PS5 Sales Plummet in Japan Ahead of Discounted, Region-Locked Launch
Tokyo, Japan - PlayStation 5 sales in Japan have experienced a dramatic decline, selling only 5,855 units last week, according to recent Famitsu data. This sharp drop comes as Sony prepares to release a significantly cheaper, region-locked version of the PS5 specifically for the Japanese market, a move driven by the console’s struggles against Nintendo’s Switch 2.
the sales figures represent a stark contrast to the Switch 2, wich sold 101,549 units during the same period. Sony’s next-generation console has been notably impacted by the weak yen and rising hardware costs,falling behind nintendo’s hybrid console family in the critical Japanese market. The new PS5 model, priced at ¥55,000 (~$350) – a reduction from ¥72,980 (~$473) – will have it’s language locked to Japanese and will only support local PlayStation Network (PSN) accounts, a measure intended to prevent resale in other regions, such as mainland China.
Recent reports suggest previous PlayStation leadership was less focused on the domestic market, but new CEO Hideaki Nishino is prioritizing a turnaround.Nishino reportedly championed the discounted PS5 after observing the system’s declining performance against the Switch 2.
While Sony likely won’t overtake Nintendo in Japan, the company hopes the new, more affordable model will regain momentum. Initial sales data for the region-locked PS5 are expected to be released in next week’s Famitsu report.
[Source: famitsu.com, via gematsu.com]
