Yakuza Takes Over Japan (Super Sega sequel leads PS3 to the top of the charts.)
March 6, 2009 - The PS3 did something this week it hasn't done since Metal Gear Solid 4 came out: topped Japan's hardware charts. Thanks to Yakuza 3, the system managed to beat not only the Wii, but the seemingly unbeatable DSi as well. Media Create's charts for February 23 through March 1 put Yakuza 3 in first place in its debut week, with 372,301 units sold. As a comparison, the first PS3 Yakuza game, a side story known as Yakuza Kenzan, managed lifetime sales of around 348,000 units. Sega is presumably happy with these results. Don't worry Solid Snake fanatics. Metal Gear Solid 4 still holds the record over in Japan for PS3 debuts, with 465,000 units sold in its first week last summer. But with Yakuza 3's strong performance, and a set of ubiquitous promotions involving everything from cup noodles to suntan salons, we expect Yakuza to have some legs. Snake had better watch out for Kiryu and Haruka sneaking up on him from behind. Sega had some wild promotions for ...