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Japan is a country in Asia. This article is about video games in Japan.

History[]

Japan Inflation-Adjusted Revenues

Japanese video game industry revenues from 1982 to 2013, adjusted for inflation (2012 dollars).
Blue - Domestic Japanese arcade market
Red - Domestic Japanese retail market, including the console, handheld and computer sectors (hardware and software)
Purple - Domestic Japanese online mobile game market
Green - Total domestic Japanese video game market, including all sectors
Cyan - Japanese retail exports (hardware and software) to overseas markets (console, handheld and computer sectors)
Orange - Overall Japanese video game industry, including both domestic Japanese market and overseas retail exports

Main articles: History of video games, Japan, Video gaming in Japan


Industry revenue[]

See also: Video game industry for worldwide figures and Video games in the United States for US figures

Domestic market[]

Year Annual revenue (est.) Breakdown Ref
Nominal Inflation
2017 $19,610,000,000 $23,000,000,000
  • $14.5 billion (consumer market)[1]
  • $5.37 billion (arcade market)[2]
2016 $17,770,000,000 $22,000,000,000
  • $12.5 billion (consumer market)
  • $5.27 billion (arcade market)[2][3]
[4]
2015 $17,240,000,000 $21,000,000,000
  • $12.3 billion (consumer market)[5]
  • $5.41 billion (arcade market)[2]
2013 $21,220,000,000 $27,000,000,000
  • $6.09 billion (arcade market)
  • $4.74 billion (retail market)
  • $9.87 billion (online market)
[6]
2012 $22,290,000,000 $28,000,000,000
  • $8.5 billion (arcade)
  • $4.6 billion (retail)
  • $9.19 billion (online)
[7]
2011 $23,040,000,000 $30,000,000,000
  • $9 billion (arcade)
  • $8 billion (retail)
  • $6.04 billion (online)
    • $4.5 billion (mobile)
    • $1.17 billion (PC)
    • $370 million (console)
[8][9][10]
2010 $21,130,000,000 $28,000,000,000
  • $8.63 billion (arcade)
  • $8.24 billion (retail)
  • $4.26 billion (online)
    • $2.82 billion (mobile)
    • $1.16 billion (PC)
    • $280 million (console)
[11][12]
2009 $20,923,000,000 $29,000,000,000
  • $8.95 billion (arcade)
  • $8.68 billion (retail)
  • $3.293 billion (online)
    • $2 billion (mobile)
    • $1.06 billion (PC)
    • $233 million (console)
[13][14]
2008 $22,300,000,000 $30,000,000,000
  • $10.08 billion (arcade)
  • $8.82 billion (retail)
  • $3.4 billion (online)
    • $2 billion (mobile)
    • $927 million (PC)
    • $473 billion (console)
[15][16]
2007 $20,930,000,000 $30,000,000,000
  • $9.62 billion (arcade)
  • $8.99 billion (retail)
  • $2.32 billion (online)
    • $1.16 billion (mobile)
    • $1.16 billion (PC & console)
[17][18][19]
2006 $19,000,000,000 $28,000,000,000
  • $8.9 billion (arcade)
  • $8.11 billion (retail)
    • $7.924 billion (console)
    • $186.1 million (PC)
  • $1.98 billion (online)
    • $1 billion (mobile)
    • $684 million (PC)
    • $291 million (console)
[20][21]
2005 $16,244,000,000 $24,000,000,000

$8.64 billion (arcade)

$5.8 billion (retail)

$1.804 billion (online)

  • $1 billion (mobile)
  • $558 million (PC)
  • $246 million (console)
[22][23]
2004 $16,200,000,000 $25,000,000,000

$8.13 billion (arcade)

$6.91 billion (retail)

$1.144 billion (online)

  • $577 million (mobile)
  • $441 million (PC)
  • $136 million (console)
[24]
2003 $15,900,000,000 $25,000,000,000

$7.86 billion (arcade)

$6.88 billion (retail)

$1.12 billion (online)

