Japanese roleplaying games have recently garnered significant attention, particularly with the releases of Persona 3 Reload and Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth. Surprisingly, the current standout in the genre on Steam is neither of these titles.
Granblue Fantasy: Relink has quietly surpassed its heavyweight competitors since its release on February 1, reaching a peak of 85,000 concurrent players, as estimated by Steam Database. Despite not having an extensive history of series like Persona and Yakuza, Granblue Fantasy has attracted players to its skyfaring adventure.
In comparison, Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth and Persona 3 Reload have estimated concurrent player peaks of 46,000 and 43,000, respectively. While Sega’s RPG duo holds second and third place in the JRPG debut charts, these numbers are still noteworthy.
Persona 3 Reload achieved the biggest Steam debut in developer Atlus’ catalog, marking a successful multiplatform approach after years of console exclusivity. Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth also made history as the fastest-selling game in the Yakuza series, showcasing its enduring popularity.
Granblue Fantasy: Relink has benefitted from its association with various multimedia projects. Originating as a free-to-play mobile game with renowned talents like composer Nobuo Uematsu and art director Hideo Minaba, the series gained success in Japan through an anime adaptation and an impressive fighting game spin-off.
The game’s action-oriented approach, featuring a substantial roster and four-player co-op, contributed to its impressive launch.
Looking ahead, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is set to release on February 29, but comparative Steam numbers may be unavailable due to outdated exclusivity deals with Sony. Capcom’s Dragon’s Dogma 2 will then enter the race on March 22, arriving on both PC and consoles.
