Perhaps consumers there are also tired of paying increasingly high prices for hardware only to be locked into an ecosystem where games not only cost more on average (with sales not being as frequent as on PC), but also go away sometime after the manufacturer moves on to their next console.
I also wonder if the advent of small form factor machines like the various decks, steam machine, more availability mini-ITX boards also served to fuel this uptick.
The Japanese love small multi use gadgets. If they can have a gaming console, editing software, an email machine, and a video player in a small form factor that fits neatly in their tiny apartment then they’d go for it. I think the premium for space and respect for their own property is why so many legacy games and consoles are still so easy to find and purchase in second hand stores over there.
I can’t find the make or model, but I remember watching a video about how a Japanese company produced a high end digital camera but in a tiny frame. The camera met terrible reviews outside of Japan because the small form factor caused issues with overheating and short battery life. It became the #1 camera sold in Japan for years because Japanese people cared more about the size than anything else.
IKEA also initially had terrible sales when they opened their first stores in Japan because their furniture only had a single use. They had to update their designs to be multi-use.
Steam’s top games of the year in Japan, in contrast to consoles where Nintendo’s Switch and Switch 2 exclusives dominate, are driven by global free-to-play titles, with Counter-Strike 2, PUBG: Battlegrounds, and Apex Legends being the three biggest games in terms of revenue. Of the top twelve titles, only Monster Hunter Wilds from Capcom was developed by a Japanese company, with hits like ARC Raiders and Call of Duty also making the list. In terms of playtime, Left 4 Dead 2 was top, followed by Terraria, with DOTA 2 and Stardew Valley also making the list.
Watch out Sony. Wonder if Nintendo will see their sales affected by PC one day?
No worries, they taking proactive steps in suing every emulator creator left and right.
I’m sure that will work out in their favor haha
I don’t blame them when Playstation and Nintendo got greedy.
“Got” greedy?
Over 200 Percent In Four Years
Such a strange metric. No graphs either
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