Dragon Quest HD2D Dominates Japan as Switch 2 Surges Toward Holiday Glory

Japan's gaming charts just lit up like a Luminary's spellbook. The latest Famitsu sales numbers for October 27 to November 2, 2025, show that Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake sold an amazing 413,000 copies across all platforms in Japan. This shows once again that nostalgia and great craftsmanship never go out of style. Square Enix's choice to go back to the beginning of its famous RPG series has paid off big time, with fans eager to relive the start of one of gaming's most famous series.

The Nintendo Switch versions were the most popular, with the original Switch selling 232,250 copies. The brand-new Nintendo Switch 2 also did surprisingly well, selling 84,456 physical copies. This is almost as many as the 96,812 PlayStation 5 units that were sold, even though more people own a PlayStation 5.

It is essential to note that these numbers do not include digital sales. The actual numbers are likely to be significantly higher. Even though the Switch 2 is still new to retailers, its performance suggests that fans are eager to embrace both the new hardware and the classic adventures. 

These numbers have probably broken all expectations about physical media in Japan, which is what makes them so interesting.

Many experts believed that physical "key card" editions wouldn't succeed in today's digital-first world. But Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D has shown that collectors and traditionalists in Japan still value physical copies of games, especially when they are wrapped in nostalgia and high-quality craftsmanship.

And even though sales were a little lower than last year's Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake, that's not surprising. DQIII has long been thought of as the best game in the classic trilogy.

Nintendo's hardware numbers, on the other hand, are looking good as the holidays approach. The Nintendo Switch 2's sales have increased for the second consecutive week, rising from 70,000 to 83,825 units sold. That's not an easy task for a system that is still limited by Japan's lottery-based buying system, which makes it hard to find in stores. Nintendo's biggest challenge now is simply keeping up with its fans, as demand remains extremely high.

Although the company is slowly phasing out the original Switch, it continues to sell well, with 26,078 units sold during the same time period. That's more than three times the PlayStation 5's low sales of 7,537 units in Japan. This illustrates the profound impact of Nintendo's handheld hybrid culture on Japanese gaming culture. The original Switch is going out with style, showing that it still has some magic left before it retires.

The Switch 2 is getting more popular, and Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D is bringing back fans' love of turn-based adventure games. This will make for an exciting holiday season in Japan. Square Enix has struck gold again, and Nintendo's strategy of steady supply and timeless content appears to be paying off.

As the year comes to a close and consoles fly off the shelves faster than a Zoomerang, one question remains: can Nintendo keep this momentum going all the way through the holiday rush, or is there another surprise waiting in Japan's gaming lineup?