Despite the anticipated Pikmin 3 Deluxe finally making the jump from Nintendo's failing Wii U to the highly-successful Switch, physical sales for Pikmin 3 in the UK were low during opening weekend. However, the game has not been struggling everywhere, and in fact it was recently reported to be the top-selling game on Famitsu's Japanese sales charts for the week of October 26 to November 1.
In that first week, Pikmin 3 Deluxe sold 171,349 physical copies in Japan according to Famitsu's chart, which was translated by Gematsu. This is more than three times the amount sold for its runner-up, Shin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturne HD Remaster on Switch, and beats out multiple other newly-released titles in the top 10 including Watch Dogs Legion, Greedfall, and Kamen Rider: Memory of Heroez.
On the whole, Nintendo has an overwhelming strong presence on the sales chart with five entries in the top ten: Pikmin 3 Deluxe, Ring Fit Adventure, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and Pokemon Sword and Shield. This no doubt contributes to the Switch's lifetime hardware sales, which recently passed 13 million according to Famitsu as Nintendo is on track to become China's video game market leader.
Much of the video game industry has been incumbered throughout the year by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, which led to most companies having their employees work from home. Nintendo is no exception, but has seen great success all the same thanks to digital sales for games like Animal Crossing: New Horizons. New Horizons sold nearly 15 million copies just in Q2 2020, according to Nintendo's recent fiscal report.
It's also no surprise to see Pokemon high on the Japanese sales chart for last week - though its tenth place spot is based on just over 9,400 physical sales. Pokemon Sword and Shield has sold nearly 20 million units since releasing just over a year ago, based on the aforementioned fiscal report, and the release of Sword and Shield's Crown Tundra DLC expansion has undoubtedly provided a spike in interest.
The seemingly mixed reception of Pikmin 3 Deluxe in different parts of the world, despite its positive reviews leading to a score of 84 on Metacritic as of this writing, may leave the future of Nintendo's cult-classic franchise in question. Once more universal sales numbers come out they could tell a different story, of course, but as of now fans just have to hope the success of Pikmin 3 in Japan kickstarts interest in a sequel sooner rather than later.
Pikmin 3 Deluxe is available now on Nintendo Switch.
Sources: Gematsu, Famitsu, Metacritic