GITNUXREPORT 2026

Japan Video Game Industry Statistics

Japan's video game industry is growing strongly, led by mobile and PC games.

Rajesh Patel

Team Lead & Senior Researcher with over 15 years of experience in market research and data analytics.

First published: Feb 13, 2026

Our Commitment to Accuracy

Rigorous fact-checking · Reputable sources · Regular updatesLearn more

Statistic 1

45.8% of Japan's population aged 10+ plays video games regularly as of 2023.

Statistic 2

52% of Japanese gamers are female, highest among major markets in 2023.

Statistic 3

Average age of Japanese gamers is 38 years old in 2023 survey.

Statistic 4

68% of gamers in Japan play mobile games daily in 2023.

Statistic 5

Japanese gamers spend average 12 hours per week on games in 2023.

Statistic 6

25% of Japanese adults over 50 play video games regularly in 2023.

Statistic 7

Urban gamers in Tokyo spend 20% more on in-app purchases than rural.

Statistic 8

40% of Japanese students play gacha games weekly in 2023 survey.

Statistic 9

Women aged 20-29 represent 22% of mobile gamers in Japan 2023.

Statistic 10

55% of gamers prefer single-player experiences over multiplayer in Japan.

Statistic 11

Average monthly spend on games per active user is 3,500 yen in 2023.

Statistic 12

72% of Japanese gamers use smartphones as primary device in 2023.

Statistic 13

Esports viewership among Japanese youth reached 15 million in 2023.

Statistic 14

30% of gamers play on multiple platforms weekly in Japan 2023.

Statistic 15

Subscription services like Nintendo Switch Online have 8 million subs in JP.

Statistic 16

65% of gamers cite story and characters as top purchase factor.

Statistic 17

Mobile gacha spending peaks among 18-24 year olds at 45% share.

Statistic 18

18% of Japanese gamers participate in cloud gaming monthly.

Statistic 19

VR headset ownership among gamers is 12% in Japan 2023.

Statistic 20

50% of gamers prefer Japanese-developed titles over Western.

Statistic 21

Pokémon Scarlet/Violet sold 5 million units in Japan in first week.

Statistic 22

Super Mario Bros. Wonder sold 2 million copies in Japan within 3 days of launch.

Statistic 23

Final Fantasy VII Remake sold 1.5 million in Japan lifetime by 2023.

Statistic 24

Monster Hunter Rise sold 4 million units in Japan by end 2023.

Statistic 25

Dragon Quest XI lifetime sales exceed 6 million in Japan.

Statistic 26

Uma Musume Pretty Derby app downloads reached 10 million in JP first year.

Statistic 27

Genshin Impact earned 200 billion yen in Japan lifetime by 2023.

Statistic 28

Animal Crossing: New Horizons sold 8 million in Japan during pandemic peak.

Statistic 29

Splatoon 3 sold 3.5 million units in Japan by 2023.

Statistic 30

Elden Ring topped Famitsu charts with 1.2M first month JP sales.

Statistic 31

Street Fighter 6 sold 500k in Japan first month 2023.

Statistic 32

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth sold 1 million worldwide day 1, 300k JP.

Statistic 33

Fate/Grand Order surpassed 1 billion yen monthly revenue consistently.

Statistic 34

Granblue Fantasy Relink sold 1 million worldwide launch week, strong JP.

Statistic 35

Kirby and the Forgotten Land sold 2.5 million in Japan by 2023.

Statistic 36

Zenless Zone Zero beta downloads 5 million in Japan pre-launch.

Statistic 37

Blue Archive app revenue 50 billion yen in first year JP.

Statistic 38

Princess Connect! Re:Dive lifetime JP revenue 150 billion yen.

Statistic 39

Nier: Automata Ver1.1a sold 2 million lifetime, 800k JP.

Statistic 40

Bayonetta 3 sold 1 million worldwide, 400k Japan.

Statistic 41

Ninja Gaiden series lifetime sales 15 million globally, 5M JP.

Statistic 42

Nintendo Switch sold 33 million units in Japan by end of 2023.

Statistic 43

PlayStation 5 sales reached 5.2 million units in Japan by Dec 2023.

Statistic 44

Nintendo Switch OLED model accounted for 40% of Switch sales in JP 2023.

Statistic 45

PS4 lifetime sales in Japan exceed 9 million units.

Statistic 46

Steam Deck imports to Japan surged 200% in 2023.

Statistic 47

Xbox Series X|S sold under 100k units in Japan lifetime to 2023.

Statistic 48

Mobile gaming devices like iPhone 15 boosted 15% platform growth.

Statistic 49

Nintendo Switch Lite sales totaled 10 million in Japan by 2023.

