Home BusinessPlayStation CEO Aims to Reclaim Relevance in Japan as Nintendo Switch 2 Dominates

PlayStation CEO Aims to Reclaim Relevance in Japan as Nintendo Switch 2 Dominates

by Sophie Laurent

Key Takeaways

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  • Sony is aggressively trying to regain market share in Japan, where the Nintendo Switch 2 has been dominating sales.
  • To boost PS5 sales in Japan, Sony is launching a lower-priced, Japan-exclusive digital edition of the console.
  • This move mirrors Nintendos strategy and indicates that Sony is willing to sell the PS5 Digital Edition at a loss to restore its reputation in Japan.
  • The shift in leadership at PlayStation, with Hideaki Nishino taking over from Western leaders, signals a new focus on the Japanese market to reverse declining sales.

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Sony’s Push for PS5 Market Share in Japan Amid Dominating Nintendo Switch 2 Sales

Recent Japanese gaming sales figures underscore Sony’s efforts to regain PlayStation market share in Japan, including the introduction of a lower-priced PS5 model specifically for that region. Famitsu magazine’s sales data from November 17–23, 2025, reveals that only one PlayStation title ranked among the top ten best-selling games. The Nintendo Switch 2 outsold the PS5 Digital Edition by a factor of five during that period. Even when factoring in sales of all PS5 models (standard disc version, digital edition, and discounted versions), the Switch 2 sold nearly three times as many units. Kirby Air Riders for the Switch was the top-selling game of the week, with 195,594 copies sold. Mario Kart World held steady in second place, with the remaining top slots occupied by other Switch titles. These figures highlight a need for change, according to TV Tokyo. Their reporting indicates that Sony executives had previously focused less on the Japanese PlayStation market, believing that growth in other regions would compensate for domestic declines. However, Hideaki Nishino, who became head of PlayStation in April 2025 after years of Western leadership, is prioritizing reversing this trend.

PlayStation’s Japan-Exclusive Digital Edition Strategy to Boost PS5 Sales and Restore Reputation

To boost PS5 sales, Nishino is mirroring Nintendo’s approach by launching a Japan-exclusive PS5 Digital Edition. Nishino stated that the company will sell this model at a loss, viewing it as a worthwhile investment to restore PlayStation’s reputation in Japan.

In Case You Missed It

While we’re still savoring the thrilling finale of The Final Shape, whispers from Bungie’s depths have piqued our curiosity. Sophie Laurent sparked speculation with her claim that Destiny 3 might already be in its early stages on Colony Deaks Apparently, Destiny 3 is Already Under Development. It’s too soon to know if we’ll don our Guardians’ shoes anytime soon, but why not dream big? Shifting gears, Bruno Pferd shared some disappointing yet understandable news about CD Projekt RED’s The Witcher 4 in his recent article The Witcher 4 Will Be at The Game Awards 2025, but…. Don’t hold your breath for updates or trailers during the Game Awards; the studio’s focusing on internal development. Lastly, Jonathan Dubinski continues our gaming trends series with his insightful analysis of Japan’s top-selling consoles and games from November 17 to 23 Switch 2 Remains Unmatched in Japan. Nintendo Switch 2 dominates the charts, proving once again that Mario Kart’s popularity is stronger than ever.

PlayStation CEO Aims to Reclaim Relevance in Japan as Nintendo Switch 2 Dominates PS5 Slim 01 6

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