Nintendo Has Led Japanese Game Market For 19 Straight Years

Expert Verified By

Nobody Can Challenge Nintendo In Japan!

Story Highlights
  • Nintendo is unbeatable in Japan, as it has dominated the software and hardware charts for 19 years.
  • In the past 19 years, only the PSP was able to beat a Nintendo system as the best-selling console in a single year.
  • The company’s shares have also reached a new high recently, smashing its own record from 2007.
.

Although Nintendo is popular worldwide, its popularity in Japan is on a different level. Whether it’s software or hardware, Nintendo has always dominated the charts in Japan.

Last year, the Nintendo Switch continued to dominate hardware sales in the region, and first-party offerings outpaced the competition in software sales. According to VGC, this performance marks a 19-year streak for the gaming giant.

Why it matters: The PS5 went through its own sales boom in the region in 2023, selling 2.6 million units to beat the PS3 and PS4. However, this was still not enough to challenge its biggest rival in Japan.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of The Kingdom Nintendo Switch

Famitsu unveiled its annual sales report recently, and once again, Nintendo has taken over both hardware and software charts.

To nobody’s surprise, the Nintendo Switch came out on top as 2023’s best-selling console. According to Famitsu’s past data, the console rarely ever faced a challenge from the competition, with the PS5 pulling ahead for a few weeks only.

In 2023, the Nintendo Switch sold 4 million units in the region. Overall sales also went beyond 132 million, with lifetime numbers closing in on 32 million sales in Japan.

In these 19 years, only the PSP has been able to dethrone Nintendo from the hardware charts. Every other year, the DS, 3DS, or the Nintendo Switch were seen at the top.

Super Mario Wonder

On the software side, no company has been able to compete with Nintendo for 19 years. The highly-rated Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom topped the charts this year, while Super Mario Wonder and Pikmin 4 followed in second and third place.

Additionally, Nintendo shares went through a dramatic growth recently, marking a record-high for the gaming giant.

A new console from the company is also on the horizon. The Nintendo Switch 2 already has quite the following after the gaming giant’s recent performance in the market, so it should be able to continue the momentum for the 20th year in a row.

Was our article helpful? 👨‍💻

Thank you! Please share your positive feedback. 🔋

How could we improve this post? Please Help us. 😔

Gear Up For Latest News

Get exclusive gaming & tech news before it drops. Sign up today!

Join Our Community

Still having issues? Join the Tech4Gamers Forum for expert help and community support!

Latest News

Join Our Community

104,000FansLike
32,122FollowersFollow

Trending

Assassin’s Creed Hexe Team Cut By 50 Developers One Year Before Launch

A new report reveals that the Assassin's Creed Hexe development team has taken quite a hit lately despite the game arriving next year.

Intel Warns: AI Inference Demand Will Make CPU Prices Increase

Intel warns it's users of price increase of CPUs due to AI increasingly demanding more processors for inference tasks.

Sony PS5 Consoles And PS Portal Get A Massive Price Hike In Southeast Asia

Sony has now announced a new price increase for PS5 consoles, PS Portal, and accessories in Southeast Asia, effective starting May 1, 2026.

Crimson Desert Has Retained An Impressive Nearly 50% Players Since Launch

Crimson Desert has managed to retain 50% of its player base from the launch, marking an amazing feat especially for a single-player title.

Alien Isolation 2: Yet Another Major IP Adopts UE5 To Fan’s Disappointment

The Alien Isolation sequel is moving away from Creative Assembly's proprietary Cathode Engine in favor of the standardized Unreal Engine 5.