Statistic 50

PS5 Digital Edition outsold Standard 2:1 ratio in Japan 2023.

Statistic 51

PC gaming rigs sales grew 25% to 500k units in 2023 JP.

Statistic 52

VR headset shipments in Japan reached 300k units in 2023.

Statistic 53

Switch 2 rumors drove 10% hardware sales uplift in late 2023.

Statistic 54

Android tablets for gaming sold 2 million units in JP 2023.

Statistic 55

Handheld PC like ROG Ally gained 50k users in Japan 2023.

Statistic 56

PS VR2 sales in Japan hit 100k units post-launch 2023.

Statistic 57

Arcade machine installations totaled 4,000 new units in 2023 JP.

Statistic 58

Cloud streaming on TVs reached 20% gamer penetration.

Statistic 59

Switch attach rate for software is 22 units per console in JP.

Statistic 60

iPad gaming revenue share 15% of mobile in Japan 2023.

Statistic 61

Retro console re-releases like Analogue Pocket sold 50k in JP.

Statistic 62

Gaming laptop market grew 18% to 200 billion yen in 2023.

Statistic 63

Japan's video game market revenue reached 2.18 trillion yen in fiscal year 2023, marking a 7.5% year-over-year increase driven by mobile and PC growth.

Statistic 64

The Japanese games market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 4.2% from 2023 to 2027, reaching $21.5 billion by 2027.

Statistic 65

Mobile games accounted for 58% of Japan's total games revenue in 2023, totaling 1.27 trillion yen.

Statistic 66

Console games generated 892 billion yen in Japan in 2023, representing 41% of the market.

Statistic 67

Japan's video game exports reached 1.2 trillion yen in 2023, up 12% from the previous year.

Statistic 68

PC games revenue in Japan hit 120 billion yen in 2023, growing 15% YoY due to Steam popularity.

Statistic 69

The Japanese market saw 1.1 billion game downloads in 2023, with free-to-play titles dominating.

Statistic 70

In-app purchases in Japanese mobile games generated 780 billion yen in 2023.

Statistic 71

Japan's games market consumer spending per gamer averaged 42,000 yen in 2023.

Statistic 72

The market share of digital downloads in Japan's console games reached 92% in 2023.

Statistic 73

Nintendo's net sales from games and digital content were 1.5 trillion yen in FY2023.

Statistic 74

Sony's Game & Network Services segment revenue hit 3.4 trillion yen in FY2023, largely from Japan.

Statistic 75

Bandai Namco's digital content sales grew 18% to 450 billion yen in FY2023.

Statistic 76

Square Enix's HD game sales revenue was 180 billion yen in FY2023.

Statistic 77

Konami's digital entertainment revenue reached 210 billion yen in FY2023.

Statistic 78

Capcom's net sales surged 19.6% to 140 billion yen in FY2023.

Statistic 79

Sega Sammy's game business revenue was 320 billion yen in FY2023.

Statistic 80

Cygames' revenue exceeded 200 billion yen in 2023 from mobile hits like Uma Musume.

Statistic 81

GungHo Online's Puzzle & Dragons generated 150 billion yen in 2023.

Statistic 82

NetEase Japan's market entry contributed 50 billion yen in new revenue streams in 2023.

Statistic 83

Japan's esports market within games reached 12 billion yen in 2023.

Statistic 84

Game merchandise and IP licensing added 300 billion yen to the industry in 2023.

Statistic 85

VR/AR games revenue in Japan was 25 billion yen in 2023, up 30% YoY.

Statistic 86

Cloud gaming services revenue hit 15 billion yen in Japan in 2023.

Statistic 87

Japan's game development outsourcing market was valued at 80 billion yen in 2023.

Statistic 88

Nintendo Switch software sales in Japan totaled 150 million units by end of 2023.

Statistic 89

PlayStation 5 software attach rate in Japan reached 25 units per console in 2023.

Statistic 90

Mobile game user acquisition costs averaged 500 yen per install in Japan 2023.

Statistic 91

Japan's games R&D investment totaled 400 billion yen across major publishers in 2023.

Statistic 92

The industry employed 15,000 developers in Japan as of 2023.

Statistic 93

Nintendo holds 35% market share in Japan's console software sales in 2023.

Statistic 94

Sony Interactive Entertainment captured 28% of Japan's console market revenue in 2023.

Statistic 95

Capcom's Resident Evil series sold 8 million units in Japan lifetime by 2023.

Statistic 96

Square Enix's Final Fantasy XVI sold 3 million units worldwide in first week, 500k in Japan.

