Nintendo has extended its dominance of the Japanese games market, with the Nintendo Switch 2 emerging as the fastest-selling console in the country’s history and the biggest driver behind a huge surge in overall market growth during 2025.
According to new annual sales data published by Famitsu, Japan’s domestic home console market expanded sharply last year, fuelled largely by the Switch 2’s blockbuster launch and strong first-party software performance.
Japan’s Games Market Jumps Nearly 40 Percent Year On Year
Famitsu’s figures show that Japan’s home console games market reached ¥418.13 billion in 2025, up 38.8 percent from ¥301.32 billion in 2024. Hardware sales were the main engine of that growth, rising 49.3 percent year on year to ¥282.69 billion, while packaged software sales climbed to ¥135.44 billion, an increase of 21 percent.
The combined growth pushed the total market to its strongest position in years, highlighting a renewed surge in consumer interest following a quieter 2024.
Switch 2 Sells 3.78 Million Units In Just Six Months
Released in Japan on 5 June 2025, Nintendo Switch 2 sold an estimated 3.78 million units in the country by the end of the year, accounting for more than half of all home console sales in Japan during 2025.
The console reached almost one million units sold within its first week on sale, making it the biggest console launch Japan has ever seen. Globally, Nintendo confirmed the platform surpassed 10.36 million units sold within its first four months, the highest early sales figure for any Nintendo hardware to date.
By comparison, the original Nintendo Switch sold 1.52 million units in Japan last year, followed by PlayStation 5 with 879,204 units, Xbox Series X|S with just over 31,000 units, and PlayStation 4 with negligible sales.
Mario Kart World Tops 2025 Software Rankings
On the software side, Nintendo’s dominance was just as clear. For the 21st consecutive year, Nintendo titles filled nine of the top ten best-selling physical games in Japan.
Leading the pack was Mario Kart World, the flagship launch title for Switch 2, which sold 2.66 million physical copies to become Japan’s best-selling game of 2025.
Close behind was Pokémon Legends Z-A, which sold a combined 2.53 million copies across Nintendo Switch and Switch 2. The game performed so strongly that, when both versions are combined, it came close to overtaking Mario Kart World’s total.
Nintendo Games Dominate The Top 10
The full Top 10 best-selling physical games in Japan for 2025, based on Famitsu’s data, paints a familiar picture of Nintendo’s market strength:
- Mario Kart World (Switch 2) – 2,668,381
- Pokémon Legends Z-A (Switch) – 1,529,823
- Pokémon Legends Z-A Nintendo Switch 2 Edition – 1,004,154
- Monster Hunter Wilds (PS5) – 838,319
- Super Mario Party Jamboree (Switch) – 498,397
- Donkey Kong Bananza (Switch 2) – 435,206
- Kirby Air Riders (Switch 2) – 424,837
- Minecraft (Switch) – 346,606
- Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (Switch) – 342,866
- Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake (Switch) – 316,439
Monster Hunter Wilds was the only non-Nintendo title to break into the Top 5, underlining just how tightly Nintendo controls Japan’s physical sales charts.
PlayStation 5 Sales Continue To Decline
The data also highlights ongoing challenges for Sony in Japan. PlayStation 5 sales fell by around 60 percent in 2025, despite the release of a cheaper, Japan-only model. PS5 sold 879,204 units last year, down sharply from 1.4 million units in 2024 and 2.6 million units in 2023.
Price increases, including a reported 20 percent hike in Japan, and stronger competition from Nintendo appear to have significantly impacted Sony’s momentum in the region.
Looking Ahead To 2026
Famitsu expects the momentum generated by Nintendo Switch 2 to continue into 2026, supported by a busy release schedule. High-profile titles such as Dragon Quest VII Reimagined and Resident Evil Requiem are already lined up for early 2026 across Switch 2, Switch, and PlayStation 5.
With hardware sales rebounding and Nintendo maintaining its firm grip on software charts, Japan’s games market looks set to remain on an upward trajectory, with Switch 2 firmly at the centre of it all.