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While entering the Japanese market may seem challenging, the forecasts clearly indicate that a well-thought-out market-entry strategy could lead to significant revenue increase. So, let’s see what Japan mobile games market trends to expect in 2025 and how to get ready for them.
Japan’s mobile games market was set for remarkable growth in 2024, with revenue expected to reach US$16.77 billion. This upward trend is projected to continue with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.92%, driving the market volume to nearly US$19.93 billion by 2027. As mobile gaming becomes even more popular, user penetration will increase from 28.2% in 2024 to 31.1% in 2027, with an estimated 38.2 million users.
With an average revenue per user projected at US$0.48k in 2024, Japan’s mobile gaming sector presents a prime opportunity for those who invest in a strategic approach to tap into this thriving market.
The Japanese gaming market is predominantly driven by character-based businesses. A significant contributor to this trend is the popularity of gacha (loot box) systems, which offer in-game rewards and collectibles that resonate strongly with Japanese consumers. These insights are crucial for understanding Japan mobile games market trends.
For a new game entering the Japanese market, it is standard to run 3-5 creative tests. This is similar to practices in the US and ensures that the creative resonates with the audience before scaling up the campaign. It is a vital part of understanding Japan mobile games market trends.
Japan mobile games market trends also include featuing people playing the game, whether that is regular people or celebrities. It helps the viewers to understand what they would experience or feel like when playing the game. Ads should also show gameplay to demonstrate the experience they could encounter.
Japanese game ads are featured in both traditional and digital mediums, especially if it is a very famous IP, whether it’s newspaper, magazine, website, editorials, OOH, public transportation etc.
Overall, most Japanese media tends to lean on the information-heavy side, often including as much text as possible to fully describe a product or service, reflecting Japan mobile games market trends.
Ads that show people playing the game or directly reflect in-game experiences perform well in Japan. However, Japanese consumers are particularly sensitive to misleading ads. They expect ads to accurately represent the gameplay experience. Discrepancies between ad content and actual game features can lead to dissatisfaction and rapid uninstallation. This sensitivity is partly because Japanese gamers invest considerable time and money in games, they deem valuable and trustworthy. Avoid misleading creative elements to prevent losing credibility with your audience.
Seasonal events hold great importance in Japan and are valuable opportunities to align your campaigns with local culture.
Focus on Japan-specific holidays like Shōgatsu (New Year’s Day), White Day, Golden Week, Bunka no Hi (Culture Day), as well as summer vacation, and spring break seasons. These long holidays are ideal for running special promotions and limited-time events.
To boost engagement and revenue, consider running limited-time events that are tailored to these key dates. Implementing event-driven content can help you increase revenue by up to 30% during these peak periods. SuperFaction can assist by providing:
By adhering to these recommendations and focusing on cultural alignment, creative testing, and localized advertising strategies, game marketers can significantly optimize their user acquisition efforts in Japan’s highly lucrative mobile games market.
With a local presence, we’ve successfully helped numerous games enter the Japanese market and expand their reach, thriving in this challenging yet highly rewarding gaming landscape, guided by Japan mobile games market trends.
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