Japanese Charts: Diablo IV Dominates The Top Ten, But Can't Topple Zelda: TOTK

After purchasing Street Fighter 6 this week I think I know what's going on with this game. I searched all over my greater city area - of 7 million people - for the physical. It is almost impossible to find. I spoke to a retail (big box) employee and he said they only got ONE copy on release day. I found it but it honestly took a while and I had to drive pretty far to grab it.

I think Capcom wants the box displayed there as an ad - but they don't want to sell the box - they want you to buy the digital.

I do like that comparison image of Diablo IV woman/female demon and Zelda. Says quite a lot about many things (ok, mainly gaming of course).

The Top 10 that I don't even like to see, even from Japanese Top chart. 🙄
And what are Japanese peoples played from their PS5 machines when they literally didn't buy any PS5 games in physical ?

Switch sales seem to have boosted this week compared to last. 6 more weeks until 30 mil at this rate.

Is this the first time the Xbox version of a game appeared on the Japanese top 10? I had no idea Diablo is this big of a deal in Japan.

next week final fantasy 16 will dethrone tears of the kingdom from the top of the list..

The Zelda OLED would have sold more if it came with the actual game

@Bunkerneath The Zelda OLED would have sold more if it came with a Ford Focus.

That isn't what they were selling though. They were selling the Zelda OLED in a box. You can buy it or not.

The comparison image reminds me of the sentence I heard often: Zelda is the GOAT (devil).

I'm not sure if I'm more surprised that the 2DS is still on sale in Japan or that someone decided they needed to count it's weekly sales in 2023. 🤷‍♂️

Still hilarious people actually thought SF6 would dethrone TotK!

@FirstEmperor For reasons I stated above - I am not positive it didn't. I don't know how Japan's retail works - if it is anything like NPD reporting here in the States - where they only count the physicals - I imagine the real numbers (digi + physical) are vastly under-represented in this list. Japan loves Street Fighter. Japan is Street Fighter.

@Darthmoogle I went to famitsu to see if they included digitals (still not sure) and read this in their article:
" The XSX version has been released with software bundled with the main unit, and has contributed greatly to hardware sales."

I guess that explains it. People liked the bundle.

Where are people finding these 2DS systems?

@Cashews That’s certainly one way to avoid admitting you were dead wrong.

@FirstEmperor I'm not here trying to be right or wrong. Just shooting the breeze, dipstick.

@Cashews You’re trying hard enough to post some of the most baseless speculation I’ve ever seen in these articles, and that’s saying something.

@FirstEmperor

They are both great games that's all that matters.

Capcom reported a million players on its first weekend and Steam had over double the highest concurrent players for a fighting game ever with SF6. The game has been a success regardless.

Anyway the real challenge to TotK in Japan will be FFXVI. It will likely take its spot for at least a week.

Well that's a first, for once an Xbox game is in the top 10. What do you know Xbox is getting some Japanese recognition now. That's a sign for celebration even if it's just this one time. See maybe the Microsoft Activision Blizzard buyout ain't so bad after all since it will benefit Microsoft cause only Activision Blizzard make Xbox feel special in Japan. Now just imagine if Diablo V is Xbox exclusive, then Sony wouldn't even be on the chart.

Boy that's some side-by-side image, lol.

@Ryu_Niiyama I'm guessing the people who bought it are still playing Dragon Quest XI on it. Unlike over here, DQXI on 3DS is really popular there since it had the best of both versions on it. Those New 2DS LL are probably just clearance units, reason for them not selling out yet was cause Nintendo warehouse probably still had a shelf stock full of em. How many exact units they still had is unknown and it looks like it ain't selling out any time soon either since not many people are buying em in bulk.

Is the eshop for 2ds/3ds shut down in Asia? If so, those 36 new 2DS owners are in for a shock.

Those are huge Switch hardware numbers, the family of systems has sold over 100k in a week. Are these unprecedented numbers, at this point in a system’s life?

However the industry is pushing towards digital, the Japan PS5 sales numbers clearly show it is not a reality.
Besides the collection aspect of boxed games, it is also usually much cheaper. Not even taking into account that only one user on the system can play the downloaded game.
Just like "cash is meant to disappear, with everybody paying with their phones and watches nowadays ..." still every yearly reports show cash remains number one payment method.
Anyways, just saying it's super interesting to look at numbers and what they really say.

@SBandy1 I don’t know anything about the quality of SF6 but it goes without saying that sales doesn’t mean quality. I just think it’s hilarious that a number of people here were certain that TotK would be dethroned by now.

