Derby Stallion 2 Tops Sales Charts in Japan

Famitsu magazine has released the latest video game sales charts for Japan, with the racehorse breeding and training simulation Derby Stallion 2 taking the top spot for Nintendo Switch 2.

Derby Stallion 2 unexpectedly claimed first place in Japanese game sales, outperforming Rhythm Heaven Groove, Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave, and other major releases.

Game sales in Japan (September 21–27)

1. [NS2] Derby Stallion 2 — 29,336
2. [NS] Rhythm Heaven Groove — 27,309 (total: 1,049,922)
3. [NS2] Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave — 26,728 (total: 153,859)
4. [PS5] Silent Hill: Townfall — 13,596
5. [NS2] Dragon Quest 11 S — 10,844
6. [PS5] EA Sports FC 27 — 9,873
7. [NS] Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream — 8,052 (total: 1,618,104)
8. [NS2] Splatoon Raiders — 7,405 (total: 671,202)
9. [NS2] EA Sports FC 27 — 5,952
10. [PS5] Onimusha: Way of the Sword — 5,141 (total: 110,087)

The most unexpected result was the first-place finish for Derby Stallion 2. The horse breeding and racing game debuted with 29,336 copies sold, leaving the rest of the projects behind. While the series has a dedicated audience in Japan, such a strong debut still came as a surprise. The result once again demonstrates how much local player preferences can differ from the Western market.