2018 CESA Games White Paper

Key insights

6 takeaways

01
The Japanese domestic home console market (hardware and packaged software) reached a total value of 386.7 billion yen in 2017, up from 314.7 billion yen in 2016.
02
The global home console market (hardware and software) was valued at 2.7881 trillion yen in 2017, showing growth from 2.5794 trillion yen in the previous year.
03
The Japanese domestic market for smart device game apps reached 1.3192 trillion yen in 2017, with China ranking first globally, followed by the United States and Japan.
04
The Japanese domestic market for downloadable game software grew significantly to 16.8 billion yen in 2017, more than doubling from 7.9 billion yen in 2016.
05
There were six titles that achieved over one million units in domestic shipments during 2017, with 'Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age' leading at 3 million units by year-end.
06
The 2018 CESA Games White Paper is published as a bilingual (Japanese/English) report, featuring industry data, consumer survey results, and a new focus on game accessibility for people with disabilities.

Summary

The 2018 CESA Games White Paper serves as a comprehensive annual analysis of the computer entertainment industry, providing critical data on market performance, consumer trends, and industry developments. Published by the Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association, the report functions as a bilingual resource for stakeholders, integrating manufacturer shipment data, consumer surveys, and international market estimates to offer a global perspective on the gaming landscape.

Key findings highlight significant growth in the Japanese domestic home console market, which reached a total value of 386.7 billion yen in 2017, comprising 192.4 billion yen in hardware and 194.2 billion yen in packaged software. The digital segment also showed expansion, with the domestic download software market estimated at 16.8 billion yen. On a global scale, the home console market was valued at 2.788 trillion yen. Additionally, the report identifies the domestic smart device game application market at 1.319 trillion yen, noting that China, the United States, and Japan represent the top three global markets by size.

Methodologically, the report synthesizes internal shipment data with insights from the 2018 CESA General Consumer Survey and collaborative estimates from international research institutions. Beyond financial metrics, the document tracks industry milestones, such as the performance of domestic million-seller titles, of which there were six in 2017, led by Dragon Quest XI. The publication also addresses social responsibility by featuring expert contributions on game accessibility for individuals with disabilities, reflecting a broader commitment to industry inclusivity and development.