Japan: online game market size 2023

The value of the online game market in Japan amounted to 1.06 trillion Japanese yen in 2023. Since the value does not include the sales of games that are distributed directly from other countries, the market size declined compared to the mid-2010s despite the growing popularity of online gaming.

Makeup of the Japanese online game market

The Japanese online game market includes games for smartphones and tablets as well as games for PCs and consoles. As a breakdown of the market by segment shows, games for smartphones and tablets accounted for by far the largest share of the market. The two segments have different types of distribution: While smartphone and tablet games can be divided into native app games and web games, PC and console games can be divided into those distributed via operated services and those that come as packaged games. Mobile gaming is the most popular form of gaming in Japan today and consequently constitutes a much larger market, in general, than console or PC gaming.

Increasing popularity and concerns

According to an annual survey, the average time people spend on playing online and social games has increased strongly compared to the mid-2010s. Several factors played a role in this development, such as the spread of smartphones and tablets during the 2010s and the heightened demand for entertainment during the COVID-19 pandemic. Survey data also shows that teenagers spend much more time on online and social games than people of older age groups. The increasing consumption of online games among young people has led to concerns regarding the influence of excessive online gaming, which can result in addictions and financial troubles. The National Consumer Affairs Center of Japan usually counts several thousand consultations regarding online games each year, which frequently involve payments made by children without the consent of their parents.

Value of the online game market in Japan from 2015 to 2023 (in trillion Japanese yen)

Characteristic	Market size in trillion Japanese yen
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Release date

July 2024

More information

Region

Japan

Survey time period

2015 to 2023

Special properties

domestic market; the market size does not include the sales of game titles that overseas corporations directly distribute domestically under contract with Apple, Google, etc.

Supplementary notes

*The source did not provide a figure for 2021.

100 Japanese yen equal 0.69 U.S. dollars or 0.62 euros as of October 2024.
Values have been rounded.
Data prior to 2023 come from previous reporting.

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