2023 CESA Games White Paper

Key insights

7 takeaways

01
The 2023 CESA Games White Paper reports the total Japanese domestic home video game market (hardware and packaged software) reached 377.4 billion yen, a slight increase from 371.9 billion yen in 2021.
02
The international home video game market saw significant growth, reaching a total of 3.6772 trillion yen in 2022, up from 3.3978 trillion yen in the previous year.
03
Domestic download-only game software sales were estimated at 30.1 billion yen in 2022, a decline from the 34.6 billion yen recorded in 2021.
04
In 2022, only five game titles achieved over one million units in domestic shipments, with 'Pokémon Scarlet and Violet' leading the year's releases at 6.94 million units.
05
As of December 31, 2022, 'Animal Crossing: New Horizons' maintains its position as the highest-selling game in Japan with 10.61 million cumulative units shipped.
06
Three Nintendo Switch titles—'Pokémon Scarlet and Violet' (6.94 million), 'Mario Kart 8 Deluxe' (6.91 million), and 'Super Smash Bros. Ultimate' (6.84 million)—have surpassed the historical cumulative shipment record of the original Famicom 'Super Mario Bros.'
07
The 2023 CESA Games White Paper is a 233-page bilingual (Japanese/English) report priced at 7,700 yen, providing comprehensive industry data and international market estimates.

Summary

The 2023 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 scale, hardware and software shipment data, and long-term sales performance trends. By synthesizing manufacturer shipment data and collaborating with international research organizations, the publication offers a dual-language, English-Japanese resource intended to inform industry stakeholders and the public about the current state of the gaming sector.

The findings highlight a resilient market, with the Japanese domestic home video game industry—encompassing hardware and packaged software—valued at 377.4 billion yen, representing a slight increase from 371.9 billion yen in 2021. The domestic digital download market was estimated at 30.1 billion yen. On a global scale, the industry demonstrated significant growth, with the total home video game market reaching 3.6772 trillion yen, up from 3.3978 trillion yen the previous year.

Regarding product performance, the report notes that five titles achieved million-seller status in Japan during 2022. A notable shift occurred in the domestic all-time cumulative shipment rankings, where several Nintendo Switch titles, including Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, surpassed the historical shipment figures of the original Super Mario Bros. for the Famicom. Animal Crossing: New Horizons continues to hold the position of the highest-selling title in domestic history, with 10.61 million units shipped as of the end of 2022. These metrics underscore the sustained commercial dominance of established franchises and the ongoing transition in consumer hardware preferences.