Video games in Japan saw a decline in value sales in 2024, largely due to inflation and its impact on consumers’ purchasing power. However, video games software experienced growth, especially online games and subscriptions. The category remained highly fragmented, with various mobile games being popular, driven by the success of well-known franchises and the gambling gacha system. Retail e-commerce was the leading sales channel, with platforms like Steam playing a key role.
Euromonitor International's Video Games in Japan report offers a comprehensive guide to the size and shape of the market at a national level. It provides the latest retail sales data 2020-2024, allowing you to identify the sectors driving growth. It identifies the leading companies, the leading brands and offers strategic analysis of key factors influencing the market – be they new product developments, distribution or pricing issues. Forecasts to 2029 illustrate how the market is set to change.
Product coverage: Video Games Hardware, Video Games Software.
Data coverage: market sizes (historic and forecasts), company shares, brand shares and distribution data.
Why buy this report?
* Get a detailed picture of the Video Games market;
* Pinpoint growth sectors and identify factors driving change;
* Understand the competitive environment, the market’s major players and leading brands;
* Use five-year forecasts to assess how the market is predicted to develop.
- Video Games in Japan
- Euromonitor International
- June 2025
- List Of Contents And Tables
- VIDEO GAMES IN JAPAN
- KEY DATA FINDINGS
- 2024 DEVELOPMENTS
- Growth for video games software unable to offset decline for video games hardware
- CHART 1 Key Trends 2024
- INDUSTRY PERFORMANCE
- The decline of video games amid economic concerns
- Palworld success sparks intellectual property debate and Nintendo lawsuit
- CHART 2 Pocketpair’s Palworld Becomes One of the Best-Selling Indie Games of All Time
- CHART 3 Analyst Insight
- WHAT’S NEXT?
- Video games software to lead growth over the forecast period
- Sustainability set to gain further traction
- Continuing to leverage IPs to engage consumers
- Mobile games may face headwinds
- Switch 2 release likely to boost sales for Nintendo
- Gaming headsets likely to be limited to core users
- COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
- PlayStation loses its leadership to Nintendo, while fragmentation increases
- Joy Nice Games and First Fun drive sales with advertisements and influencers
- Dragon Quest III HD-2D success driven by kidult nostalgia
- CHART 4 Kidult Appeal Drives Dragon Quest III HD-2D Success in 2024
- Established franchises dominate mobile games through brand recognition and partnerships
- CHART 5 Monster Strike Dominates Japan’s Mobile Market with Strategic Anime Collaborations
- Nintendo to release Switch successor with enhanced social features
- CHANNELS
- Retail e-commerce outshines offline retail in video games due to video games software
- Consumers still turn to physical stores for video games hardware
- COUNTRY REPORTS DISCLAIMER
- CHART 6 Key Trends 2024
- CHART 7 One Piece Card Game Sales Surge in 2024, Fuelled by Nostalgia and Anime Tie-ins
- CHART 8 Analyst Insight
- CHART 9 Palworld Becomes a Breakout Hit on Steam in 2024
- CHART 10 Sumikkogurashi PC Remains Top Seller in Japan in 2024
- CHART 11 Real GDP Growth and Inflation 2019-2029
- CHART 12 PEST Analysis in Japan 2024
- CHART 13 Key Insights on Consumers in Japan 2024
- CHART 14 Consumer Landscape in Japan 2024
- TOYS AND GAMES IN JAPAN
- EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- Even inflation cannot stop growth for traditional toys and games, due to spending by kidults
- KEY DATA FINDINGS
- INDUSTRY PERFORMANCE
- Traditional toys and games shows growth, while video games declines
- One Piece Card Game benefits from the kidult trend and popularity of the related comic
- Palworld's success on Steam faces controversy due to similarity with Pokémon
- WHAT’S NEXT?
- Video games will continue to lead toys and games, despite anticipation of modest growth
- Pokémon Trading Card Game app launch expected to also boost sales of its physical game
- Switch 2 launch in 2025 anticipated to perform well
- Gundam likely to drive growth in traditional toys and games, but mobile games may face headwinds in video games
- COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
- PlayStation loses its lead to Nintendo amid the changing preferences of gamers
- China-based games developers' marketing tactics drive success for mobile games
- IP partnerships impact brand rankings, with Sumikkogurashi PC performing well
- CHANNELS
- Retail e-commerce is the leading sales channel and exhibits strong growth
- Offline retail continues to have its place, particularly for sales of traditional toys and games
- Toymakers prioritise direct-to-consumer for closer consumer contact
- ECONOMIC CONTEXT
- CONSUMER CONTEXT
- COUNTRY REPORTS DISCLAIMER
- SOURCES
- Summary 1 Research Sources
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