Japan’s Gaming Market 2014: Status Quo & Examples Of Portrait Usage

1Source: Wikipedia/Taito

About Me

2

• CEO & founder of Kantan Games Inc. • Advisor for various gaming startups in the US

and Asia • Japan contributor for TechCrunch.com from

2008-2012 • Based in Japan since 2004 • MBA and PhD in economics • Hardcore gamer since 1983

My Website For Free Information On Japan’s Mobile Game Industry http://www.serkantoto.com

Contact Information

Twitter: http://twitter.com/serkantoto LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/serkantotoEmail: serkan AT serkantoto.com

I: Japan's Gaming Market: Status Quo

6

Worldwide Market For Games Is Growing

7

Worldwide Market For Games Is Growing

Size Of Japan‘s Gaming Market

8

Size Of Japan‘s Smartphone Gaming Market

9

Social (Mobile) Is Bigger Than Video Gaming

10

Source: The Nikkei

Mobile Gaming Ecosystem In Japan

Platform layer (over 20 in total)

Listed makers (20-30)

Private makers (over 350)

Market Leaders In Mobile Games In Japan(as of October 06, 2014)

1. GungHo Online (US$5.4 billion market cap) 2. Colopl (US$4.1 billion) 3. Mixi (US$4.1 billion*) 4. CyberAgent (US$2.2 billion**) 5. DeNA (US$1.9 billion) 6. GREE (US$1.7 billion)

12

* Mixi reaches this market cap only because of their smash hit game Monster Strike, their social networking service is on the verge of “death” ** CyberAgent is a prominent game maker but also an online ad powerhouse

Market Leaders In Console Gaming (2012)

1. Nintendo (21.3% of sales in Japan) 2. Namco Bandai (19.3%) 3. Capcom (8.8%) 4. Square Enix (8.2%) 5. Pokemon Company (6.4%)

13

Source: Enterbrain

II: Japan's Gaming Market: Examples Of Portrait Usage

Hori Chiemi - Strawberry Puzzle (MSX, 1985)

15

Source: Tape Load

Takeshi No Chōsenjō (NES, 1986)

16

Source: Wikipedia/Taito

Nakayama Miho No Tokimeki High School (NES, 1987)

17

Source: Wikipedia/Square/Nintendo

Jumbo Ozaki - Hole In One Professional Golf (NES, 1988)

18

Source: Sara-Net/HAL

Jackie Chan Action Kung Fu (NEC PC Engine, 1991)

19

Source: VGDen/Hudson Soft

Nai Nai No Meitantei (Sony PS, 1999)

20

Source: Bandai

Onimusha Series (Sony PS 2, 2001-2004)

21

Source: Capcom

Onimusha 4 flopped because it “lacked characters based on real actors“ (Sony PS 2, 2006)

22

Source: Capcom

AKB48 Stage Fighter (iOS/Android, 2011)

23

Source: AKS/GREE

Gossip Girl - Celeb No Kareshi No Yuuwaku (iOS/Android, 2012)

24

Source: WBEI/Voltage

Fantastic Eleven - 3D Soccer (iOS/Android, 2014)

25

Source: Klab

Akko No Uchuu Daisensou (iOS/Android, 2014)

26

Source: GNT

Portrait Rights Usage In Japanese Games

27

• Celebrities have been used for “electronic games” in Japan since the mid-1980s

• Celebrities have various backgrounds (sport stars, singers, actors, “idols”, etc.) and can be from Japan or abroad

• Genres covered include sports games, music, action, adventures, and others

• Nowadays, usage of portraits in Japanese games is shifting from console to mobile (along with the industry as a whole)

Thank you for listening!