Leading Gaming Brands in Japan: Q4 2023 Overview

Introduction

In the competitive landscape of Japan’s gaming industry, several brands have emerged as leaders in Q4 2023. This article examines the performance and trends of three prominent brands: AbemaTV, Inc. (株式会社AbemaTV), Nintendo, and Pokémon GO. Utilizing Sensor Tower’s comprehensive data, we explore audience trends, app engagement, and advertising strategies across these brands. Sensor Tower’s unparalleled insights provide a detailed view of cross-platform user behavior, a critical asset for understanding market dynamics.

AbemaTV, Inc. (株式会社AbemaTV)

AbemaTV stands out with its dual presence through its website, abema.tv, and the app, ABEMA(アベマ) 新しい未来のTV.

• Audience Trends: Throughout Q4 2023, AbemaTV maintained a stable monthly deduplicated audience of over 15M. The website experienced a slight decline in monthly unique visits from 9.6M in October to 9.1M in December. The app audience showed a similar downward trend, starting at 11M monthly active users in October and decreasing to just under 10.5M by December.

• App Engagement: The app's monthly active users decreased gradually, indicating a potential shift in user engagement patterns.

• Ad Spend & Channels: AbemaTV's monthly advertising spend decreased over the quarter, from approximately $96K in October to $78K in December, with the majority of impressions generated via Instagram.

Nintendo

Nintendo’s digital footprint is significant, with its website, nintendo.com, and the app, Nintendo Switch Parental Cont….

• Audience Trends: Nintendo saw a notable increase in monthly unique website visits, rising from 9.7M in October to over 11M in December. The monthly deduplicated audience also grew, reaching approximately 12M by the end of the quarter.

• App Engagement: The app displayed stable monthly engagement, with active users increasing from 701K in October to nearly 788K in December.

• Ad Spend & Channels: Nintendo significantly ramped up its monthly advertising efforts, with spending climbing from $84K in October to over $304K in December, predominantly through Instagram, achieving substantial impressions.

Pokémon GO

Pokémon GO, with its website pokemongolive.com and the app, Pokémon GO, continues to captivate audiences.

• Audience Trends: The website saw an increase in monthly unique visits, from 228K in October to 268K in December. The monthly deduplicated audience remained relatively stable, hovering around 4.5M.

• App Engagement: The app's monthly active user base showed a slight decline from 4.4M in October to 4.1M in December, indicating consistent engagement.

• Ad Spend & Channels: Pokémon GO's monthly ad spend saw a significant spike in December, reaching over $116K, with a notable increase in Instagram impressions.

Conclusion

Q4 2023 highlighted dynamic shifts in the gaming industry in Japan. AbemaTV, Nintendo, and Pokémon GO each demonstrated unique strategies and trends, with Sensor Tower’s data providing invaluable insights into their audience engagement and advertising approaches. Sensor Tower remains an essential tool for understanding these complex cross-platform dynamics, offering unmatched data across web, app, and advertising channels.

For more detailed insights, explore Sensor Tower’s Web Insights, App Performance Insights, and Pathmatics offerings.