Gears carves into Japan

By Robert Purchese Published 25 January, 2007

Chainsaws into top ten.

It seems it's not just us blood-thirsty westerners that enjoy the homoerotic adventures of Marcus Fenix, as Gears of War penetrates the Japanese charts at number seven this week.

Epic's epic sold 33,212 copies and was the only 360 title in the top 20, surrounded by a sea of PS2 and DS, and a brief spattering of Wii.

There was, however, no sign of any PS3 titles. Reclusive little fellows.

PlayStation 2 title .hack//G.U. Vol. 3 took the top spot, followed by Wario: The Seven (DS), Shining Force Exa (PS2), Wii Sports and Wii Play.

Follow the digital trail to Media Create for the full listing.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds. @Clert on Twitter.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (29) Latest comment 5 years ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • cyacomini #1 5 years ago

    In a word - WOW

  • Dizzy #2 5 years ago

    I hope it will teach those girly-men some important lessons about violence!

  • psychokitten #3 5 years ago

    Homoerotic! Penetrates! You're a naughty boy, Rob.

  • lambtron #4 5 years ago

    Holy crap.

    The most Western title imaginable sells in Japan. Who'd have thought it?

  • penhalion #5 5 years ago

    Naw it's just the curious factor. Gears isn't really a japanese style of game so itsn't really being played. It seems to be being used to show off what the 360 can do in Otaku circles i.e. they are satrting to sonder what sony has sold them! It's quite funny as those in the know are saying 360 is the console to get!

    Note this is an otaku opinion from my Japanese friend

  • Hog-lumps #6 5 years ago

    shining force exa?

    Oooh, is that any good? Is it anything like the excellent original Shining forces? or more like boring (imo) shining soul games?

  • Santino #7 5 years ago

    hahaha 'The Homoerotic Adventures of Marcus Fenix', just imagine if they had called the game that.

  • Dizzy #8 5 years ago

    >Note this is an otaku opinion from my Japanese friend

    It is true... 360 is kind of a cool subculture thing to have now in Japan. You are "cool" if you have one. This will not make sure 360 will sell like mad, but it looks like, at least, the 360 is getting more respect than the XBox (I rarely saw non-japanese buying that one in Japan).

  • Steroyd #9 5 years ago

    Didn't Halo 2 sell similar numbers?

    GTA III sold 150K in it's first week as well i think that game holds the record for best selling western game in Japan.

    kind of dispels that the Japanese only like certain games lol.

    Quite Scary not seeing DS titles at the top we must be in the twilight Zone or something.

  • nickthegun #10 5 years ago

    Marcus is voiced by the person who does Naruto and Dom is done by Al from Full Metal Alchemist.

  • Darren #11 5 years ago

    Interesting... especially considering that the PS3 apparently outsold total sales of the 360 for a year in just one month! I doubt it'll be a regular occurence though once Japanese developers start releasing more games for the PS3.

  • spazmo #12 5 years ago

    "..surrounded by a sea of PS2 and DS, and a brief spattering of Wii."

    Erm.....there are 3 PS2 and 3 Wii titles there....

  • Dizzy #13 5 years ago

    >Erm, someone hasn't done their history

    Dude.. SARCASM.

  • Hog-lumps #14 5 years ago

    Thanks Insane_Cobra, it's good to know even if I am a little disapointed!

  • Steroyd #15 5 years ago

    Why did EG give a link out to Kotaku.

    Now i need to wash my retinas. :'(

  • glaeken #16 5 years ago

    I am actually surprised there are enough 360's in Japan to get a game into the top 10.

  • brooza #17 5 years ago

    Why did EG give a link out to Kotaku.

    Probably returning the favour after Kotaku linked to the "Fog of War" PS3 article today

  • prettyboytim #18 5 years ago

    "westerners... enjoy the homoerotic adventures of Marcus Fenix, as Gears of War penetrates the Japanese..."

    heh.

  • lambtron #19 5 years ago

    Mmmm erotic.

    :D

  • Toothball #20 5 years ago

    @nickthegun:
    Marcus is voiced by the person who does Naruto and Dom is done by Al from Full Metal Alchemist.

    Is that true? I really hope it is.
    Edited by Toothball at 25/01/07 @ 13:25

  • sanctusmortis #21 5 years ago

    Japanese geek culture has an affinity for the big brash US stuff, just like ours has a thing for manga and SRPGs...

    Never expected that, though.

  • BadBoyBonner #22 5 years ago

    Does that mean every 360 owner in Japan has bought two copies?
    Edited by BadBoyBonner at 25/01/07 @ 14:04

  • groovychainsaw #23 5 years ago

    Two things: It got 37/40 in Famitsu, which is usually a guide to what will sell well, regardless of whether its normally what people buy. +Microsoft's 'edgy' advertising with the 360 as the best place for the 'adult' titles might not actually be a bad niche to aim for (Gears was unrated + saw lots of Japanese displays with all the unrated titles for the 360 recently online...)

  • TonyCocaCola #24 5 years ago

    @Toothball
    Marcus is voiced by John Dmaggio (Bender)

  • nickthegun #25 5 years ago

    @nickthegun:
    Marcus is voiced by the person who does Naruto and Dom is done by Al from Full Metal Alchemist.

    Is that true? I really hope it is.

    No, sorry, I was joking. They were the two most effeminate, high pitched, anime characters I could think of, off the top of my head, to play two macho, gruff space marines.

    I was laughing to myself at the thought of marcus screaming 'DATTEBAYO!' in a high pitched whine after speaking with Anya.

    "You had better not mess this up, Fenix"

    "DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE ME! TRY YOUR BEST! YOU CAN DO IT! DATTEBAYO!!"

    aaaaaaaaaand so on.

  • smoothn00dle #26 5 years ago

    Blue Dragon really help *v*

  • ChimneyBug #27 5 years ago

    >360 is kind of a cool subculture thing to have now in Japan. You are "cool" if you have one.

    Only to Japanese nerds, regular Japanese think its 'the one the nerds like' :)

  • Toothball #28 5 years ago

    @nickthegun:
    No, sorry, I was joking. They were the two most effeminate, high pitched, anime characters I could think of, off the top of my head, to play two macho, gruff space marines.

    Yeah, I suspected as much. I think I'll spread that as a rumour anyway.

  • Mordum #29 5 years ago

    The most interesting thing from this article isn't that Gears has sold well, but the lack of PS3 titles in the charts... does this mean they bought the console, then realised there was no decent games to buy? surley with the numbers the PS3 managed to sell compared to the 360 it should be represented by a couple of titles at least. Strange one that.