2022 CESA Games White Paper

Key insights

6 takeaways

01
The 2022 CESA Games White Paper reports the total Japanese domestic home video game market (hardware and packaged software) at 371.9 billion yen, a slight decrease from 375.9 billion yen in 2020.
02
The international home video game market reached 3.3978 trillion yen in 2021, showing growth from the 3.1316 trillion yen recorded in 2020.
03
The Japanese domestic market for smart device game apps was estimated at 1.306 trillion yen in 2021, up from 1.2113 trillion yen in the previous year.
04
In 2021, there were only three domestic titles that achieved over one million units in shipments, with 'Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl' leading at 3.79 million units.
05
The Japanese domestic market for downloadable game software was estimated at 34.6 billion yen in 2021, an increase from 32.2 billion yen in 2020.
06
In the global smart device game app market, the United States ranks first in market size, followed by China in second and Japan in third.

Summary

The 2022 CESA Games White Paper serves as a comprehensive annual assessment of the global and domestic home video game industry. Published by the Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association, the report provides a detailed analysis of market performance, hardware and software shipment data, and consumer trends. The findings are intended to inform industry stakeholders and the public by consolidating data from domestic manufacturers and international research organizations into a bilingual Japanese-English format.

The data indicates that the Japanese domestic home video game market, encompassing hardware and packaged software, reached a total value of 371.9 billion yen in 2021, with an additional 34.6 billion yen attributed to the digital download software market. On a global scale, the home video game market demonstrated significant growth, totaling 3.3978 trillion yen. Furthermore, the Japanese smart device game application market was valued at 1.306 trillion yen. Geographically, the report identifies Asia as the largest regional market for mobile gaming, with the United States, China, and Japan ranking as the top three nations by market size.

Methodologically, the report relies on primary shipment data from domestic game manufacturers and collaborative estimates provided by international research institutions. Beyond market valuations, the analysis highlights specific performance metrics, such as the emergence of three domestic "million-seller" titles in 2021, led by Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, which recorded 3.79 million units shipped by the end of the calendar year. These figures underscore the continued relevance of both traditional console hardware and the expanding digital and mobile sectors within the broader entertainment landscape.