Happy Sunday, readers, and welcome to an all-new week of Media Create sales! This is a big week for RPG fans and sports nuts alike, with a new Legend of Heroes, Fire Emblem Warriors, and FIFA 18 hitting the web during the period.
Before we begin, I’d like to apologize for missing the past couple of weeks. While we had planned to miss the report two weeks ago due to scheduled training, last week’s cyber-attack was (obviously) wholly unexpected. Recovery took some time, which I’d normally dedicate to the weekly report. As a result, the Media Create report needed to be shelved. I apologize for the inconvenience.
That said, let’s get to the numbers!
Nintendo
Titles on the Big N’s hardware managed to claim eleven spaces this week, with eight Switch games and three 3DS titles making the cut.
At the front of the pack, we see a clash between legendary warriors and thousands of copy-pasted foes. Fire Emblem Warriors (Switch) took third place this time around, with 41,491 units sold. The 3DS version charted at 6th place, selling 18,357 copies. Combined, the two SKUs managed to push a total of 59,848 units.
And, really, my reaction is pretty mixed overall. Famitsu is pegging sell-through at a piddling 40-60% across the board, and the title’s already dropped from “best-seller” charts on online retailers. That said, the multi-platform numbers aren’t far behind the launch sales for the Wii U’s Hyrule Warriors (69,090 W1). For now, I’m going to take a “wait and see” approach to this one, though I’m expecting the typical 73-85% drop-off next sales period.
Not far behind, kids and squids are still splatting on the field of battle. Splatoon 2 (Switch) dipped down to fourth place, with 29,704 copies reaching customers (1,190,563). The title still enjoys a 66.73% attach rate, meaning that more than two copies are out there for every three Switch consoles on the market. The title is still on track to break 1.25 million by the end of October, and will no doubt be a big player in the upcoming holiday season.
On a more interesting note, though: at this point, it appears that Splatoon sales are no longer tied to the hardware. We’re seeing weekly sales settle into a 20-29K range, as we normalize toward a general baseline. The title continues to be a huge hardware driver, though, and Im curious to see how things play out as new flagships sail into the market.
Speaking of battles, Pokken Tournament DX (Switch) managed to have a decent second week. The Pokemon-flavored fighter managed to move another 23,543 copies this period (76,938 LTD) to take fifth place. What’s really interesting here, though, is the week-2 hold. The title dipped by just 56% in its second round, which is far below the expected 73-85% that front-loaded titles enjoy. Though it’s still a bit early to make any real predictions, we could see some stubby legs form if this trend continues. At the very least, I hope to see the game crack that 100K threshold.
Outside of the top-5, the karting action continues to impress. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (Switch) parked itself at the #7 space this time around, with 15,098 units sold (720,741 LTD). Five months later, the title continues to inch toward the 750K milestone. I’m still pegging the 750K mark to hit in late October/Early November at this point, with the title cracking a million by early-ish 2019. Meanwhile, Mario Kart‘s attach rate remains healthy, with 40.4% of all Switch owners owning a physical copy.
It looks like folks are hitting the pitch for a quick round of footie in the top-10. FIFA 18 (Switch) tackled its way to 8th place in its opening week, with 12,616 units sold. And, overall, this is solid. Before you walk away, hear me out.
FIFA 18‘s Switch SKU has a .71% attach rate. yes, this is low. However, let’s super-impose this against the PS4 version, which moved 55,919 copies in the same period. The PS4 currently has 5,384,178 consoles in the wild. The PS4 version of FIFA 18 moved 55,919 units on that install base, giving it an overall attach rate of about 1.04%. So, with this in mind, we’re looking at a similarly-sized share of the market, and a very similar sell-through (60-80% on both platforms). So, while this wasn’t a Splatoon level smash-hit, it’s also not doing poorly, either. The real test will come next week, when we see those week-2 drops. If we see similar week-over-week performance across the two SKUs, then we’ll know the Switch version is in a generally good place on the whole.
On the note of good places, Hyrule seems to be doing pretty well this time of year. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Switch) climbed up to 11th place this period, with 7,615 units sold (598,670 LTD). The title should break the 600K milestone within the next sales period at its current pace. I’m still fairly bullish on the title, especially with the big story DLC hitting in the coming weeks. I’m curious to see how the market will react when this new downloadable chapter finally drops (I’m equally curious about the marketing strategy, as Nintendo’s been mum for a while now). For now, though, the title seems to be in a comfortable baseline of about 7-8K, and continues to be a consistent performer. And, while I’m hopeful that we’ll see this one crack 750K, it all depends on the strength of the title’s legs as we enter the holiday season.
A bit deeper into the charts, we see that fans are still fond of the double-cross. Monster Hunter Double Cross: Nintendo Switch Ver. (Switch) tracked its way to 14th place this period, with 6,350 units sold (146,883 LTD). Though not the barn-burner of its 3DS equivalent, the title is performing well, with 150K within reach for next period. I’m still a bit torn on which direction things will go after that point, especially in light of Monster Hunter World‘s looming January release. Still, it should at least remain on the big board going into November.
For those looking for a grand, old-school adventure, Square Enix has ya covered. Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age (3DS) dipped down to the #16 space this period, with 5,639 units sold (1,733,552 LTD). The PS4 version did drop out of the big board this week, sadly, so our last tracked total was 1,347,582. Combined, the two SKUs have shifted 3,081,134 to date. The 3DS SQU is still on track to crack that 175K mark, though I’m pushing the estimate as to “when” back to November. I didn’t expect the title to bottom out as quickly as it has. The Two million mark will depend heavily on holiday sales at this point.
