Xbox Series S has outsold PlayStation 5 in Japan for the first time and that is a massive deal!!!

As we all know the home of PlayStation is Japan, Microsoft has never really concentrated on the Asian market as their competitors Sony and Nintendo have always dominated on that side of the world as it is their home. But in shocking news, Microsoft’s cheaper slimmer platform the Xbox Series S had outsold Sony’s premier console last week for the first time. The fact the Xbox Series S is cheaper and more accessible than all the other next-gen console has helped sales considerably.

Inside the week of May 9th – May 15th, Xbox Series S had outsold the PlayStation 5 by 4,000 units, an incredible achievement for Microsoft. The Xbox Series S climbs above both PlayStation 5 editions of the console. This is largely down to the production issues that Sony has been struggling with ever since the PlayStation 5 launch back November 2020, globally fans have had their problems getting their hands on both consoles down to said production issues and scalpers buying up multiple units at a time.

Unit sales in Japan between May 9th – May 15th for all consoles

• Nintendo Switch OLED – 35,868

• Nintendo Switch  – 20,443

• Nintendo Switch Lite – 9,011

• Xbox Series S – 6,120

• PlayStation 5 Disc Edition – 2,240

• PlayStation 5 Digital Edition – 453

• Xbox Series X – 105

• PlayStation 4 – 22

Xbox might’ve made the news this week but overall it doesn’t come close to Nintendo, as expected they dominate in Japan week after week with their assortment of handheld consoles (Switch OLED, Switch and Switch Lite). The unique machine has been a phenomenal success for Nintendo selling 20 million units in Japan alone making at only the 5th console to do so (behind the Nintendo DS, Nintendo Game Boy/Colour, Nintendo 3DS and the PlayStation 2). So Xbox’s recent success doesn’t and probably will never come close to how successful Nintendo has been in Japan over the last 20 years.

Microsoft have no sign of letting up in their journey to win over the Asian market with their renewed direction in Xbox Cloud Gaming. Japan has always favoured mobile gaming so access to Xbox games on iOS and Android could win over some of the hardcore Nintendo fan base.

Globally, Xbox Series X/S have been widely successful as from Microsoft’s financial results from last year they showed Xbox hardware revenues were up 166% compared to the same period last year, which might not come as a surprise since Xbox One sales were tailing off and an increase in revenue from the gaming side with Xbox’s content doing very well.

• News on Nintendo’s latest game: Nintendo Switch Sports
• News on modifying your PS5 console

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There are a number of recent and upcoming games that use various cultures and mythologies to drive their stories. This series aims to explore the relationship between a game and its surrounding mythology and how this shapes its characters. Today, we look at the game Ghostwire Tokyo and its use of Japanese folklore and mythology. 

Ghostwire Tokyo: Cats and Dogs

Ghostwire Tokyo was released 25th March 2022. In the game, Tokyo’s civilians have all disappeared and Yokai, spirits or demons, have invaded the city. You play as Akito, a civilian who survives after being possessed by a demon, KK. Akito and KK must work together, clearing the city of demons and returning Tokyo to the living.

When Ghostwire Tokyo was announced in 2019, one of the major concerns people had was whether or not you could pet the stray dogs. The following year, Tango Gameworks and Bethesda announced that yes, you could pet the dogs. Just before the game’s release, it received more attention for its inclusion of “Yokai Cats Running a Bodega“. Clearly then, the developers knew what the internet wanted. So great is the internet’s love of pets, however, that fans were let down when it was revealed you couldn’t feed the cats, stray or otherwise. Since then the game has received mixed reviews, with people commending its detailed environment design but limited gameplay choices. Coincidence, I think not. Regardless, the publicity surrounding the cats highlights how society today views them as solely pets and is desperate to give them love and attention. However, this wasn’t always the case.

Nekomata 

The Yokai Cats seen in Ghostwire are known as Nekomata. In Japanese folklore, these spirits are cats that have lived for so long that they have acquired both spiritual powers and a second tail. But in the game…they run bodegas. In fact, Nekomata were originally seen in Chinese folklore and were said to be cats that lived in the mountains, with a taste for human flesh. These stories were one of a number of things that were adopted from Chinese culture into Japan. These cats were seen as wild, monstrous beasts that would kill and eat helpless civilians. But in the game…they run bodegas. Gradually, during the Edo period – as cities became more populated – the Nekomata were also said to come from domestic cats that reached old age. Nevertheless, the Nekomata still retained their malevolent tendencies, with the ability to raise and control the dead, cause fires and kill people. But in the ga- you get the idea.

