This past week in Japan witnessed the release of highly anticipated role-playing games (RPGs), with “Persona 3 Reload” and “Granblue Fantasy: Relink” making strong debuts in the market, as reflected by the latest sales data. The enthusiasm for these titles underscores the RPG genre’s continued success on Japanese gaming platforms.
Persona 3 Reload Claims Top Spot
“Persona 3 Reload” emerged as the week’s top seller, reaching over 116,000 copies sold across the PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4. The PlayStation 5 version alone accounted for over 76,000 copies, securing the number one position on the charts, while the PlayStation 4 version also performed well, selling over 40,000 copies and taking third place. While the title’s launch in Japan was robust, it did not surpass the initial sales of its predecessors “Persona 5 Royal” and “Persona 5 Strikers.” Nevertheless, “Persona 3 Reload” achieved a significant milestone by selling over one million units globally within its first week, marking it as the developer Atlus’s most successful launch to date.
Granblue Fantasy: Relink Makes a Notable Entry
Another newcomer, “Granblue Fantasy: Relink,” secured the second spot in the sales ranking. It sold more than 48,000 units for the PlayStation 5 and over 22,000 for the PlayStation 4. Despite falling short of “Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising’s” launch figures, the game’s performance has been promising, particularly on the global stage.
Last week’s chart-topper “Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth” experienced a decline, now occupying the seventh and eighth positions with over 16,000 and 15,000 units sold on the PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4, respectively. Meanwhile, gaming hardware sales saw the Nintendo Switch reclaim its lead with over 41,000 units sold, and the PlayStation 5 followed with over 34,000 units.
The full sales charts for the week ending February 4 offer a detailed look at both software and hardware sales, with a variety of new and existing titles finding their way onto the list.
The reported figures underscore the dynamic nature of the Japanese gaming market, particularly for RPG titles, which maintain a significant presence among gamers’ preferences. Despite varying performances, the overall trend points to a vibrant and competitive gaming industry.
