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

Forums - Sales Discussion - MCV: UK market will overtake Japan this year

noname2200 on 28 January 2009
vic_viper said:
With an aging population and incredibly low birthrate you can expect the Japanese market to continue to shrink. Man I miss the mid 80s-90s of gaming, Japan was on point at home and the arcades, now they're just a shadow of what they were.

I'm afraid I have to agree with this. It's sad, though: watching Japan gradually lose interest in gaming is like slowly losing touch with an old friend...

 



Around the Network
outlawauron on 28 January 2009
c0rd said:
BKK2 said:
UK was already larger in terms of software units. If it wasn't or the collapse of the pound it would have been larger in value too.

Wait, is that right? Including portables? I'd like to see the numbers, the site only shows home consoles, I think.

I have a hard time believing this... I mean, Japan. They hit 19mil DS's before Others or America did. The UK's total current gen hardware doesn't even reach the DS in Japan. What have they been doing recently?

It's a strange situation. I mean, videogaming isn't dying there, is it? If everyone already has their system of choice (DS, PSP), would that justify them putting down less money on games, since they have no need to purchase the hardware?

Yeah, I need some legit excuses. I'm not liking this idea of Japan's market shrinking...

The market is shrinking, you can't deny that.



"We'll toss the dice however they fall,
And snuggle the girls be they short or tall,
Then follow young Mat whenever he calls,
To dance with Jak o' the Shadows."

Check out MyAnimeList and my Game Collection. Owner of the 5 millionth post.

NJ5 on 28 January 2009

And I'm contributing to that even though I never lived in the UK! lol.

If the British Pound continues to be weak, you can expect some slightly fake market growth this year. Any European who buys a console in their own country is paying more than they have to (and many games too).



My Mario Kart Wii friend code: 2707-1866-0957

BKK2 on 28 January 2009
c0rd said:
BKK2 said:
UK was already larger in terms of software units. If it wasn't or the collapse of the pound it would have been larger in value too.

Wait, is that right? Including portables? I'd like to see the numbers, the site only shows home consoles, I think.

I have a hard time believing this... I mean, Japan. They hit 19mil DS's before Others or America did. The UK's total current gen hardware doesn't even reach the DS in Japan. What have they been doing recently?

It's a strange situation. I mean, videogaming isn't dying there, is it? If everyone already has their system of choice (DS, PSP), would that justify them putting down less money on games, since they have no need to purchase the hardware?

Yeah, I need some legit excuses. I'm not liking this idea of Japan's market shrinking...

Famitsu and Chart-Track figures:

Year Japan UK Total JP % UK %
2000 60,070,500 24,200,000 84,270,500 71.3 28.7
2001 49,963,500 30,500,000 80,463,500 62.1 37.9
2002 54,055,300 31,500,000 85,555,300 63.2 36.8
2003 54,499,400 37,900,000 92,399,400 59.0 41.0
2004 58,516,100 42,800,000 101,316,100 57.8 42.2
2005 55,432,000 43,300,000 98,732,000 56.1 43.9
2006 77,160,800 46,200,000 123,360,800 62.5 37.5
2007 75,742,400 58,200,000 133,942,400 56.5 43.5
2008 66,055,700 74,300,000 140,355,700 47.1 52.9
Total 551,495,700 388,900,000 940,395,700 58.6 41.4

 


 Wii X360 PS3 NDS PSP PS2
2008 UK SW Units 20,100,000 14,900,000 10,400,000 19,100,000 4,100,000 5,700,000
2008 JP SW Units 12,802,200 1,770,000 5,155,100 28,269,500 9,745,800 7,112,000
Total SW Units 32,902,200 16,670,000 15,555,100 47,369,500 13,845,800 12,812,000

 

UK & Japan Total Weekly Software Unit Sales

The problem with Japan is the very low attach rate.

 

 



Squilliam on 29 January 2009
outlawauron said:
Call when a game sells over 2 million in one week in the UK.

Call me? We had a wonderful time a few days back.

 



Tease.

Around the Network
c0rd on 29 January 2009

Awesome, thanks BKK2.

Actually, it doesn't look... that bad, to be honest. Japan looks more or less stagnant, the eye opener is the UK's software somehow tripling over the last 8 years. That growth is insane.

Well, whatever. 2009 seems to be the real test if consoles are still alive in the country. If a flood of Wii games, MH3, Motion+, and FFXIII can't change things, nothing will.



JTurner82 on 02 February 2009
c0rd said:

Awesome, thanks BKK2.

Actually, it doesn't look... that bad, to be honest. Japan looks more or less stagnant, the eye opener is the UK's software somehow tripling over the last 8 years. That growth is insane.

Well, whatever. 2009 seems to be the real test if consoles are still alive in the country. If a flood of Wii games, MH3, Motion+, and FFXIII can't change things, nothing will.

 

 

I'm willing to think that it will change things in a good way.