Ghostwire Tokyo‘s Relationship with the Past and Present

Ghostwire Tokyo blends both past and present throughout its game. In this Wired article, the game’s creators remarked upon the juxtaposition between the “old shrines” of Tokyo and its modern skyscrapers and how “the past and modern technology intertwine to give the city its identity”. This idea has been prevalent in the discussion of Japan’s identity as a whole – with some bemoaning Japan’s technical extraordinary progression while seemingly abandoning its Shinto past. One of Japan’s most famous exports, Godzilla, is seen as this battle between nature and technology.

But beyond Ghostwire‘s environment design, the game brings this relationship of past and present into its character design as well. The city is peppered with Yurei, ghosts, who were once overworked civilians and now haunt the city, dressed in their business-suits and carrying umbrellas. Ghosts of teenagers and schoolchildren, once addled by anxiety and the stresses of the future, now haunt the streets headless. Their school uniforms being used to identify them instead. The developers at Tango Gameworks have updated the Yurei folklore of the past to reflect the present. Although the city is seemingly abandoned by the living, the Yurei are dressed as civilians who you would expect to see walking down the street – with the same problems that any civilian today faces. Through this, the developers are further intertwining the living and the dead, the past and the present.

But what does this have to do with cats? Well, the developers do the same thing with the Nekomata. The character design serves to reflect today’s culture. In Japanese culture, cats have gone from being monstrous beasts, from being necromancers and evil spirits to bearers of good luck, to Hello Kitty and now to cute Bodega owners. As Hiroko Yoda – an author on Yokai and consultant on Ghostwire – says “They shape-shift to suit the times. They can be cute. They can be scary. They can be helpful. They can be whatever you need for the purpose.”

The Yokai and Yurei of Ghostwire Tokyo are updated to reflect modern society. They examine the problems of technology, anxiety, stress and everything that encompasses modern day life. And through this reflection they allow players to look at themselves and ask themselves where are they going?

Ghostwire Tokyo is available at Go2Games – on PlayStation and Steam.

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The post Mythology Corner: Ghostwire Tokyo first appeared on Get2Gaming.

The Pokémon remakes are shining brilliantly in Japan

Earlier in the week, it was reported that Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl had the second-biggest physical launch of 2021, here in the UK, just missing out on FIFA 22‘s top spot.

Now it has been reported the Pokémon remakes have done similar in Japan by becoming the second-biggest physical launches in Japan by far, according to Famitsu.

Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl

Between the two Pokémon remakes, 1.39 million copies were sold in the first three days. This includes the standard retail versions, the double-pack editions, download card purchases. Nintendo never releases its sales figures for its eShop, so digital sales for Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are unknown.

The biggest physical launch on Nintendo Switch is still Animal Crossing: New Horizons, with 1.88 million copies sold in the first three days, yet Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl have already outsold Pokémon Sword and Shield, which sold 1.36 million copies in the equivalent time.

Obviously, there are currently more Switch users in Japan now than there were in 2019, but since Sword and Shield are on track to be the second-biggest Pokémon titles of all time, it will be interesting to see if Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl can sustain this.

The owner of Serebii.net, Joe Merrick, also shared the physical launch sales for all the games in Japan, further proving the Pokémon remakes success.

For comparisons sake, here's the physical launch weekends of the games in Japan

BDSP: 1.396m
SWSH: 1.364m
Let's Go: 664k
USUM: 1.19m
SM: 1.9m
ORAS: 1.54m
XY: 2.09m

SWSH launch was smaller but digital ratio has increased.
SWSH was confirmed for over 2m including Digital

— Joe Merrick (@JoeMerrick) November 25, 2021

Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl are currently available to purchase from our store.

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The Japanese studio is releasing a compilation of its most retro games and it’s now available to pre-order in the West

Retro games, or for some, games from the past, will never die out thanks to video game companies either remastering the games for new consoles or creating compilations of the studio’s games so old and new fans alike can enjoy the games that started it all.

