Japan’s PC Gaming Base Shrinks Over the Decade, Despite Recent Uptick

Japan’s PC gaming population is now noticeably smaller than it was a decade ago, according to the newly released Famitsu Game Hakusho 2025 (via Automaton).

The annual report, published by Kadokawa ASCII Research Laboratories, compiles extensive data on the Japanese and global gaming industry. While PC gaming has seen a slight rebound over the past year, it still hasn’t returned to its 2014 peak.

The 2025 edition notes that Japan’s overall game market grew by 3.4% from 2023 to 2024, reaching an estimated 2,396 billion yen (over $16 billion USD).

In total, the domestic gamer population — spanning console, PC, and mobile players aged 5 to 59 — stood at around 54.7 million, a small dip from 55.5 million in the previous year.

Breaking it down, mobile remains the top platform with 42.77 million players, followed by consoles with 29.51 million, and PCs with 14.52 million. These categories aren’t exclusive, as many gamers split their time across platforms.

Notably, PC gaming saw a slight rise from 14.45 million in 2023, but that’s still about 3 million fewer players than in 2015 and 8 million fewer than in 2014.

As per historical data from the Famitsu Game Hakusho 2015, console and mobile gaming have grown substantially over the decade, while PC gaming has steadily declined.

Japan's Gaming Players Trend (Created via AI)

The reasons for this shift aren’t straightforward. While Steam’s rise has increased PC gaming’s visibility in Japan, mobile gaming’s convenience and popularity seem to be drawing more players. Hardware costs might also be pushing people away. According to The Nikkei (June 2025), pre-built desktop PC prices in Japan have jumped by 40% in six years, with some components tripling in price.

Adding to this, Yomiuri Shimbun reported that JEITA recorded just 6.667 million domestic PC shipments in 2023 — the lowest since records began in 2007. Although 2024 saw a temporary surge to 8.3 million units due to companies replacing Windows 10 machines, PC prices are expected to remain high, keeping them less accessible compared to modern consoles.