Report: Console gaming more popular among Japanese youth than mobile
Niko Partners survey finds 72% of young gamers in Japan play on console compared to 64% on mobile and 15% on PC
A new report by Niko Partners has revealed that consoles are the most popular platform for young gamers in Japan.
The market research firm's annual Japan Youth Gamers report surveyed more than 300 parents of gamers aged six to 18 and over 90 gamers between the ages of 16 and 18.
Console is the most popular format among Japanese gamers, used by 72.3% of the group, followed by mobile gaming at 63.5%. Only 14.7% of respondents played on PC.
Niko noted that parents favor consoles due to increased visibility and control over gaming content compared to other platforms.
Additionally, Japanese youth gamers played an average of 7.9 hours per week on mobile, compared to 6.5 hours on console and PC.
According to Niko Partners, young Japanese gamers are "more receptive" to foreign game titles, esports, livestreaming games, and content creators than adult gamers, with 46% of teens surveyed showing interest compared to 12% of overall Japanese gamers.
"There is an opportunity for non-Japanese gaming companies to expand and increase their presence in Japan, as the country's youth gamers is a potential market on its own," said Lisa Hanson, CEO and founder of Niko Partners.
The survey also found that Japanese parents "have a more favorable view towards gaming" and are more than likely to be gamers themselves.
67% of parents of children aged six to 18 believed it was their role to supervise gaming time rather than let the government do so. Niko Partner's report showed that 45.8% of young Japanese gamers agree.
In July, another report from Niko Partners found that women make up 37% of game players in Asia, accounting for nearly 25% of total revenue for the region's market.
This report originally misconstrued some of Niko Partners' findings. It has been corrected.
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