Taito, a Japanese company that created some of the first video games back in the 70s, and a little game that you might know going by the name of Space Invaders, is releasing a brand new compilation game for Nintendo Switch and it has just been announced it will also be released here, titled Taito Milestones.

Taito Milestones

Taito Milestones was announced earlier this year that it would be released in Japan in February 2022, with no Western release confirmed at the time but now that has changed.

ININ Games, who was previously behind publishing Space Invaders Forever, confirmed it would be publishing the compilation in the West.

Taito Milestones consists of 10 retro games from Taito’s repertoire. The compilation will be available in physical and digital form as well as two special editions: Limited Edition and Collector’s Edition.

The Taito Milestones Collector’s Edition will have a limited release of 2000 copies and will be priced at €89.99 (circa £75.99) and the Taito Milestones Limited Edition will have a limited release of 3000 copies and will be priced at €39.99 (circa £33.99). Both will be available to pre-order from November 25 at Strictly Limited Games.

Here are the games confirmed to be in the compilation so far as the 10th game is still yet to be confirmed:

• Qix (1981)
• Alpine Ski (1982)
• Front Line (1982)
• Wild Western (1982)
• Chack’n Pop (1983)
• Elevator Action (1983)
• The FairyLand Story (1985)
• Halley’s Comet (1986)
• The Ninja Warriors (1987)

Taito Milestones will be released in February 2022, yet if you can’t wait that long, Taito and ININ Games are bringing out Space Invaders Forever Special Edition on December 10, just in time for the holidays, and is available to pre-order from our website.

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The post Taito Milestones: Japanese Retro Games Compilation Coming to the West first appeared on Get2Gaming.

The RPG is making its way to Disneyland Tokyo via its Hotel Suites!

Kingdom Hearts is approaching its 20th anniversary soon and what better way to celebrate than for the RPG series to receive its own special Kingdom Hearts suits in the Ambassador Hotel at Disneyland Tokyo Resort.

Kingdom Hearts has already had a great run-up to its 20th anniversary thanks to Sora finally joining Super Smash Ultimate and the games being confirmed to being available to Switch, and now fans get to experience staying in a suite inspired by Kingdom Hearts!

Kingdom Hearts Suites

The suites will be available from January 6 to April 27 2022 and will feature unique decorations inspired by the Kingdom Hearts series, including a special room key for each suite to be modelled on various keyblades throughout the franchise. There will also be a treasure chest provided in each room that will contain a secret item within each one.

Fans of the Kingdom Hearts series that get the chance to stay in one of the specially designed suites will also be given two original postcards and Kingdom Hearts-inspired paper bags, as well as the opportunity to purchase exclusive merch such as a shoulder bag worth 5,500 yen. There will also be a special Kingdom Hearts inspired food menu featuring a special cake set and a drink with paopu fruits atop to go with the suite that will also be available for a limited time.

So, what’s the price?

Well, to stay in one of these iconic suites, you will need to pay 77,500 yen, or £505, per night for the starting price of one of these suites.

Disney has never been a company to be afraid to put a hefty price on what it offers its guests and these Kingdom Hearts suites are no exception.

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The new instalment of the Metroid franchise is doing so well, it’s already outsold its predecessors.

Earlier this week I wrote about how Metroid Dread made history by having the biggest launch ever here in the UK. It has now had an even better week in Japan and has already outsold the majority of the franchise in its first week.

This data comes from data recording sites such as Famitsu and Games Data Library that keep a record of sales in Japan.

Metroid in Japan

The video game developed by MercurySteam and Nintendo EPD was released on October 8 on Nintendo Switch and has ranked up 86,798 physical sales, becoming the best-selling game of the week in just 3 days.

Historically, the Metroid franchise has struggled to sell well in Japan, with the most lifetime sales being 155,528 for Metroid: Fusion on record since 1995. Yet with the build-up and release of Metroid Dread, Japan used TV advertisements to help promote the game during prime-time TV shows, keeping the hype for the new release to stay alive.

Metroid Dread commercial during Monday Late Show (pretty famous variety show in Japan) – nice to see how much love this game is getting worldwide #MetroidDread pic.twitter.com/DGszrsSZre

— John Ricciardi (@johntv) October 11, 2021

And now, in less than a week, Metroid Dread has managed to outsell nearly every Metroid title before it, excluding Metroid Fusion. It has also caused a surge in sales for other titles in the franchise.

