Japanese have traditionally loved gaming – this seems to have changed this Autumn due to the global recession. Times Business reports that sales have surprisingly plummeted, leaving Japanese console makers wondering about how recession-proof their business actually is.
According to unnamed Japanese analysts, Christmas sales will be ok. But: things will get worse quickly after that. Publishers have to take part of the blame, as they are accused of not producing enougnh games which appeal to the Japanese market.
Furthermore, the global growth of casual gaming seems to stop slowly but surely. A KBC Securities analysts states that:
“Nintendo will never say it, but casual gamers, almost by definition, are happy with just a few games and will easily cut gaming out of their discretionary spending as the downturn hits their wallets. The market seems to be expecting casual gamers to act like hardcore gamers and they just won’t.”
Image: Wikimedia Commons/Masato OHTA
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