With over 76% of Japan's market comprised of mobile gaming, and less than 25% devoted to console gaming, what is the relevance of the Japanese gaming market?

With both Microsoft and Sony apparently pushing off the launch date for their new consoles in Japan, it would see the importance of that market is shrinking more and more. 

Is console gaming on life support?  Should we start calling in family members to say their good-byes?

Should all three abandon home consoles in Japan and instead focus on building home console experiences via a mobile gaming device?

Its this reason that I think that Nintendo's next thing will be a console / handheld hybrid.

Or just a really powerful handheld.

They should stop releasing home consoles on japan and while they are at it on the rest of the world. In fact forget about everyone and just release on north america and europe.

The Wii and PS3 combined in Japan, have sold about 22 Million units in Japan, which is very close to the final PS2 total in Japan, which is again about 22 Million units.

Japan is still relevant, its just that we didnt have one dominating console throughout the entire generation.

Japan is still relevant. I'm pretty sure that consoles sell more in Japan than they do in France, Germany, Spain and Italy, don't shoot me if I'm wrong, and they need to translate games and consoles to those contries as well as Japan. But I think we'll see that Japan gets less and less important for home consoles. And, as mr. crazy said, I think Nintendo are going to go for a handheld console hybrid next gen. Should suite them perfectly in Japan, and possibly everywhere else too.

Japan is the reason why video games were revived in the early 80s. It's where the greatest (most popular) publisher on earth is based off of (Nintendo).

Their relevance is immeasurable.

Sony and Ninty is from the Land of the Rising Sun. I doubt they would just leave and forget about them. I think MS is going to try again this coming gen. too. They know its relevant.

Yes. it not like Sony won't release the PS4 in December or something.

Keeping the PS3 ahead of the Xbox 360, that's what!

HA.

OT: There's still a pretty significant market for home consoles in Japan, and no next-gen console seems to be taking advantage of it at the moment. It's a real shame Sony don't seem to be trying to push the PS4 in Japan, fingers crossed for a good TGS.