The data collected by Famitsu excludes digital sales, and as stated in the previous article for Metroid Dread’s UK sales, Nintendo doesn’t reveal its digital numbers, but from looking at the eShop, it is clear to see Metroid Dread is an international success.

Grab these voucher codes for our website for some discounts! The offer ends on October 18!

Use HARVEST5 for 5% off Monster Harvest!

Use WRC10 for 10% off WRC10 on all platforms!

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The post Metroid Dread: Outsold Nearly Every Other Metroid Game in Japan first appeared on Get2Gaming.

A high-quality Japanese gaming mattress hits sales

The gaming furniture brand Bauhütte is responsible here for creating a new mattress on the market just for avid gamers. The furniture they make is far more conventional, in terms of having items such as gaming chairs and desks. It produces comfy gaming clothes too. In the design, there are slits in the foam throughout the mattress to offer varying degrees of support for the user.

The mattress is designed to make gaming in bed more comfortable. Different sections of the mattress align with different parts of your body. Images of the mattress have been accompanied by frames that give room for desks and shelves; gamers who have a resourceful setup would have the space to do so. There’s even a table tray that fits a mouse and keyboard, for those who want the PC gaming experience.

【💥新製品💥】
＼✨みんな大好きゲーミングベッドシリーズ✨／

布団の西川に製造を依頼🛏️

禁断のレイアウト、ゲーミングベットのその先へ「ゲーミングマットレス」が発売👾✨https://t.co/iyUjFrkln1 pic.twitter.com/9pLgx8JcTC

— バウヒュッテは大阪の会社だよ！💪 (@bauhutte) September 24, 2021

It might be a good fit for those who want as much gaming in their lives. It is mindful that you may need to figure a way to import it all the way from Japan and consider the currency conversion. Also, the “gaming” aspect which sells this mattress does not differentiate much from other mattresses available on the market. You can sleep and wake up on this mattress like many other mattresses, but at least it indefinitely was created with the “gamer” in mind.

If you are interested to purchase this for your ravenous gaming desires, it would cost between 28,500 yen (£189.68) and 43,500 yen (£289.62) and comes in single, semi-double, and double sizes.

The post New Japanese gaming mattress unveiled first appeared on Get2Gaming.

Get ready for a whole new Donkey Kong adventure in real life, coming to Universal Studios Japan!

Nintendo has officially confirmed Super Nintendo World in Universal Studios Japan will receive a Donkey Kong expansion that will officially open in 2024.

Super Nintendo World officially opened in Osaka, Japan back on March 18 earlier this year and already include areas such as Princess Peach’s Castle, Bowser’s Castle, and rides such as Mario Kart: Koopa Challenge and Yoshi’s Adventure.

Donkey Kong World

It’s been speculated by fans for some time now whether we would receive a new Donkey Kong expansion, thanks to the locked door hidden towards the north of the park that can only be described as a Donkey Kong-esque design, as well as plans for the Donkey Kong expansion that have been floating around since 2019.

It has been confirmed by Nintendo that the official opening date will be in 2024, a year later than what had already been suggested. The Donkey Kong area will include a rollercoaster- something that has yet to appear in the Mario area since the rides are appropriate for all ages, interactive elements and themed merchandise and food.

It has also been stated that the new Donkey Kong area will be expanding Super Nintendo World by 70%, which will excite many Nintendo fans that have, or are waiting to visit the immersive theme park.

Super Nintendo World is also expecting to open in the US, with construction already underway at Universal Studios’ Hollywood and Universal Studios Florida is also expecting to see the arrival of Mario and his friends.

What are you looking forward to about the new Donkey Kong area?

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The post Donkey Kong: New Expansion Coming to Super Nintendo World in 2024! first appeared on Get2Gaming.

The Witcher fans could have banded together to buy a house

The Kickstarter for the The Witcher: Ronin – A Hard Copy Collector’s Edition Manga smashed its original goal within a matter of hours. That didn’t stop fans from continuing to pledge, though. The Kickstarter ended with a whopping €678,036, that’s exactly £579,580… and 27 pence. A whole 750% of the original goal.

