Japan Leads Global Spending on Location-Based Games with Over $620 Million in 2023

According to a recent report by Sensor Tower, Japan has emerged as the world's largest market for location-based games, with consumer spending exceeding $620 million in 2023. This figure represents 50% of the global expenditure on geolocation titles. The top five games in this genre alone have generated $620 million, with Square Enix's Dragon Quest Walk leading the pack at $300 million in revenue, followed by Pokémon Go, Monster Hunter Go, Station Memo, and Nobunaga's Ambition. In comparison, the United States, the second-largest market, spent over $380 million on the top five games, a significant 40% less than Japan. Meanwhile, South Korea's spending on its top five games was under $16 million, and China's was less than $2 million. Interestingly, while Dragon Quest Walk dominates the Japanese market, Pokémon Go remains the most popular location-based game in the US and South Korea, with revenues of $300 million and $14 million, respectively. Sensor Tower attributes the success of geolocation games in Japan to factors such as the prevalence of walking and train travel, as well as the use of Japanese intellectual property in the top five games. Nevertheless, the genre still accounts for only 5% of Japan's overall mobile game revenue, indicating a relatively niche market.