With data for the first half the year now long-since collated, we've gradually been given more information on Nintendo's positives and negatives so far in 2013. One major positive has been the Japanese market, where the 3DS has reigned supreme and a number of software releases have set up residence in the country's top 20.
Japanese publication Famitsu has completed its summary of software sales for the first half of the year in Japan, and unsurprisingly Nintendo was the most successful publisher. You can see the overall results and some platform top-sellers below.
Software sales
1. Nintendo – 5.19 million
2. Namco Bandai – 3.48 million
3. Square Enix – 2.06 million
4. Konami – 1.20 million
5. Capcom – 1.12 million
3DS
1. Animal Crossing: New Leaf – 1.37 million
2. Dragon Quest VII – 1.21 million
3. Tomodachi Collection – 1.20 million
Wii U
1. New Super Mario Bros. U – 140,000
2. Nintendo Land – 110,000
3. Dragon Quest X – 70,000
Wii
1. Taiko Drum Master – 190,000
2. Mario Party 9 – 50,000
3. Wii Sports Resort – 40,000
The low Wii U figures are no surprise due to the system's userbase and struggling momentum in the region and elsewhere. It's also worth bearing in mind that these figures only represent this year and — possibly — only physical retail sales; Animal Crossing: New Leaf's overall sales since launch in October 2012 (according to Media Create) are well over three million retail sales, with at least a million eShop sales likely (based on statements by Nintendo). These results show that, even in a lean spell on the home console front, Nintendo is still the top software performer in its homeland.
With the upcoming Wii U and 3DS lineup for the rest of this year, we'd expect the numbers to be even higher in Famitsu's summary of the second half of 2013.
[source nintendoeverything.com]
Comments 12
Nintendo total dominance. Nice. Surprise to see Sony is not even in the top 5... also no Sega.
@Dumedum
Sony and Sega publish lots of western games, at least I feel that way
Good for Nintendo.
should say 3DS dominates, Wii U didn't contribute much
That's just great!
But I want to play DQ VII remake and an Ace Attorney vs. Layton game so bad...
And they say Ninty is in trouble... They're pretty much the only major Japanese videogame maker to have and make money...
@DePapier: It's just like the past few gens. Journalists often forget that the handheld market even exists
Bar meh Wii U sales,Nintendo are doing fine.
Can't wait until we can start getting accurate digital and physical sales info, its really not a clear picture in this day and age without both.
@miron_khuzd iv ben waiting on dq on 3ds to.i realy hope we get it
@dumedum
Not a surprise at all really. One thing many gamers and journalists are overlooking is how much Sony is pushing for Western content while allowing Japan to fall off the radar. I am expecting the sales charts from Japan to be mostly Nintendo platform stuff once we fully transition to next gen. Not only are big games coming for Wii U, but it seems like Sony doesn't even really care about Japan anymore. I have a feeling the PS4 will do even worse than the PS3 as it's even more Western focused. Barring KH3 and FF15, the PS4 really has nothing noteworthy headed its way that appeals to the Japanese and the Vita shows us what happens to a platform in Japan that puts Western stuff first.
@LzQuacker
True. But one thing to keep in mind is that last gen, Nintendo actually had a fight on their hands for the handheld market and going by respective times, I believe the PSP was still in the running.
Taiko Drum Master (by Namco) was one of my favourite games.
The good sales of 3DS games means that Nintendo has the money to continue to support Wii U, no matter if it rises or flops. Nice!
Nice to see Nintendo ahead of their competitors.
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