Detective Pikachu Has A Much Better Launch In Japan While Kirby Remains On Top

Maybe they got the Japanese speaking equivalent of Danny DeVito to do the voice for that region.

Switch killing it as usual!

I wonder how DP will do in the US?

@JHDK Well, yes, they literally did! It was precisely because of the original Japanese gruff-voiced dub that people ever got the idea of Danny DeVito playing Pikachu in the first place.

In other words, Tōru Ōkawa is presumably the Japanese speaking equivalent of Danny DeVito because when people first heard Tōru Ōkawa they immediately thought Danny DeVito was the English speaking equivalent of him.

Try double the amount of PS4. You have to count those Pro units as well just like counting all the different versions the 3ds had over the years.

Kirby not my thing but glad to see a new game up there. Getting pikachu once done with NinoKuni2.

Pretty much the same as the First NinoKuni in Japan. Wish a bit higher but it already has 56k just on PC in the States. Great RPG - just stunning. I guess if didn't need to compete with Valkyria. Good times for RPGs

Hyrule Warriors fail - or not - as pointed out by some based on market history and development Cost. Guess wait till all the chips get counted.

Splatoon 2 still doing brilliant.

Congrats to Kirby for nailing the list

Hold on! Wasn't Detective Pikachu released two years ago in Japan, why is this news?

I could have sworn this game was released a long time ago in Japan and we were just waiting on the localization? Anyone explain?

@Agramonte
I think you might have a slightly different definition of fail. Fire Emblem Warriors did like 50k it's first week in Japan as a brand new game. HW has already been packaged and sold 3 times now in the past few years. So this seems about right.

Fail would be like 3k copies sold. That's a fail. 25k for a port of a port... seems pretty average to me. Not chart topping by any means but not a fail either... saying "no one cares" is pretty far from the truth.

Relatively small debut for HWLD. Probably because both versions have already sold well over 1 million, and there’s already plenty of warrior games on the Switch.

@McGruber @TheDavyStar I think Japan had part one released previously on the eshop while this is a physical release with both chapters.

They have a much beter gaming taste in Japan:p

I thought Kirby sales were going to fall off a cliff this week? I swear I read that from someone last week. Hmmm....

I bet they always lose on the horses too.

Great Kirby sales. This should be a million seller by the end of the year in Japan alone.

I have to say, these current PS4 weekly sales are underwhelming. Weekly sales are down year-over-year despite two new releases and the recently released Monster Hunter World being the biggest PS4 game ever.

In fact, Monster Hunter World has sold more than all Q1 2017 PS4 games combined, but looking at these current hardware numbers would make you believe the game was never released at all.

Would have considered Detective Pikachu if it was on Switch.

@TheDavyStar Well if a two year old Pokémon spin-off randomly burst into the Top 5 that would arguably be news. But given the unlikeliness of this event, it might be worth re-examining the original assumption.

The game in the Top 5 did not release two years ago in Japan - at least not in its entirety. The game that released two years ago was an eShop exclusive precursor to the full title, named 'Detective Pikachu: Birth of a New Duo'. It contained what would become the first three chapters of this game (out of nine), but it was not the same release as this game.

So the reason why this is news is because a new Pokémon game released and sold reasonably well in Japan.

@JaxonH sure, it is in the end about optics - not that FE-W was a smash hit either. Just not sure if it made more sense to just release this as an eshop game with a discount and concentrate on a new release. And for sure Once the price gets adjusted It will sell better.

@JaxonH
This idea that a port/remaster needs to sell as much/more than the original game to be considered a success or a worthwhile port/remake is really dumb. I dont get it...

@Agramonte
Japan is weird. Most games sell 30k and are considered "good sales" which to me seems negligible but, I guess to them it's not. Idk how they make money off one country's sales like that, especially since alot of JP only games have growing budgets. Then along comes Pokemon/DQ/MH/Splatoon and just wreaks havoc in the sales charts.

@Agramonte guess it depends on what the expectations for the port were plus we all know that in general Zelda isn’t the huge franchise that it is in the West, although breath of the wild has done well. Be interested to see how it sells in the west but in general it probably cost Nintendo very little to port it so it’s all extra revenue. We will see with the release of Donkey Kong and captain toad etc if the port sales are declining over the next few months

1-2-Switch keeps on selling.