The Kickstarter campaign for The Witcher: Ronin — A Hard Copy Collector’s Edition Manga has ended!

Thanks to your support not only did we fund the project in 2 hours and 16 minutes, but we reached 750% of our original goal!

Thank you! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/jKFidMgfgX

— The Witcher (@witchergame) September 27, 2021

Irresistible rewards and gorgeous art promised to Kickstarter pledgers no doubt were the root of its success.

If you’re wondering why fans continued to donate even after the goal was met, a quick gander at the rewards on Kickstarter will tell you why. All Kickstarter pledgers of the lowest tier have been promised a copy of the manga, as well as a postcard with the variant cover artwork. If you shelled out another €15 euros, you’d get a poster as well.

20 dedicated fans pledged €150 to get all that, plus a hand drawn sketch by artist Hayata. It’s honestly a pretty sweet deal, hence it was limited to 20 backers max.

One lucky sod got themselves the €1,050 pledge with a hand-drawn black and white cover by Hayata – wow. I think they deserve to have the Witcher fan bragging rights for life.

In addition, there were several selectable add-ons including a tote bag, sculpture, and pins.

“The Witcher: Ronin presents The Witcher universe as if it were based around the rich traditions of Japanese folklore. In a world such as this, the role of a professional monster slayer is just as essential — as dangerous Yokai and Oni (Japanese spirits and demons) are constantly on the prowl.”

This exciting take on The Witcher series looks absolutely gorgeous, and I’m so excited to see Geralt in a completely new environment. The Kickstarter edition will include 55 extra pages of content: 45 of side-stories, and 10 making-of pages. You might have missed the Kickstarter, but you’ll at least be able to purchase the manga when it drops in January 2022.

I’m already fairly confident that this will be another Witcher masterpiece!

New to the exciting world of the Witcher? Grab yourself a copy of the critically-acclaimed The Witcher 3 – GOTY Edition.

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Before you go: check out this month’s discount codes

CODES EXPIRE ON THE 4TH OCTOBER 2021

Use code BORNE10 – For 10% off Bloodborne- Game of the Year (PS4)

Use code DAYSGONE10 – For 10% off Days Gone (PS4)

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Use code POWER10 – For 10% off Ben 10: Power Trip (Xbox One/Xbox Series X)

The post The Witcher: Ronin manga crowdfunds £600,000 first appeared on Get2Gaming.

The popular Japanese horror game franchise turns 25 this year and is receiving the collector’s boxset treatment

Resident Evil (otherwise known as Biohazard in Japan) is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year and Capcom is going all out by releasing three brand new boxsets with all the Resident Evil titles to be including, including the upcoming multiplayer title to be released in 2022.

The Japanese horror franchise is Capcom’s best-selling video game series, with over 117 million units sold as of June 2021. Resident Evil has been successfully remade, readapted, and has had a major influence on the horror and zombie genres overall within pop culture as we know it.

Resident Evil 25th Anniversary Boxsets

The Biohazard Episode Selection box sets will be released for PS4 on November 25 in Japan for ¥5,990 (roughly £40/$55) and have been separated into three, distinctive chapters of the Resident Evil storyline. Each box set features an emblem design that symbolises these chapters.

The first volume titled “Fall of Umbrella” focuses on the events of the first three games and features the HD remastered versions of Resident Evil and its prequel Resident Evil 0, along with the remakes of Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3.

The second volume titled “Threat of Bioterrorism” focuses on the events of the next three games, Resident Evil 4, 5 and 6, where the games follow various members of the Bioterrorism Security Assessment Alliance (BSAA) as they fight against the remnants of Umbrella Corporation across the world.

Finally, the third volume titled “Story of Ethan Winters” includes the last two games released, Resident Evil 7 Gold Edition and Resident Evil Village. This boxset will also include a product code for the upcoming multiplayer title RE: Verse, set to be released in 2022. This box set will also include 13 postcards featuring the art of previous games.

Unfortunately, the release for these box sets has only been announced for Japan so it is unknown whether they will be released globally, however, you are able to order the collection on Amazon Japan and all orders will include a pinboard-style design of characters. Other selected stores in Japan will be offering bonus digital wallpapers as freebies for fans to collect.

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