Console gaming is on the rise in the region
- by Damien McFerran
The success of the Switch in China means that Nintendo is poised to become the market leader in that region, overtaking the Sony PlayStation 4, according to a report by Niko Partners.
The Chinese console market is set to hit $2.15 billion by 2024, with the total number of console gamers expected to surpass 19 million – in 2019, it was 11 million. Despite this growth, console sales account for around 1% of total video game revenue in China, a region where PC and mobile gaming are both incredibly popular.
Sony's consoles have always been steady sellers in China – even during the console ban which took place between 2000 and 2014 – but the Switch has flown out of the gate since its launch in 2019, and titles like Ring Fit Adventure and Animal Crossing: New Horizons have triggered a surge in sales. On top of this, the sale of "grey imports" is also strong.
But what about the incoming PS5 and Xbox Series X? Niko partners president Lisa Cosmas Hanson notes that while interest in next-gen systems exists in China, demand isn't as high as it is in the west, which means Switch could potentially enjoy a bumper 2021 in that region and claim the position of China's most popular console.
[source venturebeat.com]
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About Damien McFerran
Damien has been writing professionally about tech and video games since 2007 and oversees all of Hookshot Media's sites from an editorial perspective. He's also the editor of Time Extension, the network's newest site, which – paradoxically – is all about gaming's past glories.
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Comments 25
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- johnvboy
Nintendo have the right platform and games to perform well in China.
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- Octane
@KillerBOB There are only 7 million people on this planet...
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- CharizardEmperor
PS5 will keep Sony at #1 in China.
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- SillyG
I had no idea that Nintendo and Sony were also competing in the manufacturing of china. This is earthen shattering news!
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- Clyde_Radcliffe
Doesn't playing videogames reduce people's social credit score there? 👀
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- Feguy
@Clyde_Radcliffe what doesn't?
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- yodashi
@Feguy @Octane means 7 milions. Thats a meme.
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- Feguy
@yodashi ok?
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- Bunkerneath
China, a region where PC and mobile gaming are both incredibly popular (especially rip off pokemon games)
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- jermasaurus
@johnvboy ok?
also what’s the thought process of your pfp, just curious
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- Willsy
@KillerBOB lol, you not wrong dude
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- ModdedInkling
Of course the Switch would do successful in China. For one thing, most of the market there was PC and mobile. The PS4 doesn't bring much to offer in terms of being unique from a PC, whereas the Switch has proven itself to being more than just a game console; playing some of the PC-level games on the go without the need to rely on constant internet connections, or having a party with the family and friends, or simply playing unique games that aren't (officially and legally) offered on PC.
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- Anguspuss
does this mean no winnie the pooh games anytime soon then
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- Ryu_Niiyama
That’s cool. I wonder if they increased the official releases? There are only a few official games right?
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- SwitchForce
If any outside of China didn't know this then they were living in a bubble. Sorry to say but the world is bigger then just you.
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- johnvboy
@jermasaurus,
I thought it was simple, but here goes, China like the more family orientated games and the fact the console can be used as a handheld.
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- spirit_flame
Not sure whether you could call the Switch Chinese launch a success. They only have a handful of games to play. I've read about the anger from consumers. Any game that allows communication or graphic mod is a no-no. I'm guessing that any game narrative regarding freedom is a no-no too.
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- NEStalgia
@Anguspuss At least Arkham Knight will sell well!
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- SillyG
@USWITCH64 : The land of the literal hot dog.
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- Gus_Campos
90% of the switch sales are "grey imports". no one wants to play the chinese (censored) switch version. another thing to bear in mind is that the chinese market is dominated by mobile games. and many of the switch titles falls under this category.
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- Gus_Campos
@spirit_flame I live in China (I am not Chinese) and I know absolutely no one who bought the chinese version.
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- spirit_flame
@Gus_Campos Absolutely facinating place. Compared to North Korea, I'm guessing people are more aware - yet they still have restrictions.
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- westman98
Switch has a legitimate shot at being the best-selling gaming platform ever in China if it maintains this level of demand.
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- Gus_Campos
@spirit_flame Well, being more aware than North Korea is like having at least 0,01% awareness
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- Gus_Campos
@westman98 Not really, because, because the normal switch version is sold on the grey market, so their sales counts as sales in Japan.
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