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Vita overtook 3DS to top Japanese hardware sales during the week ended March 10.
Japanese Vita sales have jumped significantly since Sony introduced a Vita price cut in late February, but last week marks the first time the portable has outpaced Nintendo’s handheld for many moons.
Vita sales were boosted by new software releases such as Sony-published Soul Sacrifice, the latest game from ex-Capcom designer and Mega Man creator Keiji Inafune. Combined sales of the standard and double pack edition of the game ensured it was the best-selling title of the week, just ahead of Sega’s Hatsune Miku: Project Diva f for PS3.
Other chart debutants included a Vita remake of Tales of Hearts R at No.5, Far Cry 3 at No.7 and Crysis 3 at No.17, according to sales data from retail monitor Media Create (via NeoGAF).
- Vita – 63.581 (62.543)
- 3DS – 61.008 (77.439)
- PS3 – 19.567 (25.725)
- PSP – 18.023 (11.171)
- Wii U – 9.454 (10.021)
- Wii – 1.363 (1.383)
- Xbox 360 – 738 (486)
- Total – 173.734 (188.768)
- Hatsune Miku: Project Diva f (PS3, Sega) – 110.229 / New
- Soul Sacrifice (Vita, Sony) – 92.396 / New
- Uta no Prince-Sama: All Star (PSP, Broccoli) – 67.217 / New
- Animal Crossing: New Leaf (3DS, Nintendo) – 63.285
- Tales of Hearts R (Vita, Bandai Namco) – 55.258 / New
- Dynasty Warriors 8 (PS3, Koei Tecmo) – 46.866
- Far Cry 3 (PS3, Ubisoft) – 33.281 / New
- Professor Layton and the Legacy of Civilization (3DS, Level 5) – 30.078
- Dragon Quest VII: Fighters of Eden (3DS, Square Enix) – 24.045
- Soul Sacrifice: United Front Double Pack (Vita, Sony) – 22.050 / New
Earlier this week the majority of Sony’s US stores cut the 3G Vita price by $100. It’s unclear if the discount is a short-term offer or a permanent price cut – rumours suggest the platform holder is set to discontinue the 3G Vita model – as Sony has yet to give an official line on the matter. PlayStation’s UK arm told us last month it had no current plans to drop the Vita price in the UK.