The console game market in Japan grew by 138% year-on-year in 2025 with strong hardware and software sales for Nintendo Switch 2 as major contributing factors, according to the latest report from Kadokawa Game Linkage and Famitsu (via Otaku Soken). The Japan console game market generated 418.13 billion yen (roughly $2.64 billion) in tracked sales, which don’t include digital sales on Switch 2, DLC, and in-game purchases.
Further, the report noted that hardware sales in Japan went up 149.3% over the previous year, and physical software sales increased by 121% compared to 2024. The growth was attributed to the launch of Nintendo Switch 2, which sold 3.784 million units by the end of the year. The original Nintendo Switch sold 1.52 million units, beating the 879,000 units sold by PS5 in Japan for the entire year.
Mario Kart World and Pokémon Legends: Z-A were among the best-selling games in Japan for 2025 at 2.668 million units and 2.534 million units sold, respectively. Dragon Quest VII Reimagined and Resident Evil Requiem are among two of the most anticipated games for Nintendo Switch 2 this year, with Kadokawa Game Linkage and Famitsu expecting Nintendo Switch 2 to continue driving market growth in 2026.