  • $322 million (mobile)
  • $135 million (PC)
[25][26]
2002 $13,800,000,000 $22,000,000,000

$6.56 billion (arcade)

$6.93 billion (retail)

$276 million (online)

  • $181 million (mobile)
  • $52 million (PC)
  • $43 million (console)
[27][28]
2001 $14,610,000,000 $24,000,000,000

$6.45 billion (arcade)

$7.96 billion (retail)

$196 million (mobile)

[29][30]
2000 $15,500,000,000 $26,000,000,000

$7.27 billion (arcade)

$8.1 billion (retail console market)

$100 million (mobile)

[31][32][33]
1999 $16,740,000,000 $28,000,000,000

$7.93 billion (arcade)

$8.81 billion (retail)

[34][35]
1998 $14,930,000,000 $29,000,000,000

$7.13 billion (arcade)

$7.8 billion (retail)

[36]
1997 $17,540,000,000 $32,000,000,000

$7.85 billion (arcade)

$9.69 billion (retail)

[37]
1996 $18,800,000,000 $35,000,000,000

$9.89 billion (arcade)

$8.87 billion (retail)

[38][39]
1995 $17,900,000,000 $34,000,000,000

$9.52 billion (arcade)

$8.38 billion (retail)

  • $5.87 billion (console software)
  • $266 million (PC game software)
[40]
1994 $15,640,000,000 $31,000,000,000

$7.51 billion (arcade)

$8.13 billion (retail)

  • $4.77 billion (console software)
  • $191 million (PC game software)
[41][42]
1993 $12,920,000,000 $26,000,000,000
  • $6.16 billion (arcade)
  • $6.76 billion (retail)
[43][44]
1992 $12,140,000,000 $25,000,000,000
  • $6.07 billion (arcade)
  • $6.07 billion (retail)
[45]
1991 $10,320,000,000 $22,000,000,000
  • $5.69 billion (arcade)
  • $4.63 billion (retail)
[46]
1990 $7,740,000,000 $17,000,000,000
  • $3.76 billion (arcade)
  • $3.98 billion (retail)
[47]
1989 $7,830,000,000 $18,000,000,000
  • $3.55 billion (arcade)
  • $4.28 billion (retail)
[48]
1988 $7,100,000,000 $18,000,000,000
  • $3.14 billion (arcade)
  • $3.96 billion (retail)
[49]
1987 $6,660,000,000 $17,000,000,000
  • $2.96 billion (arcade)
  • $3.7 billion (retail)
[50]
1986 $6,960,000,000 $19,000,000,000
  • $2.68 billion (arcade)
  • $4.28 billion (retail)
[51]
1985 $5,220,000,000 $14,000,000,000
  • $2.61 billion (arcade)
  • $2.61 billion (retail)
[52]
1984 $3,810,000,000 $11,000,000,000
  • $2.29 billion (arcade)
  • $1.52 billion (retail)
[53]
1983 $3,990,000,000 $12,000,000,000
  • $2.24 billion (arcade)
  • $1.75 billion (retail)
[54]
1982 $3,430,000,000 $10,000,000,000
  • $2.1 billion (arcade)
  • $1.33 billion (retail)
[55][56][57]
1981 $3.3 billion (arcade) [58][57][56]
1980 $3.4 billion (arcade)
1979 $3,43,000,000 $14,000,000,000 $3.4 billion (arcade)

$31 million (console)

[56][58][59]
1978 $1,930,000,000 $8,700,000,000 $1.9 billion (arcade)
  • $1.6 billion (arcade video games)
  • $320 million (electro-mechanical)

$106 million (console)

[60][61]
1977 $793,000,000 $3,800,000,000 $780 million (arcade)
  • $570 million (electro-mechanical)
  • $220 million (arcade video games)

$56 million (console)

[62][63]
1976 $652,000,000 $3,400,000,000 $650 million (arcade)
  • $500 million (electro-mechanical)
  • $170 million (arcade video games)

$3 million (console)

