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'Splatoon 3' Breaks Record For Biggest Game Launch Ever In Japan

'Splatoon 3' Breaks Record For Biggest Game Launch Ever In Japan

Splatoon 3 is doing phenomenally well in Japan, having sold 3.45 million copies at launch.

Last Friday, the third game in the Splatoon series swam onto the Nintendo Switch, and it’s safe to say that it has fans hooked. In my review, as well as calling it “inkredibly fun” (I refuse to apologise for any puns here), I praised the title’s excellent quality-of-life improvements, as well as its charming cast of characters and great new weapons. 

Take a look at the trailer for Splatoon 3 below.

You don’t just have to take it from me, anyway, because clearly, a lot of people are loving the game. As reported by VG247, Splatoon 3 has managed to net itself Japan’s best ever game launch, selling a huge 3.45 million copies physically and digitally. 

For comparison, according to @GameDataLibrary on Twitter, the previous top title was Animal Crossing: New Horizons, which sold around 2.68 million copies at launch in Japan. What’s more, the launch figures of the first Splatoon game were significantly lower - with 150K units sold in its first week. Keep in mind though that the first one released on the Wii U, and although defending that dear console is a hill I’m willing to die on, it did sell less than spectacularly, and its physical and digital games sales reflect that. 

Meanwhile in the UK, according to GamesIndustry.biz, Splatoon 3’s launch sales are down by 9% compared to Splatoon 2, but it’s still the best selling physical game of the week, as The Last of Us: Part I falls to fourth place after sitting at the top last week. 

Featured Image Credit: Nintendo

Topics: Nintendo, Nintendo Switch