• Skip to main content
  • Skip to header right navigation
  • Skip to site footer
Gameranx

Gameranx

Video Game News, Lists & Guides

  • News
  • Features
  • Platforms
    • Xbox Series X
    • PS5
    • Nintendo
  • Videos
  • Upcoming Games
  • Guides

Japan’s Console Market at its Lowest Point in 24 Years

January 7, 2015 by Stephen Daly

Despite the launch of the PS4 and Xbox One in the country in 2014.

Sales of console hardware and software fell to their lowest point in 24 years in Japan during 2014.

Japanese gamers purchased fewer consoles and physical console games than at any point since 1990, when the SNES launched in the country, last year.

Despite the release of the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in Japan, sales figures from Famitsu, as translated by NeoGAF, show the extent of the decline. 

Total physical games sales for handhelds and home consoles generated 369 billion yen in 2014, down from a record of 688 billion yen in 2007. Unsurprisingly, the 3DS was the best selling console, shifting 3.1 million units. To date, 17.8 million 3DS systems have been sold in Japan. In second place was the PlayStation Vita, which was purchased by 1.1 million gamers, for a lifetime Japanese total of 3.4 million. 

It was a somewhat gloomier picture for home consoles, with the PS4 selling 925,000 units (18.5 million have been sold worldwide). The Wii U followed on 604,000 and the Xbox One lagged far behind on 45,900. 

Eight of the top selling games in Japan last year were 3DS titles, while the remaining two were Wii U games. The best selling game was Yo-kai Watch 2, a Level 5 RPG, which shifted more than three million copies. Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire notched up 2.4 million. 

PC gaming has never been a massive force in Japan and digital console game sales remain low. Japanese gamers have flocked to mobile titles in recent years and it seems that this is an irreversible trend. 

Share this post:

FacebookTwitterLinkedInPinterest

Recent Videos

10 ICONIC Games That Fixed RPGs

10 ICONIC Games That Fixed RPGs

GTA6 ONLINE LEAKED? SOUNDTRACK RELEASED & MORE

GTA6 ONLINE LEAKED? SOUNDTRACK RELEASED & MORE

Control Resonant - Before You Buy

Control Resonant - Before You Buy

Witcher 3 Remastered - 10 BIGGEST Changes

Witcher 3 Remastered - 10 BIGGEST Changes

What The HELL Is Going On With Diablo 5, StarCraft & WoW?!

What The HELL Is Going On With Diablo 5, StarCraft & WoW?!

Wolverine - 10 Things The Game DOESN'T TELL YOU

Wolverine - 10 Things The Game DOESN'T TELL YOU

PC Gaming: 25 Things You Didn't Know You Could Do

PC Gaming: 25 Things You Didn't Know You Could Do

10 ICONIC Games That FIXED Open World Games

10 ICONIC Games That FIXED Open World Games

Valheim 1.0 - Before You Buy

Valheim 1.0 - Before You Buy

Category: Updates

Sidebar

Recent Posts

  • Dr. Serkan Toto: Nintendo Saved The Japanese Console Game Market With The Success Of The Switch
  • Gears of War: E-Day Has Gone Gold
  • Rockstar Unveils Physical Release of GTA 6: The Album, With An Ironic 11 Variant Editions
  • Rumor: GTA 5 / GTA 6 Files Leaked, Including An Expanded Liberty City
  • “This Was A Surprise.” – Gene Park Confirms Sony Cancelled PHYSINT On Hideo Kojima Without Prior Warning

Copyright © 2026 · Gameranx · All Rights Reserved · Powered by Mai Theme