[62][64]
1975 $444,000,000 $2,400,000,000
  • $443 million (arcade)
  • $1 milllion (console)
[62][65]
1974 $431,000,000 $2,600,000,000 $431 million (arcade) [62]
1973 $437,000,000 $2,900,000,000 $437 million (arcade) [62]
1972 $363,000,000 $2,500,000,000 $363 million arcade (electro-mechanical) [62]
1971 $288,000,000 $2,100,000,000 $288 million arcade (electro-mechanical) [62]
1970 $290,000,000 $2,200,000,000 $290 million (electro-mechanical) [62]

Overseas exports[]

Year Revenue
(nominal, without inflation)
Ref Revenue
(inflation-adjusted for 2012)[66]
2012 $9.87 billion (retail) [67] $9.87 billion (retail)
2011

$13.2 billion (total)

$12.89 billion (retail)

$179 million (arcade)

$111 million (online)

[68]

$13.5 billion (total)

$13.2 billion (retail)

$183 million (arcade)

$113.3 million (online)

2010

$16.5 billion

$16.32 billion (retail)

$167 million (arcade)

[69]

$17.4 billion

$17.2 billion (retail)

$176 million (arcade)

2009 $19.75 billion (retail) [70] $21.14 billion (retail)
2008

$26.733 billion

$26.58 billion (retail)

$153 million (arcade)

[71]

$28.7 billion

$28.5 billion (retail)

$164 million (arcade)

2007

$24.13 billion

$23.99 billion (retail)

$136 million (arcade)

[72]

$26.8 billion

$26.6 billion (retail)

$151 million (arcade)

2006

$9.5 billion

$9.202 billion (retail)

$287.1 million (arcade)

[73]

$10.83 billion

$10.5 billion (retail)

$327 million (arcade)

2005

$9.72 billion

$9.42 billion (retail)

$301 million (arcade)

[74]

$11.5 billion

$11.1 billion (retail)

$354 million (arcade)

2004 $5.6 billion (retail) [75] $6.81 billion (retail)
2003 $7.6 billion (retail) [76] $9.5 billion (retail)
2002 $7.6 billion (retail) [77] $9.7 billion (retail)
2001 $8.51 billion (retail) [78] $11.032 billion (retail)
2000 $6.723 billion (retail) [79] $8.964 billion (retail)
1999 $6.1 billion (retail) [80] $8.41 billion (retail)
1998 $5.5 billion (retail) [81] $7.8 billion (retail)
1997 $5.3 billion (retail) [82] $7.6 billion (retail)
1996 $4.61 billion (retail) [83] $6.8 billion (retail)
1995 $3.2 billion (retail) [84] $4.82 billion (retail)
1994 $6.6 billion (retail) [85] $10.22 billion (retail)
1993 $11.52 billion (retail) [86] $18.3 billion (retail)
1992 $3.8 billion
(Sega & Nintendo retail in US)
[87] $6.22 billion
(Sega & Nintendo retail in US)
1991 $4.2 billion
(Sega & Nintendo retail in US)
[88] $7.1 billion
(Sega & Nintendo retail in US)
1990 $4.3 billion
(Sega & Nintendo retail in US)
[89] $7.6 billion
(Sega & Nintendo retail in US)
1989 $3.613 billion
(Sega & Nintendo retail in US)
[90] $6.7 billion
(Sega & Nintendo retail in US)
1988 $1.96 billion (Nintendo retail in US) [91] $3.8 billion (Nintendo retail in US)
1986 $310 million (Nintendo retail in US) [92] $649.4 million (Nintendo retail in US)

Most famous game franchises[]

Rank Franchise Fame Ref
1 Pokémon 86% [93]
2 Super Mario Brothers 82%
3 Dragon Ball 74.4% [94]
4 Tamagotchi 72% [93]
5 One Piece 70.8% [94]
6 Dragon Quest 66.6%
7 Final Fantasy 62.4%
8 Gundam 59.8%
9 Yo-kai Watch 58.3%
10 Naruto 58%

