Famitsu Japan Sales: Rhythm Heaven Groove Leads, eBaseball PRO SPIRIT 2026 Debuts at 20,661

Rhythm Heaven Groove is still the king of Japan's physical sales charts, and the numbers suggest it's building genuine momentum rather than just coasting on launch hype. For the week of July 13 to July 19, 2026, the Switch rhythm game added another 76,786 retail copies to its tally, pushing its lifetime total to a very healthy 596,237 units. It's closing in on that 600,000 milestone fast, and for a rhythm game in 2026, that's a strong signal that Nintendo has another long-tail hit on its hands.

eBaseball PRO SPIRIT 2026 Leads New Releases

The highest-selling new release of the week was Konami's eBaseball: PRO SPIRIT 2026 on PlayStation 5, which debuted at 20,661 physical copies. That's a respectable opening for a sports sim, especially one that's competing with the lingering sales of Powerful Pro Baseball 2026-2027, which itself sold another 7,496 units this week. Konami is effectively dominating two baseball niches simultaneously: the realistic sim and the goofy, chibi-powered alternative.

It wasn't the only new release making noise. Falcom's Kyoto Xanadu launched on both Switch and PS5, and combined, the two SKUs moved 28,637 copies. The Switch version sold 15,431 units versus the PS5's 13,206, which tracks with the platform's install base advantage in Japan. Still, those are solid numbers for a Falcom action RPG that isn't Trails or Ys — it shows the Xanadu brand still has some pull when paired with a new setting.

Culdcept BEGINS and Geppy-X Find Audiences

Another notable debut: Culdcept BEGINS – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition sold 12,734 units, while the standard Switch version added 6,940. That's nearly 20,000 combined units for a board game/card game hybrid series that has always been a cult favorite rather than a mainstream hit. The Switch 2 version outselling the original Switch SKU by nearly 2-to-1 is interesting — it suggests early adopters of Nintendo's new hardware are hungry for exclusive content, even in niche genres.

Then there's 70s-style Robot Anime Geppy-X, which sold 8,674 units on Switch. This is the kind of quirky, retro-styled title that thrives in the Japanese market but rarely gets a second look overseas. Bliss Brain clearly knows its audience: a nostalgic anime parody with mecha tropes, priced for impulse buys, and landing on the platform with the largest active user base.

Tomodachi Life Keeps Selling Like Crazy

Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream continues to be an absolute monster. It sold another 18,608 units this week, bringing its lifetime total to 1,476,557. That's closing in on 1.5 million physical copies in Japan alone. For a game that's essentially a quirky life sim with Mii-like characters, those numbers are staggering. Nintendo has successfully revived a dormant franchise and turned it into a system seller, and it shows no signs of slowing down.

Famitsu Sales: Week of July 13–19, 2026 — Top 10 Software

1. [NSW] Rhythm Heaven Groove – 76,786 (596,237)
2. [PS5] eBaseball: PRO SPIRIT 2026 – 20,661 (New)
3. [NSW] Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream – 18,608 (1,476,557)
4. [NSW] Kyoto Xanadu – 15,431 (New)
5. [PS5] Kyoto Xanadu – 13,206 (New)
6. [SW2] Culdcept BEGINS – Switch 2 Edition – 12,734 (New)
7. [NSW] 70s-style Robot Anime Geppy-X – 8,674 (New)
8. [NSW] Powerful Pro Baseball 2026-2027 – 7,496 (176,009)
9. [NSW] Culdcept BEGINS – 6,940 (New)
10. [SW2] Pokemon Pokopia – 4,503 (1,086,699)

Hardware: Switch 2 Dominates, PS5 Holds Steady

On the hardware side, the Switch 2 sold 24,928 units for the week, bringing its lifetime total to over 6 million units in Japan. That's an installed base that's already large enough to support exclusive software like Culdcept BEGINS and the upcoming Star Fox port. The PlayStation 5 family (including the Digital Edition and Pro) sold 9,574 units combined, with the standard PS5 contributing just 200 units — most buyers are clearly opting for the Digital Edition (9,024) or the Pro (350).

The Switch family (Lite, OLED, and original) collectively sold 6,396 units, which is still respectable for a console entering its twilight years. The Xbox Series family, meanwhile, sold just 93 units combined. That's not a typo. The Xbox Series S moved 43 units, the Series X Digital Edition sold 31, and the standard Series X managed 19. Microsoft's presence in Japan remains a rounding error.

What This Means for the Japanese Market

There are a few clear takeaways from this week's data. First, the Switch 2 is establishing itself as a legitimate successor rather than a niche upgrade. Six million units in Japan is a serious install base, and the fact that Switch 2-exclusive SKUs like Culdcept BEGINS are outselling their standard Switch counterparts suggests early adopters are engaged and spending money. Second, Nintendo's first-party lineup — Rhythm Heaven Groove, Tomodachi Life, and even legacy titles like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe — continues to dominate the charts months after release. Third, third-party publishers are still treating Japan as a multi-platform market, with most new releases landing on both Switch and PS5, and the Switch version typically selling better.

The one concerning note: the Xbox situation. At 93 units for an entire week, Microsoft's hardware is essentially invisible in Japan's retail market. Even with Game Pass and the Series S's lower price point, the brand has failed to gain any meaningful traction. For a company that's been trying to break into the Japanese market for over two decades, that's a stubborn problem with no clear solution.

Looking ahead, the July 24 release of the full rankings 11 to 30 should give us a better picture of how the mid-tier titles are performing. But for now, the story is clear: Nintendo is still running the show, Konami has two baseball hits on its hands, and Falcom's Kyoto Xanadu is a solid mid-range performer. If you were hoping for a surprise upset this week, you'll have to wait for the next Famitsu report.