Initial reports may suggest that the recently released Final Fantasy XIII is selling less than both Final Fantasy X and XII on the PlayStation 2, but do not be deceived, those reports aren’t looking very far beyond their own noses.
As we previously reported, Square Enix’s latest game sold over one-million copies in its first Japanese day on sale. That trounced the life-time Japan sales of all other previous PS3 games, where Metal Gear Sold 4 stands in second with a life-time-to-date tally of around 700,000.
Famitsu/Enterbrain is now reporting Final Fantasy XIII’s first week sales, and though MediaCreate’s numbers will be more complete, it’s interesting to look at these already released estimates.
According to Famitsu/Enterbrain, Final Fantasy XIII sold 1,516,532 copies in its first week on sale, boosting PS3 sales to 245,406 units. That latter figure is almost 100,000 units more than the console’s previous high point in the country when the PS3 Slim released in September.
Despite the obvious success of these numbers, some bloggers are keen to point out that this achievement would be less than the first week sales of both Final Fantasy X and Final Fantasy XII on the PlayStation 2. They are, however; overlooking one simple point – each of the console’s installed bases at the time of sale.
Selling this December, the PS3 has a current installed base of approximately four-million units in Japan, meaning that FFXIII sold to a massive 38 per cent of the country’s PS3 owners in just one week.
That record actually matches that of Final Fantasy X, which released in July 2001. The game sold approximately 1.9 million copies to five-million PlayStation 2 consoles in the country; exactly 38 per cent.
How about Final Fantasy XII, which sold 1,764,000 copies in its first week on sale in March 2006? Square Enix’s twelfth Final Fantasy actually performed shockingly for the twenty-million strong PS2 installed base in Japan; it sold to only 9 per cent of PS2 owners on its first week on sale in the country.
So as you can see, despite the PS3’s rocky start, despite the recession, and despite FFXIII’s hefty price-tag, the game is selling incredibly well and just as well, if not better (when accounting for installed base), than its PS2 predecessors.
If it’s anything Final Fantasy or Dragon Quest related Japan Gamers go crazy for that stuff.
Already 1.5 million sold in Japan.
Wonder how much more it’ll sale outside of Japan?
I know a large majority of people will buy this game on PS3.
Wonder how much this game will sale on 360?
Im guessing it’ll flop on the 360. The 360 fanbase prefers shooters. Look at Halo, and MW2 sales. It’ll sell well on the PS3 cuz the majority of PS3 owners were PS2 owners and are fans of the FF series, from FF7 to FF12. Thats just my little 2 cents.
Yes, the “hefty” price tag is the most surprising. $90 and 1.5 million sold. That’s unheard of. In other words, compared with that with the last PS2 game, the revenue is almost doubled!!!!
Final Fantasy Deserves it. After all what game have you played that had such a captivating hold on you from the moment it’s opening cutscene started. The story alone is reason some may buy it.