Microsoft's console makes rare appearance atop Media Create's retail recap, thanks to debut of Square Enix's top-selling Star Ocean: The Last Hope.
The Xbox 360 isn't what most people would call a "hit" in Japan, but the console does catch a few breaks every once in a while. For the week of February 16-22, that break came in the form of Square Enix's Xbox 360-exclusive Star Ocean: The Last Hope. In its first week on the Japanese market, the Tri-Ace-developed sci-fi role-playing game achieved sales of 162,000 units, pushing the Xbox 360 past the Wii and PlayStation 3 in total weekly sales, according to Media Create.
On the week, Media Create's charts reflect that the Xbox 360 sold 25,334 units. In a tight race, the Wii just edged out the PlayStation 3, selling 16,973 consoles to 16,149 for Sony's flagship. Handhelds were a different story, as the DSi--which launched in Japan in November--sold 41,839 units, while the PSP shifted 29,552 systems. The DS Lite, which is sold alongside the DSi as it will be in other regions, also moved an additional 9,975 units.
With Star Ocean taking the top slot, Mario & Luigi RPG 3!!! for the DS placed second, selling 62,000 copies in Japan. Namco Bandai scored a trio of chart-toppers on its release of the Idolmaster SP trifecta Perfect Sun, Missing Moon, and Wandering Star, which sold a respective 46,000, 39,000, and 35,000 units. Sega's Shining Force Feather for the DS debuted in the sixth slot, selling 30,000, while Capcom's perennial best-seller Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G moved an additional 18,000 units.
Titles for Sony's systems rounded out the remainder of the chart. Flight-Plan's Sacred Blaze sold 17,000 during its first week on the market, a figure nearly matched by the PS3 edition of Street Fighter IV. From Software's Demon's Souls rounded out Media Create's weekly recap, taking the 10th slot with 15,000 units sold.
Week of February 16 - February 22, 2009
Software:
1) Star Ocean: The Last Hope (360) - 162,000
2) Mario & Luigi RPG 3 (NDS) - 62,000
3) Idolmaster SP: Perfect Sun (PSP) - 46,000
4) Idolmaster SP: Missing Moon (PSP) - 39,000
5) Idolmaster SP: Wandering Star (PSP) - 35,000
6) Shining Force Feather (NDS) - 30,000
7) Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G (PSP) - 18,000
8) Sacred Blaze (PS2) - 17,000
9) Street Fighter IV (PS3) - 17,000
10) Demon's Souls (PS3) - 15,000
Hardware:
DSi: 41,839
PSP: 29,552
Xbox 360: 25,334
Wii: 16,973
PS3: 16,149
DS Lite: 9,975
PS2: 5,029
Tom Magrino has covered the games industry since 2006. He's been compared to Steve Martin by Ozzy Osbourne and Daniel Craig by Tim Schafer. His voice, heard largely on GameSpot's podcast, recalls that of Kermit the Frog. It ain't easy bein' Magreen.
yea xbox is selling because it sucks i got a friend how has 2 of them because they break so much he has a back and his friends have 2 or 3 of them too. and for price ps3 is cheaper if u are gona play online games after 2 years u are paying more for a xbox then a ps3 also u have to buy all the extras on a xbox that the ps3 has built in like a wireless internet
MS & SE are doing great with Star Ocean...I hope & i pray both MS & SE are doing better day after day...The only thing i don't like from MS is there is no codebreaker/gameshark for xbox360...I need these codebreaker/gameshark for some game that i can't beat
people need to stop saying that the PS3 should drop in price. How can you justify this when the PS3 has bluray and is generally of such a higher quality than the 360 and wii put together. People should not even be comparing the PS3 to the 360, wii etc as it is more of a hybrid PC/Console and should have its own market. Remember the 360 and wii are 100% games machines, (360 owners before u mention HD, think DVD HD oh yes its extinct because of bluray directly), where as the PS3 is so much much more. Microsoft need to pay off companies with bribes in order to get exclusive content, it makes me laugh sometimes. Its such a no brainer that the PS3 is the ultimate entertainment/ multi media package, after a powerful PC.
lol that's not accurate according to that chart there's no Idol master for 360. Chart is FAKE!! Cake is Lie FYI heavy is spy.
@ LindBergh2007 How is Nintendo falling behind? Having no big game releases they still managed to outsell the PS3 despite the PS3 having 2 games on the top ten chart. Just wait for another big Wii game drop and you'll see it dominate the top while the others scramble to take second place. I can't wait to see the explosion of Wii sales when Monster Hunter 3 hits stores in Japan. Though I'm still surprised to see the 360 this far ahead, Sony really needs to get their act together, I mean Killzone 2 just launched and I really didn't see them capitalize on it at all in my area. No bundles, no ads, no nothing.
It's good to hear the 360 doing well in Japan, but it's bitter almonds for Nintendo fanboys to see Wii falling behind. While PS3 continue to sell poorly gives more light about SEGA RingWide/RingEdge being a new console coming to phase out PS3.