Statistic 97

Bandai Namco's Elden Ring sold 1.2 million copies in Japan within first month of 2022 release.

Statistic 98

Konami's Metal Gear Solid series lifetime sales exceed 50 million units globally, 10M in Japan.

Statistic 99

Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog franchise has sold 1.5 billion units lifetime, strong JP base.

Statistic 100

Cygames' Granblue Fantasy generated over 1 trillion yen lifetime revenue by 2023.

Statistic 101

GungHo's Puzzle & Dragons has 50 million downloads in Japan alone as of 2023.

Statistic 102

Netmarble Japan's Lineage 2M reached 5 million downloads in first year.

Statistic 103

Colopl's White Cat Project series surpassed 40 million downloads in Japan by 2023.

Statistic 104

DeNA's Mobius Final Fantasy earned 100 billion yen lifetime in Japan.

Statistic 105

CyberAgent's Umamusume Pretty Derby app hit 80 million downloads globally, 60M JP.

Statistic 106

Level-5's Yo-kai Watch franchise sold 20 million units in Japan by 2023.

Statistic 107

FromSoftware's Dark Souls series lifetime sales 27 million, 6M in Japan.

Statistic 108

Koei Tecmo's Dynasty Warriors series exceeded 20 million sales worldwide, strong JP.

Statistic 109

PlatinumGames developed 50+ titles for Nintendo, contributing to 10M+ sales.

Statistic 110

Marvelous Inc.'s Story of Seasons series sold 15 million units lifetime in JP.

Statistic 111

DMM Games' FGO (Aniplex) generated 800 billion yen lifetime by 2023.

Statistic 112

Bushiroad's BanG Dream! franchise revenue over 100 billion yen by 2023.

Statistic 113

Aquos (Sharp) gaming partnerships boosted publisher revenues by 20 billion yen.

Statistic 114

Arc System Works' Guilty Gear series esports revenue 5 billion yen in 2023.

Statistic 115

Taito's Space Invaders IP licensed for 10 billion yen annually.

1/115

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As a 2.18 trillion yen industry surging forward at a 4.2% annual clip, Japan's video game market isn't just about legendary franchises anymore, but a dynamic powerhouse where mobile dominates with 58% of all revenue, PC gaming is exploding via Steam, and digital downloads have captured 92% of the console space.

Key Takeaways

Japan's video game market revenue reached 2.18 trillion yen in fiscal year 2023, marking a 7.5% year-over-year increase driven by mobile and PC growth.
The Japanese games market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 4.2% from 2023 to 2027, reaching $21.5 billion by 2027.
Mobile games accounted for 58% of Japan's total games revenue in 2023, totaling 1.27 trillion yen.
Nintendo holds 35% market share in Japan's console software sales in 2023.
Sony Interactive Entertainment captured 28% of Japan's console market revenue in 2023.
Capcom's Resident Evil series sold 8 million units in Japan lifetime by 2023.
45.8% of Japan's population aged 10+ plays video games regularly as of 2023.
52% of Japanese gamers are female, highest among major markets in 2023.
Average age of Japanese gamers is 38 years old in 2023 survey.
Pokémon Scarlet/Violet sold 5 million units in Japan in first week.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder sold 2 million copies in Japan within 3 days of launch.
Final Fantasy VII Remake sold 1.5 million in Japan lifetime by 2023.
Nintendo Switch sold 33 million units in Japan by end of 2023.
PlayStation 5 sales reached 5.2 million units in Japan by Dec 2023.
Nintendo Switch OLED model accounted for 40% of Switch sales in JP 2023.

Japan's video game industry is growing strongly, led by mobile and PC games.

Consumer Demographics and Habits

45.8% of Japan's population aged 10+ plays video games regularly as of 2023.
52% of Japanese gamers are female, highest among major markets in 2023.
Average age of Japanese gamers is 38 years old in 2023 survey.
68% of gamers in Japan play mobile games daily in 2023.
Japanese gamers spend average 12 hours per week on games in 2023.
25% of Japanese adults over 50 play video games regularly in 2023.
Urban gamers in Tokyo spend 20% more on in-app purchases than rural.
40% of Japanese students play gacha games weekly in 2023 survey.
Women aged 20-29 represent 22% of mobile gamers in Japan 2023.
55% of gamers prefer single-player experiences over multiplayer in Japan.
Average monthly spend on games per active user is 3,500 yen in 2023.
72% of Japanese gamers use smartphones as primary device in 2023.
Esports viewership among Japanese youth reached 15 million in 2023.
30% of gamers play on multiple platforms weekly in Japan 2023.
Subscription services like Nintendo Switch Online have 8 million subs in JP.
65% of gamers cite story and characters as top purchase factor.
Mobile gacha spending peaks among 18-24 year olds at 45% share.
18% of Japanese gamers participate in cloud gaming monthly.
VR headset ownership among gamers is 12% in Japan 2023.
50% of gamers prefer Japanese-developed titles over Western.

