Halo 3 tops Japanese charts

By Robert Purchese Published 4 October, 2007

Oblivion PS3 in there, too.

Halo 3 has taken top honours in the Japanese charts after selling 59,000 copies in its first week on sale, GamesIndustry.biz reports. A far cry from its UK total of 466,000, but pleasing for Microsoft nonetheless.

It follows on from success of Gears of War in the Japanese charts last year - another Western title as you may have spotted. Even big role-playing hope Blue Dragon only managed to enter the charts in fourth after its first week on sale.

Halo 3 joined a handful of other new entries in the Japanese top ten this week, according to Media Create data, helping all non-Nintendo platforms undergo a resurgence in sales.

Doing the honours were Bleach Blade Battlers 2nd for PS2, Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters GX for PSP, and surprising entry The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion for PS3.

These joined newcomers Tamagotchi DS and English Test 2 on, er, DS.

Japan looks like this:

  1. Halo 3 (Xbox 360)
  2. Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Toki (DS)
  3. Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core (PSP)
  4. Tamagotchi DS (DS)
  5. Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Yami (DS)
  6. Bleach Blade Battlers 2nd (PS2)
  7. English Test 2 (DS)
  8. Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters GX (PSP)
  9. Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (PS3)
  10. Metal Gear Solid Portable Ops + (PSP)

See how much more fact you can fit in over on GamesIndustry.biz.

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.

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

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Comments (47) Latest comment 4 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Syrette #1 4 years ago

    Interesting.

  • Dizzy #2 4 years ago

    Played against some Japanese Halo players online... they kicked my ass :(

  • Royal Fool #3 4 years ago

    It's over, Sony/Nintendo's finished.

  • bdc #4 4 years ago

    Halo 3 number 1,... in JAPAN?!

  • mcmonkeyplc #5 4 years ago

    Jesus christ!

  • Xerx3s #6 4 years ago

    Not too much of a surprise, halo - for a shooter - always had a fair share of fans there.

  • Dark_Stranger #7 4 years ago

    Does that mean that each Jap 360 user brought more than 1 copy :o)

  • Talha #8 4 years ago

    But how can a title top the charts there with such paltry sales figures, given the market size? Nevertheless, impressive.

  • miiiguel #9 4 years ago

    Dizzy, you bet mate, they're good, shit!

    well running out of "punch lines" in the "360 is da suxors" field...
    Edited by 1 at 04/10/07 @ 10:42

  • Blerk #10 4 years ago

    But how can a title top the charts there with such paltry sales figures, given the market size? Nevertheless, impressive.

    lol! Most chart-toppers in Japan only manage 50-60,000. Only the super-hitters manage sales of 100,000+ in their first week.

    And if you think that's low, you should see how many copies you need to top the UK charts....

  • Raz76 #11 4 years ago

    Guess there are about 59,000 foreigners with xboxes in Japan then...

  • graffekta #12 4 years ago

    wtf?!

  • miiiguel #13 4 years ago

    wow!, that' must be it! 59K foreigners, scratch that chart, now!

  • Triggerhappytel #14 4 years ago

    Christ on a bike, I did not expect that at all!

  • cloud_ix #15 4 years ago

    not according to vgchartz they had it in 3rd place...

    and with a approximate install base of 450k starved for games in japan 60k sales doesn't seem unreasonable, however it will probably drop off the top 50 next week.
    Edited by 1 at 04/10/07 @ 11:01

  • miiiguel #16 4 years ago

    vgchartz is a joke

  • Steroyd #17 4 years ago

    Halo 3 number 1,... in JAPAN?!

    With 59k units sold, which is almost like boasting being number one in the charts during a Summer lull of games... almost.

  • miiiguel #18 4 years ago

    Halo 3 number 1,... in JAPAN?!

    We just reach an agreement here in EG: Halo 3 number 1,... in JAPAN?! is a bad thing, 360's doomed!

  • The_Inquisitor #19 4 years ago

    Enjoy this moment Microsoft.

  • Twincoil #20 4 years ago

    A nation of mobile gamers. Fucking pansies.

  • Steroyd #21 4 years ago

    not according to vgchartz they had it in 3rd place...

    vgchartz is a joke

    I've always said VGChartz is bullcrap.

  • kangarootoo #22 4 years ago

    That is actually pretty amazing.

  • Ace_McCloud #23 4 years ago

    Hmmm 48 minutes and still no "over rated" comments etc.... What's going on around here? First Halo tops Japanese charts now this!?

  • miiiguel #24 4 years ago

    "approximate install base of 450k starved for games"

    "starved for games" why ? there are plenty of 360 games in Japan, even more than in the west. But we allready agreed, it's a bad thing, or at least not a big deal it'll tank next week (hopefully), Japan can't just give in.

  • Blerk #25 4 years ago

    there are plenty of 360 games in Japan, even more than in the west

    ?

    How'd you work that out? Remember that many Western games don't actually get released in Japan, and even if they do it's often much later than we get them over here.
    Edited by 1 at 04/10/07 @ 11:43

  • Sagge89 #26 4 years ago

    I call bullshit on this. Crisis Core can't be behind Halo in sales. And did anyone forget the DS ? The games for the DS are selling like FUCK.

