Animal Crossing: New Horizons has become Japan's best-selling game ever, having sold 10.45 million copies since its release two years ago.
According to Game Data Library, a site that claims to be the 'largest collection of Japanese game sales data on the internet,' New Horizons has surpassed several Pokémon titles to claim the top spot on Japan's best-selling games list. Pokémon Red/Blue/Green is now in second place with 10.23m sales, followed by Pokémon Gold/Silver with 7.17m.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons has become Japan's all time best selling game. pic.twitter.com/yonNxSkBkd
— Game Data Library (@GameDataLibrary) November 8, 2022
New Horizons was released in March 2020 and achieved astounding sales right out of the gate. The rapid success of the game is further highlighted by its sales in Japan, where it has climbed the ranks to reach first place on the best-selling games chart in just over two years. Three of the other entries in the Top 5 were released over 20 years ago.
The list also reveals that Splatoon 3 has made it into the Top 20 with just over five million copies sold, two months on from its release. The third-person shooter had an absurdly big launch in Japan, selling 3.45 million copies in just three days, outpacing huge Nintendo Switch titles like New Horizons and Pokémon Sword and Shield within the same time frame.
Released on the doorstep of a global pandemic, New Horizons provided a much need escape for many, with IGN calling it "an expanded, polished, next-generation reboot of a classic Nintendo game that's full of surprises." Nintendo later expanded the game with the Happy Home Paradise DLC, which IGN labelled a "must-have for base game owners."
Adele Ankers-Range is a freelance entertainment writer for IGN. Follow her on Twitter.