See also[]

References[]

  1. https://newzoo.com/insights/countries/japan/
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Japan arcade market in 2015 – ¥573.3 billion (¥422.2 billion operation, ¥151.1 billion equipment)
  3. https://web.archive.org/web/20170612135210/newzoo.com/insights/countries/japan/
  4. https://newzoo.com/insights/infographics/japanese-games-market-2016/
  5. https://newzoo.com/insights/infographics/newzoo-summer-series-12-japanese-games-market/
  6. Japan, 2013
  7. Japan, 2012
  8. Japan, 2011
  9. Overview of Capcom’s Business and Outlook for the Future, 2012 Report, June 2013
  10. http://techcrunch.com/2012/01/05/japans-video-game-market-2011/
  11. Japan, 2010
  12. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-09-20/samurai-romances-draw-japanese-women-to-video-dating-games-from-gree-tech.html
  13. Japan, 2009
  14. Capcom Market Data, October 2011
  15. Japan, 2008
  16. Sambe, Yukiharu (2009). "Japan’s Arcade Games and Their Technology". Lecture Notes in Computer Science. Entertainment Computing– ICEC 2009 5709: 338. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-642-04052-8_62. Retrieved 25 January 2012.
  17. Japan, 2007
  18. Smartphones not 'hurting' gaming consoles: Study, The Times of India, 17 September 2013
  19. http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/tech/gaming/2008-10-09-microsoft-japan-gaming_N.htm
  20. Japan, 2006
  21. [5][6]
  22. Japan, 2005
  23. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/5155786.stm
  24. Japan, 2004
  25. Japan, 2003
  26. http://web.archive.org/web/20041205124344/http://www.capcom.co.jp/ir/english/business/other.html
  27. Japan, 2002
  28. [7] [8]
  29. Japan, 2001
  30. [10] [11] [12] [13]
  31. Japan, 2000
  32. Chou, Yuntsai (Fall 2003). "G-commerce in East Asia: Evidence and Prospects". Journal of Interactive Advertising 4 (1). Archived from the original on 2013-01-19. http://web.archive.org/web/20130119102219/http://jiad.org/article43. Retrieved 31 January 2012.
  33. [14] [15] [16]
  34. Japan, 1999
  35. [17] [18] [19] [20] [21]
  36. Japan, 1998
  37. Japan, 1997
  38. Japan, 1996
  39. http://www.jetlaw.org/wp-content/journal-pdfs/DanRose-NewVideoGame.pdf
  40. Japan, 1995:
  41. Japan, 1994:
  42. Yuko Aoyama & Hiro Izushi (2003), Hardware gimmick or cultural innovation? Technological, cultural, and social foundations of the Japanese video game industry, Research Policy 32: 423-44
  43. Japan, 1993:
  44. http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1309&dat=19940207&id=FN9OAAAAIBAJ&sjid=5hMEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2341,2650199
  45. Japan, 1992:
  46. Japan, 1991:
  47. Japan, 1990:
  48. Japan, 1989:
  49. Japan, 1988:
  50. Japan, 1987:
  51. Japan, 1986:
  52. Japan, 1985:
  53. Japan, 1984:
  54. Japan, 1983:
  55. Japan, 1982:
  56. 56.0 56.1 56.2 Koyama, Yusuke (2023-06-02). History of the Japanese Video Game Industry. Springer Nature. pp. 21-2, 62, 65. ISBN 978-981-99-1342-8. https://books.google.com/books?id=uITCEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA65.