Now FF16 dethroning TotK is almost a foregone conclusion. I’m more interested if it can match FF15, which I believe launched at 500k.

@Serpenterror Did you not look at the top 10 closely enough to notice both the PS4 and PS5 versions of SF6 are there? So yeah, Sony would still be in this chart without D4. There’s no reason to think an XB exclusive D5 would be any different.

@Mr_Zurkon I wish I could replace my 3DS with a new retail one if mine breaks one day.

Dam. All 3 versions couldn't outdo Zelda

@FirstEmperor

Regarding SFVI's quality it has got great reviews (very easily checked on that old internet thing). You could also make that statement about sales/quality about any game ever so it is redundant.

I also didn't notice anyone here actually thinking SFVI would topple TotK in sales. I certainly didn't and you can check the Japan sales article two weeks ago to see that.

Also TotK was toppled this week in the UK. It's OK for the game not to stay at no.1 forever you know, it is already a roaring success worldwide.

Really curious how Final Fantasy XVI performs, because the game is quite westernised.

I feel like the game is too western for japanese people, and too japanese for western Witcher lovers.

@Jhena

I tried the demo and uninstalled it after half an hour. Forget the gameplay the story is just a load of waffle with cringe inducing voice acting.

Guess I'm not the target market (FFVII on PS1 is the only one I ever actually completed and even that story was a load of tosh to me).

@SBandy1 This is a Japanese sales article. I have no interest in discussing quality as it has nothing to do with the topic. Also have no interest in discussing UK sales for the same reason.

The first guy that responded to me certainly thought SF6 would outsell TotK in Japan. I recall seeing a few others as well.

Looking forward to seeing how FF16 does, which is the only thing even remotely on topic in your responses to me.

@Yalloo worldwide digital is now the way most games are bought.
Playstation digital sales are now between 70-80% of game sales. One quarter in 2022 it was 79%. Apparently xbox sales are even higher digitally.
Maybe its different in Japan, and Nintendo is still more physical (just), but to say digital is now not the primary way games are bought is just wrong.

@FirstEmperor

OK following your rules.

Cashnews didn't say SF6 would outsell TotK. They did say "Street Fighter will break this up a bit next week" which does not mean beating TotK. That week's sales were all Switch titles and Cashnews was correct as SFVI did get into the top 10 the following week.

Feel free to point out anyone who acutally said SFVI would outsell TotK in Japan cause I haven't seen any comments saying that. And remember it has to relate to the Japan sales only as that is what this article is about!

@SBandy1 Seriously. I didn't say anything about quality until after you posted "They are both great games that's all that matters." So no, I am not the one who brought up quality in this discussion.

@FirstEmperor

You are correct and I edited my comment to take that out.

Now please provide an example of anyone saying SFVI would beat TotK in Japan sales.

@SBandy1
I watched the stream of the first two hours and felt the same. When the Dragoon appeared it felt like a foreign body, which says alot since this is made by people heavily involved with Final Fantasy XIV Heavensward.

@SBandy1 Well he clearly though it would as he's trying to rationalize how it's still possible that SF6 did actually outsell TotK because of some anecdote about how there was only 1 physical copy at a big store in his area. Now if you're expecting me to reread 3 weeks of comments in previous sales articles then your request is rejected.

@FirstEmperor

Cashnew is from US so by your rules that's not relevant to this, and also his second comment is also about the digital sales but this is the physical Japan sales chart so again obviously also not relevant as per your rules. Also nowhere previous to SFVI's release did Cashnew say SFVI would outsell TotK in Japan sales or anyone else that I can see.

And you won't bother to prove that others did make the claim you assert (and you said people as in more than one person) so my only conclusion has to be that basically you made something up in your head to claim some kind of hollow moral victory.

All a bit sad really.

@SBandy1 He thought it was relevant enough to respond to me with it as justification of how it might be possible SF6 outsold TotK. It's right here in this topic.

And the only outcome to this discussion that actually would be sad is if I wasted my time accepting your request. I don't owe you proof of anything.

@FirstEmperor

Changing your own rules now as they don't work for you anymore? Funny that.

You're right you don't owe me anything but by not proving your own claim you have disproved it and confirmed you were bragging over nothing. Also unless you actually made clear previously that SFVI wouldn't outsell TotK prior to its release it makes your bragging even more pointless and sad.

This is not a good look for you.

@SBandy1 You keep talking about rules. I don't make the rules here.

@FirstEmperor

You tried to when you told me what was and wasn't relevant to this topic. Now you're moving the goalposts and still floundering.

Anyway this was fun but I got other things to do.

Nothing cooler than bragging about something after the fact amirite!?

