Animal Crossing: New Horizons Reportedly Had the Biggest Ever Japanese Launch for a Switch Game

Animal Crossing: New Horizons has gone off to an excellent start in nearly every way imaginable. After having been praised by critics almost universally prior to its release, since launch, it’s gone on to break multiple records for a chart-topping debut in the UK, while it looks like it’s replicated those performance levels elsewhere as well.

According to a report by Geo Corporation (via 4 Gamer), Nintendo’s adorable new life sim title has had the biggest ever opening weekend sales for a Switch game in Japan. That’s an impressive statement in and of itself, considering how packed the Switch’s library is with titles that have enjoyed massive sales, but in context of the sales figures for other top-selling Switch titles, it becomes even more impressive.

In December 2018, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate took that throne when it sold 1.3 million across its opening weekend, before being dethroned by Pokemon Sword and Shield just this last November, which sold 1.36 million in Japan at launch. And apparently, Animal Crossing: New Horizons has beaten those numbers.

The official Japanese sales charts for last week should be coming in in a couple of days, so we’ll have the specific numbers soon enough. At this point though, it’s clear enough that this is every bit the big-hitter Nintendo were hoping it would be.

Animal Crossing: New Horizon is out now on Nintendo Switch. Our review of the game will be going live soon, so stay tuned.