  57. 57.0 57.1 Watkins, Ralph (1984). A Competitive Assessment of the U.S. Video Game Industry: Report on Investigation No. 332-160 Under Section 332(b) of the Tariff Act of 1930. U.S. International Trade Commission. pp. 30-1. https://books.google.com/books?id=-38XdacYD6QC&pg=PA30.
  58. 58.0 58.1 "Star invaders: Space invaders turn on Japanese to delights in inter-galactic war". The Financial Post (Canada): p. S8. 6 October 1979. https://books.google.com/books?id=4GI_AAAAIBAJ&pg=PA52.
  59. 1979
  60. Shibata, Yoko (June 28, 1979). "Electronic Games: Japan converts its Pachinko parlours" (in English). Financial Times. https://archive.org/details/FinancialTimes1979UKEnglish/Jun%2028%201979%2C%20Financial%20Times%2C%20%2327901%2C%20UK%20%28en%29/page/n34/mode/1up.
  61. 1978
  62. 62.0 62.1 62.2 62.3 62.4 62.5 62.6 62.7 情報メディア白書 [Information Media White Paper]. Dentsu Institute. 2010. p. 293. https://books.google.com/books?id=fSFNAQAAIAAJ. "産業興行収入市場規模営業収入営業収入全体ビデオゲームアーケードゲーム中短波 FM (Box office revenue, Market size, Operating revenue, Total operating revenue, Video games, Arcade games, Medium and shortwave FM) ... 1965 755 152 713 1,090 4,843 1966 758 174 752 1,266 5,760 1967 789 214 788 1,530 6,793 1968 820 254 792 1,736 7,843 1969 838 323 0 848 2,206 9,305 1970 825 398 13 921 2,691 10,802 1971 793 430 17 1,010 2,893 12,649 1972 770 482 1,100 3,333 14,828 1973 927 580 235 24 1,187 4,018 17,344 1974 1,171 628 46 1,258 4,442 19,171 1975 1,308 683 52 1,314 4,856 21,555 1976 1,457 790 65 1,915 5,809 25,714 1977 1,524 892 83 2,091 6,512 34,784 1978 1,605 1,006 97 2,141 7,362 37,058 1979 1,582 1,164 115 2,191 8,326 39,255 1980 1,659 1,263 131 2,714 8,687 41,008 1981 1,633 1,347 143 2,816 9,284 42,625 1982 1,695 2,780 4,500 1,391 180 2,877 9,967 44,611 1983 1,863 3,860 4,570 1,450 237 2,926 10,713 46,915"
  63. 1977
  64. 1976
  65. 1975
  66. CPI Inflation Calculator. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved on 2012-02-22.
  67. ¥1233.4 billion - ¥485 billion = ¥748.4 billion = $9.87 billion
  68. Exports, 2011
  69. Exports, 2010
  70. ¥2249.4 billion (domestic & overseas) - ¥542.6 billion (domestic) = ¥1706.8 billion (overseas) = $19.75 billion
  71. Exports, 2008
  72. Exports, 2007
  73. Exports, 2006
  74. Exports, 2005
  75. ¥566.2 billion = $5.6 billion
  76. ¥786 billion = $7.6 billion
  77. ¥874 billion = $7.6 billion
  78. ¥972 billion = $8.51 billion
  79. ¥683.2 billion [25] [26] = $6.723 billion
  80. ¥619 billion = $6.1 billion
  81. ¥596.1 billion = $5.5 billion
  82. ¥542.7 billion = $5.3 billion
  83. ¥374.7 billion = $4.61 billion
  84. ¥255.7 billion = $3.2 billion
  85. Overseas export revenues, 1994
  86. Overseas export revenues, 1993
  87. Sega & Nintendo revenues in US, 1992
    • Nintendo: $2.453 billion
    • Sega: $1.313 billion
  88. Sega & Nintendo revenues in US, 1991
  89. Sega & Nintendo revenues in US, 1990
  90. Sega & Nintendo revenues in US, 1989
  91. Atari Sues Nintendo, Accuses Rival of Monopolizing Games
  92. Nintendo revives video games, The Press-Courier (July 30, 1989)
  93. 93.0 93.1 https://gotouchichara.tumblr.com/post/134587945618/funassyi-and-kumamon-are-more-popular-than-mickey
  94. 94.0 94.1 https://www.statista.com/statistics/1276143/japan-most-recognized-manga-anime-video-game-franchises/

External links[]


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