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Toys and Games in Japan

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    Report

  • 31 Pages
  • June 2025
  • Region: Japan
  • Euromonitor International
  • ID: 5603892
Toys and games in Japan experienced a slight value decline in 2024, following growth the previous year. This was attributed to a decrease in consumer spending power, as a consequence of rising inflation. Traditional toys and games, however, continued to perform well, driven by the kidult trend and the resurgence of established brands such as One Piece. Video games experienced a decrease, although mobile games saw slight growth and retained its dominance.

The Toys and Games in Japan report offers a comprehensive guide to the size and shape of the market at a national level. It provides the latest retail sales data 2020-2024, allowing you to identify the sectors driving growth. It identifies the leading companies, the leading brands and offers strategic analysis of key factors influencing the market - be they new product developments, distribution or pricing issues. Forecasts to 2029 illustrate how the market is set to change.

Product coverage: Traditional Toys and Games, Video Games.

Data coverage: Market sizes (historic and forecasts), company shares, brand shares and distribution data.

Why buy this report?

  • Get a detailed picture of the Toys and Games market;
  • Pinpoint growth sectors and identify factors driving change;
  • Understand the competitive environment, the market’s major players and leading brands;
  • Use five-year forecasts to assess how the market is predicted to develop.

Table of Contents

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
  • Even inflation cannot stop growth for traditional toys and games, due to spending by kidults
KEY DATA FINDINGS
  • CHART 1 Key Trends 2024
INDUSTRY PERFORMANCE
  • Traditional toys and games shows growth, while video games declines
  • One Piece Card Game benefits from the kidult trend and popularity of the related comic
  • CHART 2 One Piece Card Game Sales Surge in 2024, Fuelled by Nostalgia and Anime Tie-ins
  • CHART 3 Analyst Insight
  • Palworld's success on Steam faces controversy due to similarity with Pokémon
  • CHART 4 Palworld Becomes a Breakout Hit on Steam in 2024
  • WHAT’S NEXT?
  • Video games will continue to lead toys and games, despite anticipation of modest growth
  • Pokémon Trading Card Game app launch expected to also boost sales of its physical game
  • Switch 2 launch in 2025 anticipated to perform well
  • Gundam likely to drive growth in traditional toys and games, but mobile games may face headwinds in video games
COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
  • PlayStation loses its lead to Nintendo amid the changing preferences of gamers
  • China-based games developers' marketing tactics drive success for mobile games
  • IP partnerships impact brand rankings, with Sumikkogurashi PC performing well
  • CHART 5 Sumikkogurashi PC Remains Top Seller in Japan in 2024
CHANNELS
  • Retail e-commerce is the leading sales channel and exhibits strong growth
  • Offline retail continues to have its place, particularly for sales of traditional toys and games
  • Toymakers prioritise direct-to-consumer for closer consumer contact
ECONOMIC CONTEXT
  • CHART 6 Real GDP Growth and Inflation 2019-2029
  • CHART 7 PEST Analysis in Japan 2024
CONSUMER CONTEXT
  • CHART 8 Key Insights on Consumers in Japan 2024
  • CHART 9 Consumer Landscape in Japan 2024
COUNTRY REPORTS DISCLAIMER
SOURCES
  • Summary 1 Research Sources
TRADITIONAL TOYS AND GAMES IN JAPANKEY DATA FINDINGS
2024 DEVELOPMENTS
  • Franchises such as Beyblade and Pokémon drive growth among kidults
  • CHART 10 Key Trends 2024
INDUSTRY PERFORMANCE
  • Beyblade X and card games drive growth in traditional toys and games
  • Sales of One Piece Card Game surge thanks to enduring popularity of the franchise
  • CHART 11 One Piece Card Game Emerged as a Top-Selling Brand in 2024
  • CHART 12 Analyst Insight
  • Capsule toy vending machine stores continue to expand
  • CHART 13 C-Pla Shibuya Opens Expanded Store with 600 New Capsule Machines in 2024
  • WHAT’S NEXT?
  • Games and puzzles set to remain the largest category, and see modest growth
  • Traditional toys and games will remain important; Gundam series to impact sales
  • The need to refresh established brands to sustain sales
COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
  • Beyblade X launch drives greater concentration in action figures and accessories
  • BANDAI NAMCO expands plush sales with Sunrise Inc acquisition
  • Disney Lorcana card games demonstrate strong performance with dual appeal
  • Sumikkogurashi IP drives sales with live-streaming function for younger consumers
  • CHART 14 Sumikkogurashi PC: Live-Streaming Feature Boosts Sales in 2024
CHANNELS
  • Retail e-commerce gains share from offline channels in traditional toys and games
  • Traditional toys and games stores still serve an important purpose
  • Manufacturers embrace direct-to-consumer sales via their own e-commerce sites
COUNTRY REPORTS DISCLAIMERVIDEO GAMES IN JAPANKEY DATA FINDINGS
2024 DEVELOPMENTS
  • Growth for video games software unable to offset decline for video games hardware
  • CHART 15 Key Trends 2024
INDUSTRY PERFORMANCE
  • The decline of video games amid economic concerns
  • Palworld success sparks intellectual property debate and Nintendo lawsuit
  • CHART 16 Pocketpair’s Palworld Becomes One of the Best-Selling Indie Games of All Time
  • CHART 17 Analyst Insight
  • WHAT’S NEXT?
  • Video games software to lead growth over the forecast period
  • Sustainability set to gain further traction
  • Continuing to leverage IPs to engage consumers
  • Mobile games may face headwinds
  • Switch 2 release likely to boost sales for Nintendo
  • Gaming headsets likely to be limited to core users
COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
  • PlayStation loses its leadership to Nintendo, while fragmentation increases
  • Joy Nice Games and First Fun drive sales with advertisements and influencers
  • Dragon Quest III HD-2D success driven by kidult nostalgia
  • CHART 18 Kidult Appeal Drives Dragon Quest III HD-2D Success in 2024
  • Established franchises dominate mobile games through brand recognition and partnerships
  • CHART 19 Monster Strike Dominates Japan’s Mobile Market with Strategic Anime Collaborations
  • Nintendo to release Switch successor with enhanced social features
CHANNELS
  • Retail e-commerce outshines offline retail in video games due to video games software
  • Consumers still turn to physical stores for video games hardware
  • COUNTRY REPORTS DISCLAIMER