NSW), Doi isn't participating any more.

Sakuma and Masuda says about it, "Because Doi participated other game(Billions road(NSW, BandaiNamco Games)) similar as ours one."

This was a controversial change among fans of franchise.

But some of them claims "Doi's design is out-of-date and children accepted current design more easily"

At last, I show one question discussed among Japanese game sales watchers recently.

"Are there any chance for other Board game franchises 'Fortune Street' and 'Dokapon'?"

Wonder if it could sell decently outside Japan.

Man I hope Dokapon could achieve somethng

Possibly, Fortune Street sold more than 250K outside Japan.

Among Japanese community, opinion is divided.

First it is common recognition that Momotaro Denetetsu is very good party game.

In addition, in the game, various Japanese culture, industrial, food and railroads are contained.

So, one of group claims its concept could be accepted by people in other countries.

But the game is strongly based on trends of Japanese society.

So, another group claims that foreigners couldn't understand its comical touches.

It probably wont even sell anywhere close to it if it was on a PS4 or PS5.

Its like playing a video game version of Monopoly.
It could... its not like there hasnt been video games of Monopoly that have sold well in the west.

Why has it sold so much on the switch?

Familes at home, with nothing better to do, than play a board game, useing the switch as a tablet.
Corona is getting to people, and its the holidays... so a family styled board game is obv. gonna do well around this time.
(once holidays are over, sales will probably drop like a rock)

Also with switch being more "kid friendly" of the 3 consoles, this type of game, is gonna sell most on this platform.

Interesting, I wouldn’t have figured that at all. Are there examples of these sorts of games selling much more than Fortune Street on PS4 and PS5?

Hey, a fellow 2007 VGC user. Welcome back.

And thanks for your view on Momotaro Dentetsu. Indeed many of us were surprised by it's success.

This success has many consequences. I mean, for one japanese third parties will notice it is possible to have success as a third party on Switch for one and with a simple and fun gameplay not driven by graphics. So maybe we will see in the future more japanese devs developing for Switch (if they aren't already) and also more confidence in colorful simple and fun experiences. I would hope so.

Another thing: Konami was recently removing themself nearly completely from video games. Does this success make them rethink that? With all the Hudson Soft IPs they actually have a big catalog of IPs that they can try games with low investment to possible big success, just like Momotaro Dentetsu.

That is a great question. I wouldn't even be surprised if the bring that sports party game they had cancelled for Switch back from the dead. Another thing is that, aside from Super Bomberman R (That was also a million seller), they barely have taken advantage from Hudson's IPs this last decade. Could this make them look back at their catalog?