Switch 2 Remains Unmatched in Japan

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Nintendo Switch 2 Dominates Japanese Market with Kirby Air Riders and Mario Kart World

In Japan, during the week of November 17–23, 2025, Kirby Air Riders for the Nintendo Switch 2 debuted with 195,594 copies sold, topping the charts. Mario Kart World for Switch 2 continued its strong performance, selling another 67,068 units, bringing its total to 2,202,125 copies. Pokemon Legends: ZA on the original Switch remained in the top three, with 28,480 copies sold that week. These results underscore the ongoing demand for both new releases and established franchises on Nintendo’s consoles. From November 10–16, Nintendo sold 101,549 Nintendo Switch 2 units in Japan. The company’s second-quarter earnings increased by 90 to reach 3.7 billion, with operating profits up 19.5% to 950 million. For the quarter ending September 30, 2025, Nintendo reported sales of 4.54 million Nintendo Switch 2 consoles and 11.95 million software units. As a result, they’ve increased their sales target for the Nintendo Switch 2 to 19 million units and 48 million software units in fiscal year 2026.

Dominating Japanese Market: Switch 2 Leads with Kirby Air Riders and Mario Kart World

The Switch 2 led console sales with 126,953 units sold in a single week. The PlayStation 5 also saw movement, particularly the digital edition in the Japanese market, with 36,983 consoles sold. While the Switch 2 dominates, the PS5 maintains a presence due to demand for compelling games; Xbox maintains a modest presence in Japan. A key factor in Kirby Air Rider’s success is its status as a sequel to the 2003 GameCube title, offering Air Ride races, Top Ride, and a 16-player City Trial mode. Nintendo’s new, more affordable Nintendo Switch 2 is priced at approximately 49,980 yen and is available in Japan. While exclusively for the new Nintendo Switch 2 hardware, this version is region-locked, requiring Japanese language settings and Nintendo Japan accounts. Demand was so high that Nintendo implemented lotteries and special invites for active users to manage preorders. Top 10 Games in Japan, Week of November 17–23, 2025: 1. Kirby Air Riders (Switch 2) – 195,594 (New release) 2. Mario Kart World (Switch 2) – 67,068 (Total: 2,202,125) 3. Pokemon Legends: ZA (Switch) – 28,480 (Total: 1,271,576) 4. Momotaro Dentetsu 2 (Switch) – 28,074 (Total: 118,780) 5. Pokemon Legends: ZA (Switch 2) – 22,060 (Total: 798,015)

Strong Dominance of Switch 2 in Japanese Market Amid Console Competition

6. Momotaro Dentetsu 2 (Switch 2) – 20,751 (Total: 77,558) 7. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment (Switch 2) – 9,129 (Total: 101,121) 8. Dragon Quest I + II HD-2D Remake (Switch) – 8,302 (Total: 286,589) 9. Minecraft (Switch) – 4,909 (Total: 4,050,014) 10. Animal Crossing: New Horizons (Switch) – 4,908 (Total: 8,258,611) Top Consoles in Japan, Week of November 17–23, 2025: 1. Switch 2 – 126,953 (Total: 2,870,758) 2. PlayStation 5 Digital Edition – 23,381 (Total: 1,048,176) 3. Switch OLED Model – 12,486 (Total: 9,314,908) 4. PlayStation 5 Pro – 11,367 (Total: 281,760) 5. Switch Lite – 10,908 (Total: 6,737,073) 6. Switch – 5,976 (Total: 20,175,216) 7. PlayStation 5 – 2,235 (Total: 5,851,381) 8. Xbox Series X Digital Edition – 201 (Total: 24,080) 9. Xbox Series X – 118 (Total: 323,683) 10. Xbox Series S – 30 (Total: 340,097) 11. PlayStation 4 – 17 (Total: 7,930,078) These figures demonstrate the Nintendo Switch 2’s strong market position and the competitive dynamics of the Japanese console market.

In Case You Missed It

As we eagerly await the global launch of World of Warcraft: Shadowlands’ Midnight on March 2nd, Jonathan Dubinski has been busily behind-the-scenes, sharing a sneak peek into what’s in store for us. In his recent post World of Warcraft: Shadowlands – Midnight to be Released on March 2nd, Dubinski takes us through the early access details of housing, the regional launch of content update 11.2.7, “The War Within”, starting December 2nd for pre-purchasers, and even reveals some exciting cross-game rewards in Hearthstone, Overwatch 2, and more! Meanwhile, Ahmed Hassan dives into another remarkable gaming story – the resurgence of CD Projekt Red’s Cyberpunk 2077. Despite a rocky launch five years ago, Hassan explores how this open-world RPG has not only recovered but thrived, selling over 35 million copies and solidifying its place in gaming history Cyberpunk 2077: 35 Million Copies Sold After 5 Years, Cyberpunk 2 Strengthens. And if you’re excited about the upcoming Assassin’s Creed Shadows for Nintendo Switch 2, our colleague Jonathan Dubinski has got you covered. His insightful piece published on November 28th Assassin’s Creed Shadows for Nintendo Switch 2 Runs at 30 fps takes a deep dive into the technical specifications, revealing how the development team maintained a consistent 30 fps across both docked and portable modes.

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