PC and mobile game markets in East Asia was expected to generate $29.8 billion in 2023 and is now projected to reach a staggering $30.8 billion by 2027. This will see gamers in the region increase from 108.3 million last year to 110.6 million come 2027.

This comes from a recent report by research firm Niko Partners which revealed that Japan continues to maintain its status as a gaming powerhouse and stands as the world's third-largest video game market, contributing over 60% of the total games revenue in the region.

The report also finds that more than half of the total gamers in East Asia are based in Japan. As far as console games revenue goes, Japan is projected to surpass $3 billion in 2027.

Revenue and gamers

Elsewhere, Korea holds a dominant position in the PC games market, leading both in revenue and the number of gamers. The Korean games market generates more than 55% of the total games revenue in East Asia while Korean PC gamers make up over 45% of the total PC gamers in East Asia.

The highest proportion of Korean PC gamers, accounting for 42.7%, choose to spend part of their gaming time at internet cafes (PC Bang), surpassing other countries in Asia-10. However, Chinese Taipei takes the lead in the percentage of its gaming population, with over 56% of its citizens being gamers, surpassing both Japan and Korea.

The Japanese games industry experiences additional consolidation with an increased number of Japanese games receiving approval from China’s National Press and Publication Administration (NPPA) despite the country's recent anti-gaming regulation.

Korea's games revenue on the other hand, benefits from esports-related titles, with League of Legends standing out as one of the most popular esports titles in the country.