A bit further down the charts, the door to the Snack World seems to be closing. The Snack World: TreJarers (3DS) pushed another 5,073 copies this time around (172,833 LTD) to take the #17 space. The title should cross the 175K mark by next period, but I’m growing increasingly skeptical that it can break the big 200,000 ceiling before it exits the big board.
At the back of the pack, we have a revival that only Goku could’ve pulled off. Dragon Ball: Xenoverse 2 (Switch) rode the Flying Nimbus back to 19th this time around, with 4,419 copies sold (36,085 LTD). This one has me intrigued, due to the fact that Bandai Namco shipped out so few units in week-1. We’re still seeing some demand for the title, so I’d like to see if real momentum can be maintained with stock entering the channels.
On the Hardware Front
The Switch managed to take the top spot this period, with 73,231 units sold (1,784,184 LTD). The 3DS held on to the #3 space, with 20,321 handhelds reaching customers (23,372,136 LTD). Of those, 8,359 were 2DS-XL units.
The Wii U, meanwhile, continues to just do its thing. Nintendo’s quirky console moved just 68 units this time around.
Sony
Titles on the PlayStation family claimed nine titles on the big boar, with eight PS4 games and a Vita title making the cut.
At the front of the pack, fans are embarking on a grand adventure with a magnificent soundtrack. The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III (PS4) took the #1 spot this week, with 87,261 units sold. This tells a bit of an interesting story, truth be told. 87,261 units sold is about on-par with the Vita debuts for both the first Trails of Cold Steel (81,622, 9/16/2013) and sequel Trails of Cold Steel II (86,283, 2014). However, this is a massive drop from combined hardware sales. Both Trails of Cold Steel and its sequel managed to move over 150,000 in multi-platform sales.
In plain English, this means that a huge chunk of the market didn’t make the leap to the consoles. But, with the Vita becoming less and less viable of an option, Falcom faces a rocky proposition. Will they seek out another potential market for these handheld holdouts, or will they move on and write off the loss in market? I’m curious to see how things develop, in this light.
Meanwhile, PS4 owners are hitting the pitch for a pick-up footie game. FIFA 18 (PS4) scored a 55,919 goals (it was an impossibly exciting day) to capture second place. Honestly, there’s not much to be said for this one. Sales are hovering at about the level they were for FIFA 17‘s PS4 launch (57,012), and I expect a similar sales curve.
FIFA Competitor Winning Eleven 2018 (PS4) charted at 10th place this period, with 10,250 units sold (91,446 LTD). As of now, the title is out-performing FIFA, so I’m curious to see which soccer game reigns supreme by the time they exit the charts.
Sandwiched between the dueling soccer titles is Genkai Tokki: Castle Panzers (PS4). This Compile Heart RPG shifted 10,389 units to claim the #9 spot, which is about average for the company’s RPG offerings.
Just outside the top-10, fans are prepping their loadouts for the next raid. Destiny 2 (PS4) dipped to 12th place this time around, with 7,371 copies reaching customers (88,688 LTD). Honestly, the drop from the first game continues to be a shocker. The game has underperformed since launch. And, while that 100K mark looks possible, it likely won’t go much further at its current pace.
Not far behind, PS4 owners are re-discovering the magic of the Commonwealth. Fallout 4‘s Game of the Year Edition debuted at the #13 space, with 6,507 units sold.
In the under-charts, we see double toils and troubles for Nippon Ichi. Coven and Labyrinth of Refrain (PS4) staggered to 15th for the week, with just 5,681 copies reaching customers. Really, this is rough, but we’re also looking at a dungeon-crawling RPG released for a home console, in a region where the genre’s largely found a home on handhelds. If anything, western sales will have to save this one.
A bit further back, we have ninjas falling in love in a new portable visual novel. Shinobi, Koi Utsutsu: Kanmitsu Hana Emaki (Vita) debuted at the #18 spot, with 4,629 units sold.
Finally, it looks like the golfers are heading toward the clubhouse. Everybody’s Golf (PS4) shot a bogey, with 4,213 copies sold (148,645 LTD) and a 20th place finish. I fully expect to see this exit the charts next period, but I’d love to be proven wrong. When a title is this close to that 150K mark, I do always hold out some hope that we’ll see it hit the mark before fading out.
On the Hardware Front
The PlayStation 4 took second place again this period, with 29,369 units sold (5,384,178 LTD). Of those, 6,547 were PS4 Pro consoles. The Vita managed to claim fourth place this time around, with 3,732 handhelds sold (5,711,647 LTD).
The PS3, meanwhile, continues on its own path. The well-worn system shifted 64 units this week (10,469,312 LTD).
Microsoft
In the US Navy, the USS Theodore Roosevelt is registered as CVN-71. The vessel, which carries the nickname of “the Big Stick”, is a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier that goes by the call signal “Rough Rider.” She was launched in 1984 and saw her first active role in 1991 during Desert Storm. The USS Theodore Roosevelt can hold a population of 3,200, and carries 90 different helicopters and planes.
In the world of Japanese consoles, I’m sure a few poor Microsoft employees are looking at their 71 units sold an wishing they could have something as impressive as the Big Stick.