On another note, I have never had any interest in Pokemon but am weirdly really interested in picking up Detective Pikachu. Think it looks good

@JaxonH yeah... Hopefully worldwide will make sense in the end. Or just enough to green light a new one.

I'm sorry but detective Pikachu is awful, it goes on for like 5 hours and the voice acting is atrocious lol

@Mr_Pepperami True. I think DS is positioned to do well also. Original post Edited.

Ni No Kuni 2 flop is only Bamco would have release it on the actual popular console.

Splatoon 2 keeps being the king just as the Switch!

Glad to hear about Detective Pikachu.

Wonder when we'll get Hyrule Warriors over here.

@wazlon The latest Nintendo Direct confirmed May 18th.

@WiltonRoots Yes I seem to remember that as well... Remind me not to take lottery numbers from them!

@TheLobster We do have a handful of Nostradamuses in here and so far they've all been wrong over the last year, we should start taking bets with them.

@WiltonRoots shhhhh you might awaken them, have you seen how quiet it's been here this past week? People are finally (mostly) talking about games!

I didn't even know this was out until I walked into Gamestop today.

@Spoony_Tech I agree. Pro numbers to PS4 makes it 24k. The Switch sold more than double the Ps4, which is still totally awesome. But I hate when NL bloats out already positive Ninty new to try to give their fans a constant sugar high. Comes off fake as f.

The cut scenes and voice acting in Detective Pikachu is quite cute and light hearted. He gameplay is okay, but the giant amiibo is awesome.

1-2-Switch !
Still better than that rated 18+ game.
See ? Never underestimate Underdog games like that.
And.....
As usual, Xbox one product still a Big Joke in Japan. 🤡

9 Switch - PriPara: All Idol Perfect Stage (Takara Tomy A.R.T.S., 03/22/18) – 11,116 (929,617)
10 Switch - The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Limited Edition Included) – 11,116 (929,617)

While I wouldn't put it against PuriPara to be placed higher than the 1-year-old BotW for the past few days it's been out, but I do believe there is a typo somewhere in there.

Not being someone who knows a thing about Pokémon but why would this game not do so well if the very mention of a Pokémon switch game has being losing their minds ?

@RyanSilberman O god, I hope people don't start referring to Detective Pikachu as DP lol

When are we getting Valkyria Chronicles 4 on Switch? Much more interested in that than I am with this weird Pokemon spin off.

It's impressive that the Switch continues to outsell all other consoles on the market. This has been a few a weeks now. I was out in the gaming markets here in South Korea this past weekend and the Switch is continuing to do well here, too.

Not sure who Nintendo thought would buy Detective Pikachu. It's not a kids game and a lot of adults have moved over to Switch. I guess they are hoping it will catch enough sales? I dunno.... could be a huge flop for Ninty.

Switch sales are stellar without Pokemon. Imagine when it gets an original Pokemon, the Japanese sales will be incredible.

Maybe this will be indicative that people are moving on from the 3DS

@RyanSilberman my estimated guess is better than UK, worst than Japan. Nintendo is slightly more popular in US compared to UK. Also lot of US actors in the game

@Heavyarms55 Iirc it'll be October 16th on the West and it'll be on same day releases too.

While at japan, VC4 will be released on Switch on Summer. I wonder what's the sales there, hm...

@darkfenrir Thanks for the info.

Attack on Titan 2 not performing as well as I expected it, given the popularity of the manga and anime in Japan, and especially given that the game is an excellent retelling of the anime.

My initial confusion regarding the multiplayer option, and the occasional framerate drops aside, I've got no complaints about the game and am thoroughly enjoying it.

@Proust we all diff opinions, I played the game with my mate I was expecting way more but meh glad I didn't buy it lol

@justin233 Well the Japanese original wad on 3DS so it makes sense they would release the Western version on 3DS too.

@Matthew010 I’m saying all versions should have been on Switch...

@justin233 The Switch wasn't out 2 years ago

@Matthew010 True. I forgot this came out so long ago there.

@justin233 The Switch is something entirely different. It will get it's own version later perhaps...

@NintendoDimi You mean the Switch isn't the 3DS?

Maybe because the 3DS is dead over here?