Yakuza 3 sold 300,000 copies in its first week. Post that gamespot.. http://kotaku.com/5163219/ps3-exclusive-ryu-ga-gotoku-3-yakuza-3-sold-300000
Since when was the PS2 still selling? I don't see any PS2's here. Unless they're stil selling it over there
In Japan it is considered trendy and hip to game on a portable device. Also the cost of living in Japan is higher than the cost of living in the states so a PS3 and 360 are considered more of a luxury than a staple. PSP's and DS's are just more economical in terms of accessory price, power usage and the price of games.
ps3 needs to step up if it wants to beat its competitor, the first thing it needs to do is reduce the price of the ps3
I don't think this is biased. it's just something out of the ordinary, therefore making it news. CUE THUMBS DOWN
"Gamespot only shows Japan sales chart when the xbox sells well... surprise....." Oh shut up. Gamespot aren't biased, it's just been put up because it's surprising news that the Xbox beat the Wii in Japan, it is the second time is has ever happened. It's normal for the other way round to happen so that's why they don't show it.
It helps that Star Ocean is a truely awesome JRPG. I haven't finished it yet, but so far its my favorite from this console generation.
Japans days of being the gaming kings are over because the only thing they seem to know how to do is RPG's. I only play games by American or European developers because I hate Japnanese RPG's.
Great news for Microsoft. In terms of winning Japan, they should really stick to what works and and try to improve upon it.
nintendokid , "cnvinced themselves that they have fully absorbed Japanese culture and society"my name is Yamada Naozumi .. and by what view u telling that i am not japanese ...pls dont juge me by gamespot profile icon hehehehe.. i think you are mad cuz i am japanese ha ? lol
TheoleDominion ; wow sound like you are reading my mind but too bad u are missing the point , good luck next time
Just goes to show you that RPG's seem to still be revered in that country, that and Star Ocean isn't that bad a series.
It is amazing that the ps2 is still selling. Whatever one has to say about the ps3, the sales of the ps2 are nothing but remarkable.
darthogre 360 outsold the ps3 for 2 monts when Tales of V. when out don´t be a Fanboynoob check the japan hardware chart for that time and come back.
thenephariouson My point is we have seen this many time before where MS buys an exclusive from a 3rd party dev that is made for Japanese audience and the sales explode for that week. Lems and Gamespot editors start doing jumping jacks and catwheels.......then a week or two later when the X360 goes back to 2-3k sales, silence. My point was this isn't recent news. We've seen this story over and over again. Just watch what happens in this coming week with that Yakuza 3 for the PS3 being released. X360 sales will go down and PS3 will sky rocket. This is the exact same thing that happened with Tales of V.
darthogre Posted Mar 2, 2009 1:17 pm GMT lol, so if this next week X360 is below the Wii and PS3 again will that make news? Probably not seing as $ony and Nintendo are Japanese consoles, and as they are very Nationalist it would be completely the Norm, as they dont like to embrace technology of a western origin.
I don't think Japan is the gaming nexus it once was. Win, loose or draw: I don't think the japanies gaming market is all that important anymore. Sure the more places you are selling the better, and I guess some of the japanies developers are good, but for the most part Japan hasn't done much as of late. And don't throw MSG4 at me. One half decent title dosn't make up for all the garbage.
@coolguy681. True that the PS3 will do better in time but what most say is that when it happens the next gen Xbox will roll out and sell the light from the PS3. If the 360 has had a started before PS3 than the next gen x box will come out sooner than the PS4. Sony cant let that happen. If so, they are going to lose it big. I dont want to see the Playstation die. It helps all gamers to have big comps go head to head.
I have a PS3 and not a 360, I hate microsoft but I have to admit that they are a good company and wow i give them a pat on the back for beating the PS3 and the Wii in Japan. Its impressive. But Sony will catch on, with new and good games in the future.
You guys dont get it. As homestarmy6 posted (You guys are retarded they are showing it because the 360 actually beat the other consoles in Japan something they have never done thats why they are making a big deal about it...) What? Its ok that the PS3 has done well but its hard to take when the 360 sell's good for one week. It's ok kids, your PS3 will out sell the 360 next week, only in Japan..
These Japanese have a very different sense of games. You don't normally see those games appear in U.S.A or Australia's sales charts don't you.
You guys are retarded they are showing it because the 360 actually beat the other consoles in Japan something they have never done thats why they are making a big deal about it...
who cares why dont they show everytime PS3 and even PS2 dominated 360 in Japan? I bet you this week PS3 Dominates 360 3-1 in US, EU, Japan, and anywhere else.
ok why does gamespot all of sudden show sale numbers for japan...Why dont they show this past week & next week to see how many people bought yakuza 3
@TheArcade. You were in high school when the Dreamcast came out! Just be for it came out was getting married and my little girl was 1. I was in high school when the PS1 came out. Man, I'm getting old. 3-13 is the big 31 for me. But I'm still 18 at hart.
This isnt that good for MS. They payed millions for Japanese developers to make this game exclusive to MS and they didnt sell that many more consoles.
@godzillavskong: WELL PUT! It appears we are in the same age range. Dreamcast came out when I was in high school as well. Bought it two days after it came out.
I wonder what that Shining Force Feather game is, some new Shining force game by chance?? Cheers, and will it ever make it to the US........?? Tom
@iamamanami, I believe your answer to why a Japanese company would even make the game for the 360 vs PS3? Because Microsoft gave them a big chunk of $$ to do so, mainly to help sell their console in that region.Makes sense to me.
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