Famitsu has released its annual sales charts for 2022, and Pokémon Scarlet & Violet — unsurprisingly — has topped the year's sales, selling an incredible 4,338,931 units since its release in November (thanks, Nintendo Everything!).
If you've been following the headlines and the weekly Japanese charts, then this won't come as a surprise to you. Pokémon always does well — in 2021, Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl was the second best-selling game of the year, for example. Scarlet & Violet sold over 2.5 million copies in its first week, and the momentum hasn't really stopped.
You probably shouldn't be surprised, then, that Splatoon 3 takes second place. Splatoon 3 broke multiple sales records when it launched in September and sold just shy of 2 million copies in its launch week. Its total 2022 sales equal 3,687,814 units, which is absolutely not a number to sneeze at.
Right behind Splatoon 3 with 2,314,806 units sold is another Pokémon game — this time, Pokémon Legends: Arceus. This new twist on the Pokémon formula also sold a staggering number of copies in its first week, almost cracking 1.5 million units. Kirby and the Forgotten Land and Nintendo Switch Sports round out the top five — and Kirby isn't far off of 1 million, either. Only one non-Switch game made it into the top ten, which is FromSoftware's Elden Ring.
Enough from us, then — here are the top ten best-selling games in Japan in 2022:
- [NSW] Pokemon Scarlet & Violet (The Pokemon Company, 11/18/22) – 4,338,931 (New)
- [NSW] Splatoon 3 (Nintendo, 09/09/22) – 3,687,814 (New)
- [NSW] Pokemon Legends: Arceus (The Pokemon Company, 01/28/22) – 2,314,806 (New)
- [NSW] Kirby and the Forgotten Land (Nintendo, 03/25/22) – 969,047 (New)
- [NSW] Nintendo Switch Sports (Nintendo, 04/29/22) – 887,722 (New)
- [NSW] Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (Nintendo, 04/28/17) – 742,018 (5,014,375)
- [NSW] Minecraft (Microsoft, 06/21/18) – 548,415 (2,960,006)
- [NSW] Mario Party Superstars (Nintendo, 10/29/21) – 485,594 (1,114,132)
- [NSW] Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (Nintendo, 12/07/18) – 441,053 (5,065,191)
- [PS4] Elden Ring (FromSoftware, 02/25/22) – 356,711 (New)
In another unsurprising stat, the Switch is also the best-selling console of the year in Japan. Combining the original model, the Lite, and the OLED, the console sold 4,804,549 units in 2022 — more than four times that of the PS5, which sold over 1.1 million units over the same period. This was the year that the Switch outsold the 3DS in Japan, too, and we think 2023 will be another record-breaking year for the Switch.
- Switch (incl. Lite and OLED) — 4,804,549 (27,724,047)
- PlayStation 5 (incl. Digital Edition) — 1,154,054 (2,377,389)
- Xbox Series X|S — 269,737 (398,395)
- PlayStation 4 — 22,823 (9,417,767)
- 3DS — 10,449 (24,597,897)
Are there any surprises for you in Japan's best-selling games? Share your thoughts in the comments!
[source famitsu.com, via nintendoeverything.com]
Comments 39
Incredible outcome, though I wouldn't say it was too unexpected, I remember Splat3 was breaking records left right and centre at launch, and Pokemon is Pokemon. Main thing I'm surprised at is still seeing the 3DS there, not a name I've heard for a good while
Does it deserve to be the best-selling? That's very much up for debate. Does this result surprise anyone?
I didn't even know the 3DS could still be purchased at retail anywhere.
There are only 125 million people in Japan.
27 million switches have sold.
More than 20% of the entire population owns a Switch? That is incredible.
Yeah that is a slaughter for Nintendo. Japan is pretty much a lost cause for Sony at this point in ever being market leader
I'm really enjoying it and pleased to see it's been a success at home.
@flightsaber Bit of an unreliable conclusion to make as, for example, I currently own 9. Still, good market penetration, no doubt.
Honestly, I expected Splatoon to beat it out in Japan. Maybe not by much, but just barely. Seems Pokemon still got weight outside the rabid fanbase online.
Also mad props to Mario Kart remaining in the top 10 despite it being its fifth (sixth?) year on the market. Longest legs.
@flightsaber Potentially not quite 20% with some people owning multiple consoles but it is staggering for sure.
On one hand I'm not surprised Pokemon has done really well. On the other I am disappointed that Game Freak have let us down time and time again and the games still sell like hot cakes.
Kaizen is very much a principle that is not being seen with the Pokemon franchise and with these numbers there is no reason for them to strive for it either.
