Japan’s Major Game Releases: Call of Duty 7, Inazuma Eleven, and Momotaro Dentetsu 2 Hit Stores

The Week Ahead: A Convergence of Global Blockbusters and Japanese System Sellers

This week in the Japanese gaming market marks a significant moment, featuring a rare convergence of global AAA firepower and domestic, system-defining franchises. Headlining the releases are the highly anticipated soccer-RPG hybrid Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road, the latest installment in the military shooter behemoth Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, and the return of the beloved board game series, Momotaro Dentetsu 2.

For consumers in Japan, the lineup arriving this week—specifically targeting the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and the newly established Switch 2 platform—offers unparalleled variety, catering to competitive FPS fans, long-time JRPG enthusiasts, and family-friendly party gamers alike.

Global Powerhouse Meets Domestic Demand: The Key Releases

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7

Activision’s annual blockbuster, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, maintains its tradition of a simultaneous global launch, ensuring Japanese players are not left behind in the competitive multiplayer landscape. This release is crucial for maintaining parity between the Western and Eastern markets, particularly on the high-performance consoles.

The game is launching across a wide array of platforms, reflecting the franchise’s commitment to maximizing its player base. The confirmed platforms include:

• PlayStation 5
• Xbox Series X|S
• PlayStation 4
• Xbox One
• PC

This broad compatibility ensures that players who have yet to upgrade to the current generation of consoles can still jump into the latest installment, a key strategy for the franchise’s success in the diverse Japanese console market.

Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road

Perhaps the most significant domestic release of the week is Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road from Level-5. This title has been long-awaited by fans, having undergone a protracted development cycle. Its release signals a major push for the soccer-meets-RPG genre, which has a dedicated following in Japan.

Level-5 is ensuring maximum accessibility by targeting both current and next-generation hardware, including the highly important Nintendo ecosystem. The platforms confirmed for Victory Road are:

• PlayStation 5
• Xbox Series X|S
• Nintendo Switch 2
• PlayStation 4
• Nintendo Switch
• PC

The inclusion of the Switch 2 platform is particularly noteworthy, suggesting that Level-5 is utilizing the enhanced capabilities of Nintendo’s newest hardware to deliver a visually and functionally superior experience for its core audience.

The Japanese Market Catalyst: Momotaro Dentetsu 2

While Call of Duty captures global headlines, titles like Momotaro Dentetsu 2 (often shortened to Momotetsu) are the true drivers of console sales and social gaming trends within Japan. Developed by Konami, the Momotetsu series is a phenomenon—a digital board game that consistently ranks among the highest-selling games domestically, often surpassing major international releases.

The original Momotaro Dentetsu games were instrumental in boosting the sales of the original Nintendo Switch, making the sequel a critical release for the Switch 2 ecosystem. These games thrive on local and online multiplayer, making them essential social software for the Japanese holiday season and beyond.

Why Momotetsu Matters to Hardware Sales

For industry analysts, the launch of Momotaro Dentetsu 2 serves as a barometer for the health and adoption rate of the Switch 2 console. The game’s appeal is broad, crossing age demographics and gaming preferences, positioning it as a mandatory purchase for many Japanese households.

Implications for the 2025 Holiday Season

This week’s releases set a strong precedent for the upcoming holiday shopping period in Japan. The simultaneous launch of such diverse, high-profile titles indicates a mature and competitive market where publishers are aggressively targeting all segments of the consumer base.

1. Platform Strategy: The inclusion of the Switch 2 in the platform lists for both Inazuma Eleven and Momotaro Dentetsu 2 confirms that major Japanese publishers are fully transitioning their flagship franchises to the new Nintendo hardware, while still supporting the massive installed base of the original Switch and PS4/Xbox One.
2. Cross-Platform Development: The wide platform availability of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 highlights the necessity of cross-generation and cross-platform development to capture the largest possible audience, especially for globally distributed titles.
3. Genre Diversity: The lineup ensures that no single type of gamer is left out, balancing the high-octane action of CoD with the strategic depth of Inazuma Eleven and the accessible fun of Momotetsu.

This week is not just about new games; it is a snapshot of the current state of the Japanese console market—a dynamic environment where domestic cultural hits hold as much, if not more, commercial weight than international blockbusters.

Key Takeaways

• Major Releases: The week is headlined by Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road, and Momotaro Dentetsu 2.
• Platform Focus: All three major titles are launching on current-generation consoles (PS5, Xbox Series) and prominently feature the Nintendo Switch 2.
• Inazuma Eleven’s Reach: Level-5 is ensuring maximum accessibility by bringing Victory Road to six different platforms, including PC.
• Domestic Significance: Momotaro Dentetsu 2 is positioned as a critical system seller, expected to significantly boost the adoption rate of the Switch 2 in the Japanese market.

What’s Next

Retailers and publishers will be closely monitoring the sales data from this week, particularly the attach rate of Momotaro Dentetsu 2 to the Switch 2 console. Strong performance from the Japanese-centric titles will likely encourage other domestic developers to accelerate their own Switch 2 transition plans. For global players, the performance of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 in Japan will be a key indicator of the franchise’s continued international dominance.