Village in the Shade tops Japan's Switch 2 sales in August, beating Elden Ring and Final Fantasy 14

Nintendo shared its August 2026 best-selling games data for Japan's Switch 2 and Switch eShops, revealing a significant shift at the top of the charts.

Village in the Shade held the number two position in July but surged to first place in August on Switch 2, surpassing major titles including Elden Ring and Final Fantasy 14. The game also performed strongly on the original Switch, landing at number two behind Rhythm Heaven Fever.

The Switch 2's top ten included established franchises alongside newer releases. Splatoon Raiders claimed second place, with Elden Ring at third. Animal Crossing: New Horizons received a Switch 2 edition, ranking fifth. Pokemon Pokopia, Mario Kart World, and Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 2 rounded out the upper positions, while Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment took ninth place.

On the original Switch, Rhythm Heaven Fever led the sales rankings. Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics placed third, followed by Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream and Powerful Pro Baseball 2026-2027. Later entries included Minecraft, Splatoon 3, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

Nintendo regularly publishes regional sales data for its platforms, providing insight into player preferences across different markets and hardware generations.