Consumer Demographics and Habits Interpretation

Move over, salaryman stereotype: Japan's gaming landscape is now dominated by a story-loving, mobile-savvy, and surprisingly mature audience where the average gamer is a 38-year-old woman who’s as likely to be unwinding with a solo adventure on her commute as her teenage niece is pulling for a rare character in a gacha game.

Game Sales and Popularity

Pokémon Scarlet/Violet sold 5 million units in Japan in first week.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder sold 2 million copies in Japan within 3 days of launch.
Final Fantasy VII Remake sold 1.5 million in Japan lifetime by 2023.
Monster Hunter Rise sold 4 million units in Japan by end 2023.
Dragon Quest XI lifetime sales exceed 6 million in Japan.
Uma Musume Pretty Derby app downloads reached 10 million in JP first year.
Genshin Impact earned 200 billion yen in Japan lifetime by 2023.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons sold 8 million in Japan during pandemic peak.
Splatoon 3 sold 3.5 million units in Japan by 2023.
Elden Ring topped Famitsu charts with 1.2M first month JP sales.
Street Fighter 6 sold 500k in Japan first month 2023.
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth sold 1 million worldwide day 1, 300k JP.
Fate/Grand Order surpassed 1 billion yen monthly revenue consistently.
Granblue Fantasy Relink sold 1 million worldwide launch week, strong JP.
Kirby and the Forgotten Land sold 2.5 million in Japan by 2023.
Zenless Zone Zero beta downloads 5 million in Japan pre-launch.
Blue Archive app revenue 50 billion yen in first year JP.
Princess Connect! Re:Dive lifetime JP revenue 150 billion yen.
Nier: Automata Ver1.1a sold 2 million lifetime, 800k JP.
Bayonetta 3 sold 1 million worldwide, 400k Japan.
Ninja Gaiden series lifetime sales 15 million globally, 5M JP.

Game Sales and Popularity Interpretation

The numbers reveal Japan's gaming heart is fiercely divided between monster-collecting kids, island-building hermits, and a legion of salarymen funding their mobile waifu armies to the tune of billions.

Hardware Sales and Platforms

Nintendo Switch sold 33 million units in Japan by end of 2023.
PlayStation 5 sales reached 5.2 million units in Japan by Dec 2023.
Nintendo Switch OLED model accounted for 40% of Switch sales in JP 2023.
PS4 lifetime sales in Japan exceed 9 million units.
Steam Deck imports to Japan surged 200% in 2023.
Xbox Series X|S sold under 100k units in Japan lifetime to 2023.
Mobile gaming devices like iPhone 15 boosted 15% platform growth.
Nintendo Switch Lite sales totaled 10 million in Japan by 2023.
PS5 Digital Edition outsold Standard 2:1 ratio in Japan 2023.
PC gaming rigs sales grew 25% to 500k units in 2023 JP.
VR headset shipments in Japan reached 300k units in 2023.
Switch 2 rumors drove 10% hardware sales uplift in late 2023.
Android tablets for gaming sold 2 million units in JP 2023.
Handheld PC like ROG Ally gained 50k users in Japan 2023.
PS VR2 sales in Japan hit 100k units post-launch 2023.
Arcade machine installations totaled 4,000 new units in 2023 JP.
Cloud streaming on TVs reached 20% gamer penetration.
Switch attach rate for software is 22 units per console in JP.
iPad gaming revenue share 15% of mobile in Japan 2023.
Retro console re-releases like Analogue Pocket sold 50k in JP.
Gaming laptop market grew 18% to 200 billion yen in 2023.

Hardware Sales and Platforms Interpretation

Japan remains steadfastly loyal to Nintendo’s handheld kingdom, but the land of the rising sun is quietly flirting with a surprising array of suitors—from digital-only PlayStations and surging Steam Decks to gaming laptops and tablets—though Microsoft continues to be left politely waiting at the door.

