This Knowledge Brief breaks down the reasons behind Japan's long-struggling esports industry using the latest 2025 survey data. It examines the reasons behind Japanese gamers' low interest in esports, analyzing both their engagement with the field directly, such as tournament viewership and attendance data, as well as their engagement with esports titles - both some of the lowest among the markets covered. It concludes with a reflection on the scene's potential for growth going forward and the ongoing challenges it faces.
These Knowledge Briefs are timely, short-form topic reports written by senior analysts using proprietary data on Asia and MENA. Based on proprietary data and insights, the publishing team writes and publishes a new Knowledge Brief every two weeks. These short-form reports empower companies to access high-integrity data, insights, and research in a bite-sized format.
Table of Contents
- Game-related activities conducted in the past 3 months
- Motivation to play games
