PlayStation 5 outsold Switch in Japan for the first time last month
As console stock rises.
The PlayStation 5 outsold the Nintendo Switch in Japan last month for the first time.
According to Famitsu data, spotted by VGC, PlayStation 5 sales were up by 457 percent year-on-year in February, shifting 366,982 units for its best ever month of sales.
By contrast, it sold 65,772 units in February 2022.
The Switch was the second best-selling console last month with 221,041 units sold.
PlayStation 5 sales have increased globally over the last few months, most likely due to increased availability of console stock.
Sales of the console were up 202 percent across Europe in January 2023, compared with the same month last year. Worldwide, PS5 sales were up 83 percent over Christmas 2022 compared with 2021.
What's significant in Japan is Sony overtaking Nintendo, which has been dominating console sales in the market.
Perhaps sales of the Switch are beginning to slow as it nears the end of its life, compared to PS5 now hitting its stride.
In terms of software sales, though, Nintendo remains dominant. According to Game Data Library, the top 15 best selling retail games in Japan (as of 26th February) are almost all Switch games. Pokémon Scarlet and Violet take the top spot, with Splatoon 3, Fire Emblem Engage, Kirby's Return to Dreamland Deluxe, and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe rounding out the top five.