Animal Crossing (1.8M sold) drives the switch to its highest sales week ever in Japan (392K, higher than launch week)

[Skittzo]

Coronavirus and isolation actually helping a game

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This was the expected result coronavirus or no coronavirus.

 

[Sub Boss]

Will something ever top this?

the only two that may be able to achieve this are Splatoon 3 and Final Fantasy 7.

or ... a Mario Kart Ultimate ...

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Animal Crossing Kart

 

[Deleted member 54073]

Nvm.

 

[Deleted member 39144]

Expected or not, I imagine Coronavirus helped the sales a fair bit. People locked away with not much to do and not even gamers picked up Switch's and PS4's in a panic.

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Japan isn't in lockdown.

 

[Skittzo]

Expected or not, I imagine Coronavirus helped the sales a fair bit. People locked away with not much to do and not even gamers picked up Switch's and PS4's in a panic.

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Japan isn't in lockdown though, and this thread is about Japanese sales.

 

[Deleted member 54073]

Japan isn't in lockdown.

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My bad, totally forgot the Japan bit.

 

[criteriondog]

I have friends who almost never play games that bought a switch and animal crossing!! :D

 

[808s & Villainy]

People can't just accept the game sold well on its merits, huh?

 

[JetBlackPanda]

I know 2 seperate families that suspiciously aquired a switch for every family member(4 and 5 respectively), just in time for ACs launch, almost like they just dont want to share an island.

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haha yeah..I decided to main the family switch with my wife and daughter! Since my lite would be a different island and would only EVER be handheld.

 

[leon9506]

my first time playing AC, and it's definitly my GOTY this year

 

[Falchion]

Animal Crossing is the game we need.

 

[Opa-Opa]

my first time playing AC, and it's definitly my GOTY this year

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It was the same on the DS for me. Never played... bam, goty.

 

[Mark1]

Animal Crossing has been a huge franchise in Japan since Wild World on DS. Wild World and New Leaf are among the top 10 best-selling games ever in Japan with over 5m units sold. New Leaf launch, further, was hampered by stock issues: it would have no issue in opening above 1m. Worldwide the franchise has been big (5-6m units for both Wild World and New Leaf) but not as in Japan even though it cultivated a pretty strong and dedicated fan following.

I think that many reasons played into this result:

• high quality game;
• game can played both on TV and on the go;
• great strategy in nurturing the fanbase over the years with spin-offs and merchandising;
• new mainline entry since New Leaf 7 years ago;
• Animal Crossing characters in Smash;
• Switch is a popular platform;
• mobile game is moderately popular;
• Friday was a public holiday.

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This is a pretty good summary. Would the Covid-19 pandemic have also played a part in these sales at all? Something for people to play indoors?

Not to downplay its' success either way. Nintendo really marketed it well. New Horizons had a lot going for it before this pandemic even happened.

This is arguably the best game in the franchise too.

 

[sir_crocodile]

updated OP (AC over 3M physical, Switch at 830K sold in last 3 weeks) given latest MC thread:

Media Create Sales: Week 14, 2020 (Mar 30 - Apr 05)

Media Create Sales: Week 14, 2020 (Mar 30 - Apr 05) 01./01. [NSW] Animal Crossing: New Horizons # (Nintendo) {2020.03.20} (¥5.980) 02./00. [PS4] Resident Evil 3 # (Capcom) {2020.04.03} (¥7.800) 03./04. [NSW] Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (Nintendo) {2017.04.28} (¥5.980) 04./03. [NSW] One Piece...

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