Top 5 best-selling PS3 games since its launch in Japan

by Alan Tsang { Dec 8th 2008 at 12:30PM }

To celebrate the 2nd anniversary of the PlayStation 3, Weekly Famitsu takes a look back at some of the big events relating to Sony's console since its launch. One of the most interesting portions of their feature is the part where Entertain reveals the top 5 best-selling titles in Japan so far:

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots -- 671,706
Minna no Golf 5 (Hot Shots Golf: Out of Bounds) -- 408,175
Shin Sangoku Musou 5 (Dynasty Warriors 6) -- 371,443
Gundam Musou (Dynasty Warriors: Gundam) -- 317,580
World Soccer Winning Eleven 2008 (Pro Evolution Soccer 2008) -- 316,533

Not too many surprises here -- the Japanese sure love the Dynasty Warriors franchise. Furthermore, it was revealed that the PS3 itself has sold 2,469,448 units since its Japanese debut. Also worth noting is the fact that 476,334 copies of MGS4 were sold during the first 4 days of its launch, meaning almost 71% of the copies were snatched up during that time. Did any of these games surprise you guys?

Tags: famitsu, konami, metal-gear-solid-4, playstation-3, ps3

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

DeathroW @ Dec 8th 2008 12:34PM

Did it surprise me? Nope.

Jerses @ Dec 8th 2008 12:38PM

I feel like i buyed the wrong console with that list.... that god this gen its all about multiplataform

deaftly @ Dec 8th 2008 1:39PM

English... you're doing it wrong.

Jerses @ Dec 8th 2008 1:41PM

@deaftly

I feel like i buyed the wrong console with that list.... "THANK" god this gen its all about multiplataform.

Happy?

meatee @ Dec 8th 2008 1:47PM

I'm still not happy, so no. Try again!

deaftly @ Dec 8th 2008 1:49PM

*shakes head*

try again buddy

meatee @ Dec 8th 2008 1:51PM

"buyed" isn't a real word... buddy.

meatee @ Dec 8th 2008 1:56PM

@deaftly... hah, oops. I thought that was Jerses' reply.

Jerses @ Dec 8th 2008 1:57PM

bought? im not good at english. (i speak spanish). But non of you offered a solution. This resumes why the internet doesnt work like it should.

meatee @ Dec 8th 2008 2:06PM

you should have said so in your first reply. you just set yourself up for the kill, and we attacked

jazz_perry @ Dec 8th 2008 2:29PM

@ meatee and deaftly

Don't be asses. It was clear that English wasn't likely his first language, and it wasn't like the sentence couldn't be understood. If you want to criticise, you could at least point out his errors so he'll continue to learn. Can you speak Spanish half as well as he speaks English? I freaking doubt it.

ric @ Dec 8th 2008 2:50PM

so yeah... Take that.....

PSN: John-Paul-Jones @ Dec 8th 2008 3:25PM

Wow, douchebags. At least correct the guy and not taunt him with your English superiority, because Lord knows that everyone who visits the site speaks fluent English /

Lavat @ Dec 8th 2008 4:52PM

I speak English...And dam though if I knew what he said...But what we have to remember...Is that everyone here is speaking English to each other. And if we can not understand him...What else to do but mock and insult him...Like the Japanese and their Engrish, I love laughing at that stuff.

It is like when you come to America...You have to learn how to speak English if you want to be successful. But here...You have to learn how to say it correctly...Otherwise it is funny.

AltCtrlPwn @ Dec 8th 2008 5:02PM

"I feel like i [bought] the wrong console with that list...."

uh . . . porque? esa lista es de japon, que te importa lo que ellos compran? el unico juego que yo tengo de esa lista es MGS4, y los demas no me gustan.

uh . . . why? that list is from japan, why do you care what they buy? the only game that i have from that list is mgs4, i don't even like the rest.

meatee @ Dec 8th 2008 6:03PM

Go back and read Jerses' original reply to deaftly's comment.. there's definitely some condescension in there, which is why I said what I said, and certainly no indication that he spoke English as a second language...

Jerses @ Dec 8th 2008 7:39PM

meatee

I replied to his comment because i thought that i misspelled "THANK"... so i tried to correct myself... your answer:

"I'm still not happy, so no. Try again!" = condescension

I dont need a flag in my head to tell people i dont speak english as my first language. Its ok to make a joke but offer a solution as well. Not just youre doing it wrong or try again. :) Peace

The Pirate @ Dec 8th 2008 12:43PM

It doesnt surprise me. The Dynasty Warriors series is amazing :)

andrew @ Dec 8th 2008 1:21PM

metal Gear`s better :D

acefondu @ Dec 8th 2008 2:40PM

Dynasty Warriors amazing? Aren't those the games where you just mash the X button until you win? I can't remember totally because I think I fell asleep looking at one of those games once.

The Pirate @ Dec 9th 2008 1:24PM

Dynasty Warriors 6 is really good, i detest people who dont try games :

Miles @ Dec 8th 2008 12:45PM

Those are actually pretty poor figures :/

ithilis @ Dec 8th 2008 1:06PM

Japan is a small place, and their gaming culture has dwindled over the past generation - with the exception of the DS and the casual gaming phenomenon.

To be honest, gaming sales in Japan are irrelevant when it comes to the global picture - dwarfed by North American and, to a lesser extent, European sales. I'm baffled time and time again whenever I read posts about Japanese sales figures, as they never are, nor will they ever be an indicator of global success.

brampf @ Dec 8th 2008 1:15PM

Japan has a population of ~120 million. Thats like France and the UK combined.

