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Mobile gaming in Japan - statistics & facts

The Japanese video game market is the third-biggest video game market worldwide. Some of the most renowned video game companies stem from Japan, such as the hardware makers Sony and Nintendo, which play a dominant role both in the global and in the Japanese console market. The largest part of video game revenues in Japan today, however, is generated via mobile games. Due to the expansion of the smartphone market, smartphones have become the most popular device for playing video games in Japan. The domestic market for mobile and social games has expanded to a size of 1.6 trillion Japanese yen in 2021 and is expected to grow further in the future.

Overview of the market

While the rise of smartphone gaming apps has helped to expand the Japanese video game market as a whole, it is also thought to contribute to the decline of other parts of the industry, such as handheld and home consoles. Compared to consoles, smartphone gaming apps profit from a high potential user base, as consumers do not need to buy specific hardware to play games. Games are usually free to play, but often feature the possibility of in-game purchases for additional content, such as items or characters. This type of monetization was pioneered by companies like DeNA and GREE in the mid-2000s and has since become a staple of the mobile gaming industry. A look at the monthly market share held by smartphone operating systems reveals that Android and iOS are close competitors in Japan, and hundreds of gaming apps are newly released for both operating systems every year.

Popular mobile games

The Japanese gaming app market is dominated by a small number of hit titles that managed to stay highly successful over many years. Titles such as “Puzzle & Dragons,” which was released by GungHo Online Entertainment in 2012, “Monster Strike,” which was released by Mixi in 2013, or “Fate/Grand Order,” which was released by Aniplex in 2015, regularly feature among the leading mobile games based on sales revenue. Survey data show that puzzle games are the most commonly played smartphone game genre. Other popular genres include games that make use of one’s location, music games, and various types of role-playing games (RPGs). In the mobile gaming market, domestic companies continue to play a dominant role, with the majority of recent best-selling titles coming from Japanese companies. As news reports in recent years have pointed out, however, foreign companies, especially from China and South Korea, are making inroads into the Japanese market.
This text provides general information. Statista assumes no liability for the information given being complete or correct. Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date data than referenced in the text.
Published by Statista Research Department, Nov 22, 2022

Key insights

Value of the mobile and social game market
1.6tr JPY
Leading mobile game, based on sales revenue
Uma Musume Pretty Derby
Share of people who regularly use a smartphone to play video games
52%
Get more insights

Editor’s Picks Current statistics on this topic

Total value of the video game market in Japan in fiscal year 2020 with a forecast until 2027 (in trillion Japanese yen)

Video Gaming & eSports

Gaming market size in Japan FY 2020-2027

Leading mobile games in Japan in 2021, based on sales revenue (in billion Japanese yen)

Mobile Gaming

Leading mobile games Japan 2021, based on sales revenue

Attitude on in-game purchases among people aged 15 to 19 years old in Japan as of July 2022, by gender

Mobile Gaming

Attitude on in-game billing among teenagers Japan 2022, by gender

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App usage in Japan
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