Minecraft is a worldwide sensation which has sold millions upon millions of copies to date. The game is available on everything from desktops to mobile phones. A few years ago, Microsoft purchased the game from its creators and has since greatly expanded its scope. However, when it comes to games, the company has always struggled in the Japanese market. With Minecraft though, it seems like that's changing.
According to a report in Nintendo Life, Minecraft: Nintendo Switch Edition sold 25,948 copies last week. So far, it's sold over 212,170 units to date. Minecraft on Nintendo Switch beat games like Splatoon 2 and Mario Tennis Aces.
https://twitter.com/Chupacaubrey/status/1033124244358451200
A few weeks ago, Minecraft on Nintendo Switch was updated to the "Bedrock" edition. This allows players to access a lot of new features and play with gamers on other platforms like Xbox One and Windows 10. If you already bought the old version on Nintendo Switch, you can download it for free. Sony still doesn't support cross-play so the Bedrock version isn't available on PlayStation 4.
Hopefully Microsoft's success with Minecraft will result in more visibility for the company in the country. If you look at console sales figures, the Xbox One only sells a dozen or so units each week. Maybe if there were more Microsoft experiences like Minecraft that appealed to Japanese gamers, it would be a boost for the company's console ambitions.
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Asher Madan handles gaming news for Windows Central. Before joining Windows Central in 2017, Asher worked for a number of different gaming outlets. He has a background in medical science and is passionate about all forms of entertainment, cooking, and antiquing.