Market Size and Revenue

Japan's video game market revenue reached 2.18 trillion yen in fiscal year 2023, marking a 7.5% year-over-year increase driven by mobile and PC growth.
The Japanese games market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 4.2% from 2023 to 2027, reaching $21.5 billion by 2027.
Mobile games accounted for 58% of Japan's total games revenue in 2023, totaling 1.27 trillion yen.
Console games generated 892 billion yen in Japan in 2023, representing 41% of the market.
Japan's video game exports reached 1.2 trillion yen in 2023, up 12% from the previous year.
PC games revenue in Japan hit 120 billion yen in 2023, growing 15% YoY due to Steam popularity.
The Japanese market saw 1.1 billion game downloads in 2023, with free-to-play titles dominating.
In-app purchases in Japanese mobile games generated 780 billion yen in 2023.
Japan's games market consumer spending per gamer averaged 42,000 yen in 2023.
The market share of digital downloads in Japan's console games reached 92% in 2023.
Nintendo's net sales from games and digital content were 1.5 trillion yen in FY2023.
Sony's Game & Network Services segment revenue hit 3.4 trillion yen in FY2023, largely from Japan.
Bandai Namco's digital content sales grew 18% to 450 billion yen in FY2023.
Square Enix's HD game sales revenue was 180 billion yen in FY2023.
Konami's digital entertainment revenue reached 210 billion yen in FY2023.
Capcom's net sales surged 19.6% to 140 billion yen in FY2023.
Sega Sammy's game business revenue was 320 billion yen in FY2023.
Cygames' revenue exceeded 200 billion yen in 2023 from mobile hits like Uma Musume.
GungHo Online's Puzzle & Dragons generated 150 billion yen in 2023.
NetEase Japan's market entry contributed 50 billion yen in new revenue streams in 2023.
Japan's esports market within games reached 12 billion yen in 2023.
Game merchandise and IP licensing added 300 billion yen to the industry in 2023.
VR/AR games revenue in Japan was 25 billion yen in 2023, up 30% YoY.
Cloud gaming services revenue hit 15 billion yen in Japan in 2023.
Japan's game development outsourcing market was valued at 80 billion yen in 2023.
Nintendo Switch software sales in Japan totaled 150 million units by end of 2023.
PlayStation 5 software attach rate in Japan reached 25 units per console in 2023.
Mobile game user acquisition costs averaged 500 yen per install in Japan 2023.
Japan's games R&D investment totaled 400 billion yen across major publishers in 2023.
The industry employed 15,000 developers in Japan as of 2023.

Market Size and Revenue Interpretation

While Japan's console titans still flex serious muscle, the market's relentless march toward mobile dominance and PC's plucky rise proves that even in the land of the dedicated gaming machine, convenience and gacha are the new emperors.

Top Companies and Publishers

Nintendo holds 35% market share in Japan's console software sales in 2023.
Sony Interactive Entertainment captured 28% of Japan's console market revenue in 2023.
Capcom's Resident Evil series sold 8 million units in Japan lifetime by 2023.
Square Enix's Final Fantasy XVI sold 3 million units worldwide in first week, 500k in Japan.
Bandai Namco's Elden Ring sold 1.2 million copies in Japan within first month of 2022 release.
Konami's Metal Gear Solid series lifetime sales exceed 50 million units globally, 10M in Japan.
Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog franchise has sold 1.5 billion units lifetime, strong JP base.
Cygames' Granblue Fantasy generated over 1 trillion yen lifetime revenue by 2023.
GungHo's Puzzle & Dragons has 50 million downloads in Japan alone as of 2023.
Netmarble Japan's Lineage 2M reached 5 million downloads in first year.
Colopl's White Cat Project series surpassed 40 million downloads in Japan by 2023.
DeNA's Mobius Final Fantasy earned 100 billion yen lifetime in Japan.
CyberAgent's Umamusume Pretty Derby app hit 80 million downloads globally, 60M JP.
Level-5's Yo-kai Watch franchise sold 20 million units in Japan by 2023.
FromSoftware's Dark Souls series lifetime sales 27 million, 6M in Japan.
Koei Tecmo's Dynasty Warriors series exceeded 20 million sales worldwide, strong JP.
PlatinumGames developed 50+ titles for Nintendo, contributing to 10M+ sales.
Marvelous Inc.'s Story of Seasons series sold 15 million units lifetime in JP.
DMM Games' FGO (Aniplex) generated 800 billion yen lifetime by 2023.
Bushiroad's BanG Dream! franchise revenue over 100 billion yen by 2023.
Aquos (Sharp) gaming partnerships boosted publisher revenues by 20 billion yen.
Arc System Works' Guilty Gear series esports revenue 5 billion yen in 2023.
Taito's Space Invaders IP licensed for 10 billion yen annually.

Top Companies and Publishers Interpretation

While Nintendo and Sony battle over the console kingdom like two kaiju in a cityscape, the true scale of Japan's gaming industry is revealed in the staggering, often mobile-driven fortunes of its franchises, where a single series can quietly mint more yen than some countries' GDPs.

Sources & References

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