Here's something you might not have expected. Famitsu (via VGC) is reporting that Xbox Series S sales are more than double that of the PlayStation 5 in Japan for the past week, giving Xbox a weekly sales lead they haven't seen for the better part of a decade.
Famitsu tracks and monitors the Japanese video game market, regularly posting sales data for both games and consoles. The outlet pegged Xbox Series S sales at 6,120 consoles, when compared to the combined PS5 and PS5 digital sales at 2,693 consoles. However, like VGC noted, this merely represents fluctuating stock levels. Indeed, the Xbox Series X sold only 105 units during the same period, with the Xbox Series S selling literally thousands more. The Nintendo Switch by far and away remains the dominant force, however, selling a massive 65,322 units in the past week alone.
The total Japanese sales picture for new-gen consoles pegs PlayStation 5 combined units at 1,620,838 compared to the Xbox Series X|S total at 204,877. The Xbox platform has a mountain to climb before taking on the PS5 in real terms, but the fact that it has already outsold the Xbox One's entire lifetime sales in just a year lends promise to the growth of Xbox in one of gaming's most historic and important regions.
The Xbox Series S in particular is helping Xbox gain a bigger foothold across the world, as users flock for the value of Xbox Game Pass, combined with the lower barrier to entry. The Xbox Series S costs $300 when compared to the PS5 and Xbox Series X $500, while also sporting a smaller and more portable profile for users with limited space constraints.
Microsoft previously described Japan as a growth region for the platform, and is aggressively ramping up hiring in attempts to court developers and build Japanese games. Fans across both sides of the Pacific have criticized Xbox for its thin support of Japanese games, but classic JRPGs like Dragon Quest have begun appearing on the Xbox gradually, with other titles like Yakuza and Tales of Arise emerging to widespread acclaim. Microsoft has also been leveraging its cloud platform on Xbox Game Pass to offer titles like Scarlet Nexus and Eiyuden Chronicles to a broader audience.
Xbox has a lot to prove to both Japanese fans and developers alike, but the steady sales success of the Xbox Series X|S lineup bodes well for the future.
