By using this site, you agree to our Privacy Policy and our Terms of Use. Close

Forums - Gaming Discussion - Nintendo Switch set to become console market leader in China

The Nintendo Switch is expected to overtake sales of Sony’s market-leading PlayStation 4 in China, according to a report from market researcher Niko Partners.

Niko forecasts that console gaming in China is expected to grow steadily to $2.15 billion in 2024. Sony is the market leader, but the Nintendo Switch is quickly closing ground, said Niko partners president Lisa Cosmas Hanson said in an email to GamesBeat.

The total number of console gamers in China hit 11 million in 2019, and that is expected to grow to 19.1 million in 2024. Even so, console software sales are still about 1% of total game software revenue in China.

Cosmas Hanson said Sony’s PlayStation brand has always been strong in China, even during the console ban from 2000 to 2014, thanks to gray market imports. Sony also focus on a more localized experience with titles from Chinese developers. The Switch is doing well thanks to the popularity of Ring Fit Adventure and Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Cosmas Hanson said gray market sales of Switch software are also strong.

Next-generation consoles?

As for the next-generation consoles, demand isn’t as big as it is in the West, but a discerning group of gamers wants high-quality games and sees the new consoles as an option.

“Neither of the next-generation consoles will be available in China this year (officially) but gray market imports always can be found in shops throughout the country,” Cosmas Hanson said. “Hardware and software prices continue to be barriers to the mainstream success of consoles in China. That being said, Chinese gamers are interested in playing triple-A titles that are available on consoles, and this has led to an increase in premium game sales on PC.”

Source Via

---

EDIT: Original NL article had some misquotes, decided to post the original text instead.

Note that only 17% of Chinese gamers own a console and console software sales are just 1% of total game software revenue in China...

Last edited by TomaTito - on 04 November 2020

@Twitter | Switch | Steam

You say tomato, I say tomato 

"¡Viva la Ñ!"

Around the Network
TomaTito said:

The Switch is doing well thanks to the popularity of Ring Fit Adventure and Animal Crossing: New Horizons.

But... Isn't AC banned in China?

Regardless it's still a pretty small console market, so unless things change drastically its not gonna have that big an effect on global sales for Switch or any other console for that matter.



Try out my free game on Steam

2024 OpenCritic Prediction Leagues:

Nintendo | PlayStation | Multiplat

PS4 has been RIP since PS5 was announced if not earlier, so I am surprised the Switch hasn't passed the PS4 yet, when it probably already passed in countries like SK and Taiwan.



This isn't too surprising, because China has such strict laws. Only a few games get approved regardless of what consoles enter China. One of PS4's biggest advantages is its huge library. It doesn't have that advantage in China. Meanwhile Nintendo's biggest advantage is high quality first party titles. So, in China, the competition ends up being about a few quality titles instead of a large quantity of decent or good titles. That is a battle that Nintendo is favored to win.



So if the console market was 11 million there in 2019, and the Switch only released there in December last year, that 11 million is pretty much just PS4+ Xbone as of a year ago?
It'd be nice to have more recent figures as well as marketshare, as it is this report is annoyingly short on actual solid data.



Around the Network
curl-6 said:
So if the console market was 11 million there in 2019, and the Switch only released there in December last year, that 11 million is pretty much just PS4+ Xbone as of a year ago?
It'd be nice to have more recent figures as well as marketshare, as it is this report is annoyingly short on actual solid data.

See the green line? Console market is just a niche in China due to the banned period between 2000-2014.
As you say, they estimate 8 million console sales for the next four years, and most for them for Switch I guess?



@Twitter | Switch | Steam

You say tomato, I say tomato 

"¡Viva la Ñ!"

good that they are finally doing business in China, there is plenty of room for growth even with the restrictions



don't mind my username, that was more than 10 years ago, I'm a different person now, amazing how people change ^_^

I remember back in the day when China + India would ensure that the Wii would sell at least twice as much since huge population = huge sales. It was a fairly widespread belief in here. China's gaming market is massive, but consoles are simply a non-factor there.



China may not be a huge console market, but it pays to take advantage of the little markets, they all add up. That's how you get a good ROTW total.

Last edited by curl-6 - on 07 November 2020