Aaaand that right there is the reason GF has no reason to improve in a significant capacity.
@gcunit
One for each mood?
@flightsaber Yep, and it's even more incredible if we count by household, the average household is 2.2 person in Japan, so that's about 60 millions. 1 out of 2.2 household has a Switch, that's nuts
This is why Nintendo is in no rush to release Switch 2. To throw away this level of domination would be foolish.
@Kiz3000 There is no "us." Game Freak may have let you down, and maybe they even let a handful of others down here and there, but you speak only for yourself.
@gcunit why would you need that many Switches?!? O_o
On topic, I still won’t touch SV even with a 10m pole if GF doesn’t fix the plethora of issues they have
Out of all this, I'm pleasantly impressed that the 3DS family still shifted 10k units in Japan in 2022. Shame region locking with the system is a thing, otherwise I'd be tempted to import one for future insurance purposes.
@SBandy1 I only have three moods. The other six are just because I'm an indulgent hoarder taking Switch to the max. I'm not expecting to buy much hardware after Switch as I have enough Switch games to see out my days, so just making sure I have enough Switches.
Agh. This is why we will never get the Pokémon game we deserve.
Great news! 💩.
Seriously, next game will be even more of a mess! 😂🤣
After the lifeless husk that were the SW+SH towns I hoped people had learned!
Not to sound like a weeb but clearly Japan is just a more enlightened land. In politeness, in transit infrastructure, and in preferring Nintendo handhelds
Is this chart physical sales only? Or does it include downloads?
Being rewarded for such a BAD product will only show them that putting more effort and development time is worthless.
As a big Pokemon fan I will not be buying a soulless mess that looks like it is made by kids that have just started learning Unity 3D.
Man who could’ve predicted this one.
Truly a heart inspiring, underdog story.
@Mauzuri
It’s perfectly fine to think that the glitches aren’t a big deal. But saying that people complaining about them are just using it as an excuse to diss on game freak is just as bad as the people saying it is the worst game of all time.
Awesome. Well deserved, it's one of the best Pokémon ever made. People exaggerated regarding the glitches, I came across just a major one in over 70 hours of gameplay. Now the framerate, that was accurate. Sometimes it's smooth, other times it slows down, as if lagging. Nevertheless, an awesome game.
Nintendo Switch outsold ps4 and the gameboy/gameboy color WORLDWIDE!
@FirstEmperor my sentiment exactly. I hate it when people think they speak for everyone else. Just cause some salty crybabies didn't like the game doesn't mean everyone is the same. Despite the performance issues I absolutely loved scarlet and thought that was one of the best stories a pokemon game had.
@blindsquarel you seem to forget all the ***** talk people did on sword and shield cause "ThE TrEeS aRE BaD" or "NO fuLL PokEdEX" people will 100% use these issues just to make fun of pokemon and game freak. Just go look at any trailer for the game and you'll see how many people will fuss on it for these issues.
@Zuljaras and yet no one cares
@garfreek just cause you don't like them doesn't mean we all don't. They clearly sold very well and people clearly still enjoy playing them. People like you are definitely the minority here.
@MagicMan to call these games soules is pure hyperbole. Gamefreak could had churned out another Let's Go game or a game in the style of Sun and Moon and still sold millions instead they did what the fanbase asked and did a full open world adventure.
Granted I would not bother arguing with these kinds of people. It goes nowhere as no matter what points you bring up they'll just say "grrr Gamefreak lazy and the bugs grrr". Save your time and energy friend.
I love my violet version of the game but I hope another update comes along soon to make it run a bit more smoothly.
@MagicMan
For some people the glitches are problems. Everyone has different interests in games. I’m not saying that the glitches and graphics being subpar make them bad games. ( Arceus was amazing and the graphics weren’t great on that) but you can’t act like they are non issues when some of these are game breaking, in the case of Scarlet and Violet.
Smash Ultimate broke past 5million! Happy for that lol
@MagicMan yep, drug addicts do not care when one goes sober just get more grugggs maaaaan I love people who defend their drug no matter its quality
And these are retail sales only. Physical only. You can add 30-40% digital to those numbers.
Including digital should put its launch quarter sales at 6-7 million copies in Japan alone. Historic sales pace here.
@Wexter Arguing certainly is pointless. Whenever I do engage with such people it is with smug, defiant pride over buying a product they disapprove of! And mockery of their expectation that I do my part to help them teach Game Freak a lesson.
Didn't realize Elden Ring sold so little physical wise over there
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