Earlier this month, during Sony’s impromptu Japan-focused PlayStation State of Play presentation, the company took a page from rival Nintendo’s book by announcing a region-exclusive PlayStation 5 console, one that would be cheaper albeit with some major caveats.
Clocking in at 55,000 Yen, or the equivalent of $350 USD, the console will only work with a Japanese PSN ID and only feature the Japanese language, but was designed as a means of stopping market erosion in the region, due in part to the massive success that is the Nintendo Switch and its successor, the Switch 2.
Consider the gamble a preliminary success, because as Push Square reported, via numbers shared by Gematsu, the Japan-exclusive PS5 console managed to sell 23,381 units during the week of November 17 through November 23. For reference, the previous week of sales saw Sony’s flagship console slump to a disappointing 5,855 units sold.
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What’s more, that region-locked PS5 only became available on November 21, meaning that sales data is accounting for about three days’ worth of availability. That it was able to land that many sales in such a short period speaks to how popular the console is.
Of course, the Switch 2 continues to be a massive success, having sold 126,953 units during that same time period, but, at least early, it appears Sony’s big gamble has paid off.
Sony Didn’t Take The Decision To Release A Japanese-Exclusive Console Lightly
As TheGamer reported last week, the decision to make and release a PlayStation 5 console that was cheaper wasn’t an easy one. Previously, the company held a position that “it’s fine if the PlayStation market in Japan keeps shrinking,” but current president and CEO, Hideaki Nishino, wasn’t having any of it.
Instead, after seeing Nintendo do the same thing with the Switch 2, Nishino and Co. went to work, getting the console approved and manufactured in roughly four months. With the rising cost of components and parts, Sony is likely taking a loss on each console made and sold, but it’s something the company believes is worth taking on in order to resurrect its position in the region.
It’s crazy to think that the PlayStation 5 was performing that badly in Japan in the first place. Thankfully, it seems Sony has realized the issue and is working to revive things. It does make the prospect of a dedicated handheld all the more interesting.
Indeed, not only is Sony hoping that the console’s price is appealing enough to consumers, but it is also seemingly taking advantage of a continued shortage of Switch 2 hardware by offering consumers a readily available piece of tech that is also significantly more powerful.
The end result, at least early, is a major boost in sales, something that could continue well into the holiday season and beyond as more and more PS5-exclusive titles continue to release.
Brand
Sony
Original Release Date
November 12, 2020
Original MSRP (USD)
$499, €499, £449, ¥49,980 (Base) // $399, €399, £359, ¥39,980 (Digital),
Operating System
Orbis OS
Processor
Custom 8-core AMD Zen 2
Resolution
720p – 8K
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AloJapan.com