2010 CESA Consumer Survey Report: Japan and South Korea

Key insights

6 takeaways

01
The number of active home console game users in Japan reached 36.05 million in 2009, representing 33.2% of the population and a 3.8 percentage point increase from 2008, attributed to the 'nesting consumption' (stay-at-home) trend.
02
The Nintendo DS/DS Lite was the most widely owned and used hardware, while the Wii saw a significant increase in usage, rising to 25.3% among active users compared to 16.8% in the previous year.
03
12% of active home console users utilized their gaming devices for non-gaming internet activities, primarily for video streaming (52.3%), information searches (50.0%), and browsing websites (47.7%), with the Wii being the most common device for these tasks.
04
The 'Mario' series was the most satisfying game purchase for consumers in 2009, followed by the 'Wii Sports' series and the 'Dragon Quest' series.
05
The primary barriers to gaming participation remained consistent with previous years: lack of interest (49.0%), competing priorities (47.2%), and lack of time (41.6%).
06
A joint survey with the Korea Creative Content Agency revealed that parents in both Japan (42.0%) and South Korea (48.0%) most commonly adopt a policy of 'slightly restricting' their children's game play.

Summary

The 2010 CESA Consumer Survey Report provides a comprehensive analysis of gaming habits and lifestyle trends in Japan, with additional comparative data from South Korea. The primary objective is to establish foundational data regarding consumer engagement with interactive entertainment, reflecting the industry's shift toward home-based leisure. The findings highlight a notable increase in the gaming population, which rose by 3.8 percentage points in 2009, reaching an estimated 36.05 million active participants in Japan, or 33.2% of the total population.

Methodologically, the research utilized a sample of 1,103 individuals aged 3 to 79 across major Japanese metropolitan areas, including the Kanto and Kansai regions. The study also incorporated a collaborative survey with the Korea Creative Content Agency to provide cross-border insights. Data collection focused on hardware ownership, software satisfaction, and non-gaming usage of consoles. Results indicate that the Nintendo DS and PlayStation 2 remain the most widely owned hardware, while the Wii emerged as a leading platform for non-gaming activities, such as video streaming and web browsing, with 12% of gamers utilizing consoles for internet-based tasks.

The analysis identifies persistent barriers to market expansion, noting that the primary reasons for non-participation in gaming remain a lack of interest, competing priorities, and time constraints. Furthermore, the survey reveals a shared cultural approach to parental oversight, with both Japanese and Korean parents frequently opting to place moderate restrictions on their children's gaming habits. By documenting these behavioral patterns, the report serves as a critical resource for understanding the impact of the "nesting" or home-centric consumption trend that defined the 2009 market landscape.