You can argue changes in gaming culture and attitude but claiming low sales because its a 'small place' seem a bit wide of the mark.

ithilis @ Dec 8th 2008 1:48PM

When I said it was a small place, I was referring to it's relative size as a gaming market or region. When compared to the North American and European markets, it IS small.

If gaming blogs posted France's gaming sales on a month-to-month basis, then the Japanese data would seem much less irrelevant. But instead, Japan is thrown into the mix with much larger territories.

jason @ Dec 8th 2008 4:02PM

Dude....do you know thats only in japan not the world ....some people dont know shit ...

Miles @ Dec 8th 2008 5:39PM

I know it's for Japan, jason. What do you think I am, stupid or something? Geeze!

Just looking at the figures for the latest week, about 1800000 games were sold. In one (1) week only. That gives an idea of the potential market. MGS4 sold only half that number since its release (12th June).

naxe @ Dec 8th 2008 12:56PM

yea i was surprised,

That metal gear solid 4 sold so poorly.

ITS METAL GEAR.......... ENOUGH SAID.

gta4 sold more worldwide and thats sad.

WHAT IS SONY THINKING? letting all their big hitters go. LBP does not make up for losing FF. Home doesnt make up for losing Devil May Cry.

its been one big stumble. Hope they get it together soon.

ill always be a sony fanboy no matter what.

PSN: Wild_Pegasus @ Dec 8th 2008 4:48PM

Last time i checked, we still have FF and Devil May Cry, You will still be able to play them so why care?

Brandon @ Dec 8th 2008 5:00PM

"That metal gear solid 4 sold so poorly.

ITS METAL GEAR.......... ENOUGH SAID.

gta4 sold more worldwide and thats sad."

Um... what you see above is the sales of MGS4 in Japan only. Not MGS4 sales worldwide...

Milereb @ Dec 8th 2008 12:57PM

No surprise.. well though I might have expected higher figures.. >.>

kamiboy @ Dec 8th 2008 1:41PM

This is pathetic, I miss the days where Japan was the primary influence on the console world and the best games came from that region. How everything could change in a matter of 2 years is beyond me really, but I know SONY is partly to blame for not taking its home turf seriously at all this generation while the competition aggressively pursued Japanese devs for exclusives or breaking exclusivity.

Without as many Japanese games to play I find I am growing more and more bored of gaming and seek to find other hobbies to take up my time.

ithilis @ Dec 8th 2008 1:50PM

Only the Japanese are capable of making good games? Bit of a xenophobic perspective, don't you think?

kamiboy @ Dec 8th 2008 1:54PM

No, just what 2 decades of constant gaming has taught me.

ithilis @ Dec 8th 2008 1:56PM

Strange. In my three decades of gaming, I have played great games from all over the world.

Lavat @ Dec 8th 2008 4:58PM

I like to see it...as...The Japanese are good at making quality games and put alot of work into it...But somehow always missing the focal point in game play...Especially in action games and MGS4 where game play is not the funnest aspect in the world compared to Gears of War or such on...But their polish, outlook and the way they utilize controls is amazing.

kamiboy @ Dec 8th 2008 11:07PM

People mistaking the brainless repetitiveness of shooters like Gears of war or Gaylo for good gameplay is the reason why I am certain my two decades of gaming will not see a third.

Jack Tretton @ Dec 8th 2008 1:37PM

MGS 4 will probably crack 700K in Japan by year's end, but I'll wager that's hardly the kind of showing Konami had in mind as they've got great big production costs to recoup.

Has LBP been released in Japan? If so, anyone know the sales to date?

William @ Dec 8th 2008 1:41PM

Gundam Musou! I love this game, but I didn't think many other people did. (Yes, I realize these are Japan's numbers.)

I'm glad, though. I'm anxiously awaiting Gundam Musou 2. I haven't decided if I'll import or wait for the US one, though.

maxpontiac @ Dec 8th 2008 2:19PM

I am seriously laughing at all the doom and gloom posts in this thread.

MGS4 sold close to 3/4 million units in around 6 months or so, and people act like it failed.

Go back to the RODbox, and it's GeOW2 with its millions sold in the US to make you feel better and seriously consider staying there if this bothers you that much..

jeff @ Dec 8th 2008 7:18PM

wish hot shots golf had sold in similar numbers numbers in the US and Europe.

Windmill @ Dec 8th 2008 4:21PM

I'm also baffled that people want Japan to be "making the best games"?

History has taught me that in general, Western-made games are MUCH better suited to, at least, my taste. The two different countries make entirely different type of games. Western markets tend to focus upon an EXPERIENCE, and Japanese games tend to be more cinematic/focused on pure fun. I prefer an experience. Though I hate how western developers focus on girtty realisim ALL THE TIME.

Fane @ Dec 10th 2008 3:59AM

Also, some western developers are actually interested in innovation, instead of recreating the same game over and over again (not those making FPSs, of course). Most Japanese developers are stuck in the last century.

Woody @ Dec 8th 2008 5:02PM

That's the saddest list of Top 5 games I've ever seen. They're not having as much fun in their virtual lives as we are so they express their frustration with silly clothes and hair. :-)

Rodz @ Dec 8th 2008 7:00PM

I still don't get why Little Big Planet wasn't... well... "Big" in Japan.

They love those little stange creatures and all the platforming stuff. C'mon, they are playing Mario since I can remember. And considering that Wii is the top seller there, I thought that a cute game with all the good old feeling of platforming and little sackpeople would be a huge success there.....