@SBandy1 "you're"

@FirstEmperor

Thanks, corrected.

@SBandy1 You're welcome. Since you have better things to do now I'll leave you with a famous quote so that you might learn something about proof: "Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence." So no, me not proving my claim does not mean that I've disproven it. Have a nice day.

@Serialsid Still they sold 3 millions of regular PS5, while the PS5 digital only sold 500,000 units. 6 times less. Why would you buy the more expensive console which allows for physical games if you plan to buy most of your games digital.

I’ve never managed to get into a Diablo game. The games are always too big, and I never have the time or energy.. then I lose track of story.

I might pick it up in winter when there’s nothing better to do in my life.

@Yalloo Because it gives you the option to buy physical if you want to. Hardware sales mean nothing when it comes to how games are bought.
Personally I buy games I just want to play once physically, any I want to keep I get digitally. Plus Sony has many digital sales where you can get games very cheap.
Facts are the facts, Sony's own financial release show they sell between 70-80% through their ps store. And xbox is even more, especially as the digital only series s is outselling the X.
Even Nintendo gamers are going digital. In 2023 48.2% of game sales were digital, up from 42.6% in 2022.

Great to see TotK still dominating.

@FirstEmperor @SBrandy1
Christ almighty fellows I haven't been this discussed in a while. Y'all seem to remember what I said a week or so ago more than I did.

I did think it would hit number 1. I was surprised at it's Japan sales last week I probably said as much. I was making the point it probably sold most digitally - by Capcom's design.

But who knows - maybe totk sold 10x more digitally. I don't have any dogs in this fight I am not a stock holder in neither company. just chatting. I like both companies very much.

@Cashews

To be fair I was just on the wind up. This hot weather has drove me insane!

@SBandy1 best time of the year! find a place to take a dip! cheers!

@Serialsid OK.
On the Wii U, I did buy almost all of my games digital.
On the Switch however, since I didn't want to have to own multiple MicroSD card (and have my games all over the place), all of the "big" games I buy physical. Only games like MK8 or rythm games I get digital to have on the console at all times. And games that just don't get a physical edition of course.
I really do enjoy the collection of boxes, and I find it easier to see the backlog clearly.
It is much cheaper and convenient price wise not to have to wait for a sale, pre order prices are always cheaper.
Lastly my kid can play all the same games for no additional costs.
And that's only my story.
Let's see if the future is digital only, for now, keep in mind that the numbers always include DLCs and subscriptions. So the actual percentage of digital "games" is always less than advertised.

Zelda is going to be relevent for the rest of the Switch's lifecycle. Barring any first week sales of anything big (Final Fantasy I guess, but the hype for that doesn't feel like the usual Final Fantasy hype.) the Switch has such a huge userbase that it's casual sales are going to trump any other system's game's casual sales. Just how charts work.

@Cashews I thought NPD includes digital too (apart from Nintendo who do not disclose that info.) It kinda makes their high charting games even more impressive!

@Yalloo most people only have one ps5 or series consoles in their house, anyone can play any game on those consoles whether it's physical or digital.
I'm glad you like to collect boxes, I myself have a few I'd never part with. But data shows digital is becoming more and more dominant in the gaming market. PC is now completely digital after years of having boxes with multiple discs in. Like it or not consoles are going to go that way.
Yes DLC are included in digital sales( don't think subscriptions are too be honest) but on PS and xbox more games are sold digitally than physical.

Thanks for sharing.
So only on the Switch are the downloaded games user restricted. Hope that evolves in the future as well.
Now imagine the lost visibility when games become digital only. Nowhere to be seen in shops.
For videogames in general that's really a shame.
Hopefully in my lifetime both will still be sold, whichever shares.
And the collectors editions with books and gadgets...

@Yalloo with that I completely agree. I don't want a digital only future either, I like to have the choice. I'd always buy the console version that allows physical games.
I just hope we are always given that option, but I fear as digital sales trend higher and higher the console makers will use it as an excuse to drop physical consoles.

@GrailUK the final fantasy demo convinced a lot of people on the fence how great final fantasy 16 will be..

@Yalloo i think their were far more disk versions of the p5 available through production to buy then only digital only

@Cashews A Ford? In Japan? I doubt it.

@johnedwin Oh, that's good to hear. It would be a surprise is FF didn't hit #1 for a couple of weeks.

@Cashews Famitsu has never included digital sales. Only download cards and bundled games, even if they are just a download code. Not normal digital sales.

Diablo IV its a silly joke of a "game".

In 2 weeks, when the thots finish to streaming it on twitch will be forgotten.