    Once again, this has to be bullshit.

  • Blerk #27 4 years ago

    This is Crisis Core's third week, you twonk.

  • Psychotext #28 4 years ago

    It's a low number for a game to get number 1 in the charts with... but amusing nonetheless.

  • FooAtari #29 4 years ago

    Halo 3 is over rated

  • ilmaestro #30 4 years ago

    Did Halo not shift 80,000+ first week? Although by most accounts the 360 has been even less well received.

  • MrsPacMan #31 4 years ago

    Shut up FooAtari, we've heard it all before

  • Kenshin001 #32 4 years ago

    I think Oblivion made the chart because they released the localized version. Could be wrong though. Good to see a Western shooter and a Western RPG making some headway in Japan anyway.

  • Blerk #33 4 years ago

    Oblivion made the chart because it's only just launched over there. The 360 version came out a few weeks back. Yes, they're that far behind us on Western releases. Halo 3 is something of an anomaly.

  • Xerx3s #34 4 years ago

    Once again, this has to be bullshit.

    Just because you're in denial doesn't mean that the rest of the world is. ^_^

  • Rodney #35 4 years ago

    @ NickM40A3

    that sounds a little harsh.

    360 is my preferred console as well, I like driving and shooting things.

    Does mean somebody else is wrong for liking PS3

    (deluded perhaps)

  • miiiguel #36 4 years ago

    Blerk : "there are plenty of 360 games in Japan, even more than in the west

    ?

    How'd you work that out? Remember that many Western games don't actually get released in Japan, and even if they do it's often much later than we get them over here."

    http://ww w.play-asia.com/paOS-14-71-ej-4... I started counting but got bored when I hit 150 (most of them I have no idea what they are)...

  • dudefella #37 4 years ago

    Yeah every 360 owner bought a copy, next week it will sell like 100 copies again, don't worry, 360 is still dead in Japan :(

  • DjFlex52 #38 4 years ago

    "Enjoy this moment Microsoft."

    MS has had lots of moments this year.

    When is it Sony's turn? No time soon ;)
    probably in March 2008.

  • Blerk #39 4 years ago

    What are you talking about, man? The PS3's had several number one games in Japan this year.

  • miiiguel #40 4 years ago

    "hat are you talkng about, man? The PS3's had several number one games in Japan this year."

    not even 1, what are you talking about ?

  • Blerk #41 4 years ago

    Gundam Musou hit the top spot. I thought Hot Shots Golf 5 did as well, but it only made number 2 because it launched the same week as Mario Party. Regardless, both titles have sold over 300,000 copies.

  • miiiguel #42 4 years ago

    yeah, how could I forget Gundam Musou...

    /shame/

  • asphaltcowboy #43 4 years ago

    56,000 sales gets you the top spot in Japan? Surprising!

  • Kniteshade #44 4 years ago

    Dude, I'm surprised Archaic Sealed Heat (DS) isn't in that list. Mistwalker's strategy RPG which was long in development and shrouded in mystery.

  • Daikon #45 4 years ago

    Take that, Japan haters.
    Now just wait until the 11th when the Elite is released in Japan.

  • Apologie #46 4 years ago

    DjFlex52

    next month... the release of Uncharted: Drake's Fortune will mark the beginning of the Ps3 turnaround ;)
    X360 is a terrible console (hardware related), with some good games... (Gears of War, Forza, Bioshok)
    Ps3 in short time gave us Heavenly Sword, Motorstrom and Resistance: FOM... by the way, after HALO 3 i don't see any great exclusive coming soon so..., i'm just glad to have Ps3 concerning the great line up of games coming (Metal Gear, Ratchet, Uncharted, Killzone2, GT5 etc...)
    Edited by 2 at 06/10/07 @ 02:03

  • TRUTH #47 4 years ago

    Apologie:

    Resistance is a poor mans fps. Heavenly Sword is just average...Motor Storm is the only decent exclusive on PS3; though, this shows nothing that 360 can't handle.

    Looks like 360 might be getting MGS 5, as it has been hinted at various times...GT5 - Not interested: Forza, PGR, Flatout, Dirt, Sega Rally, Burnout 5, Test Dive, Moto GP 07; give me all the racing a gamer could want. Everything from arcade to sim-arcade to pure simulation. Also online.

    Killzone 1 sucked! 2 didn't exactly look that exciting eg: follow path, shoot at dumb A.i, follow narrow path again etc etc.

    Uncharted: Drake's Fortune: Looks nice but the A.I really needs improvement esp if the game is coming out next minth, but again a game that the 360 can do. With Assassins Creed, Indiana Jones (Which looks really exciting), the next Lara Croft saga coming - Don't hold your breath for Uncharted: Drake's Fortune to be the adventure game most people will be talking about.

    Oh! I think 360 will be looking forward to some exciting exclusives coming soon: Mass Effect, Fable 2, Alan Wake, Banjo to Kazooie, Splinter Cell Convection, Halo Wars, Project Gotham Racing 4, Lost Oddysee, Cry-On, Ninja Gaiden 2, Dead Or Alive 5...There most certainly be Gears Of Wars 2, Crackdown 2 coming too!
    Edited by 2 at 08/10/07 @ 22:00