The popularity of Pokémon’s ramsacked sleuth has hit new heights with the release of Detective Pikachu Returns in Japan. The Pokémon Company’s mystery-solving spin-off crushed its competition, soaring to the top of this week's physical charts for Japan, as revealed by Famitsu. The Nintendo Switch version mesmerized fans, selling a staggering 85,639 units in the first week since its release.
But Detective Pikachu wasn't the only one in limelight. Other up and comers held significant spots in the rankings, keeping this race exciting. The Game of Life for Nintendo Switch, by Takara Tomy, arrived at a respectable second place, having sold 30,267 units. Ubisoft’s gritty Assassin's Creed Mirage also caught the attention of players, as both PS5 and PS4 versions of the game made it to the top 10.
Sword Art Online: Last Recollection, a Bandai Namco release, didn’t stay far behind. The PS5 and PS4 editions took the 5th and 6th places respectively. Meanwhile, Pikmin 4 maintained its appeal among new releases, selling an additional 15,748 copies. This keeps the Nintendo stalwart in a strong position, having already sold an impressive 898,284 units to date. Despite tough competition, EA Sports FC 24 proved its mettle too, selling 6,004 copies this week, hence maintaining its footing at the tenth position.
The unveiling of Detective Pikachu Returns created not just a surge in game sales, but also in console purchases. Most notably, the Switch OLED Model experienced a significant bump in sales, surmounting to 100,000 units this week alone. This leap places the device far ahead of the remaining competition from the console sector.
While the original Switch model and the Switch Lite experienced minor setbacks in sales, it didn't prove concerning considering the OLED model’s astonishing sales boost. The official figures verify the dominance of the OLED model – with a staggering 5,798,181 units sold, followed by distant competitors as PlayStation 5 with 3,901,786 units, the original Switch with 19,566,247 units, Switch Lite with 5,517,733 units and a PlayStation 5 Digital Edition with just 586,897 units.
These impressive numbers present a rapidly changing landscape, setting up fascinating scenarios for many weeks. The rising popularity of Detective Pikachu and other games are sure to shake up the pecking order in the gaming world. Let's keep our eyes on whether this Pokémon sensation can maintain its lead and which game would manage to grab the spotlight next.
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