The PS4 is currently destroying all competition in the US and Europe, but its home country of Japan has been an uphill battle. Launching in February 2014, a full 3 months after its foreign debut, the PS4Â had a strong start, but has since seen its sales figures dwindle significantly. This week the PS4 sold just 6,456 units which puts it below weekly sales of 3DS, Vita, Wii U, and even its own predecessor the PS3.
Sales figures for the week of 7/14/2014 – 7/20-2014 are listed below:
- 3DS LL – 32,623
- Vita – 27,352
- Wii U – 8,209
- PS3 – 7,389
- PS4 – 6,456
- 3DS – 6,185
- Vita TV – 2,249
- PSP – 556
- Xbox 360 – 129
Current estimates put total PS4 sales in Japan at less than 750,000, and with weekly sales continuing to stay around this level hitting its first million will take some time. For comparison, the Wii U, which has been noteworthy due to its many sales issues, is currently at over 1.8 million after launching in December of 2012. The Wii U saw its sales surge after the release of Mario Kart 8, overtaking the PS4 after its launch momentum slowed. Since then the Wii U has outsold the PS4 by over a thousand units almost every week.
Perhaps the PS4 is suffering for the same reason the Wii U did after its launch, a lack of games. Looking at the same week’s top game sales, the first PS4 game appears at number 13, lagging behind multiple 3DS, Vita, and even PS3 games. The PS4 has had a fair number of good exclusive titles, but perhaps they need some that specifically target the Japanese market.
The Xbox One still hasn’t released in Japan, but it is planning to hit in September of this year. Microsoft has struggled to make headway in Japan for both previous Xbox consoles, so this launch will likely do little to help or harm the PS4.
Outside of Japan is a completely different story for the PS4. Sales are strong in nearly every territory that the PS4 has released in, making it the top console for lifetime sales of this generation.
