VP Pontow on Entering the Japanese Mobile Game Market

Robert Pontow
VP Publishing
Active Gaming Media Inc.

Active Gaming Media is a service provider and publisher who offers a one-stop
solution for bringing entertainment-related contents – with a focus on games – to
the rest of world and especially is supporting foreign developer and publishers to
release their titles in Japan.
Robert Pontow is working in the gaming industry in Japan since 2009, Robert
boasts a deep understanding of both Japanese and Western audiences, and has
utilized his wealth of experience in marketing and business development to assist
titles in their entry into the Japanese market. Currently he is in charge of publishing
at PLAYISM, the biggest indie game publishing brand in Japan.
Copyright © 2016 ACTIVE GAMING MEDIA All Right Reserved.

• Mobile App Gamer: 33.8 million
• Mobile Game Market Size: $9+ billion
→ 50.3% iOS vs. 49.7 Android
• US, Japan, China accumulate 75% of
iOS revenue
Sources: App Annie Index: Q2 2016; Google Play | CONNECT 2016

• Highest ARPU in the world • Highest IAP per average install
iOS Android
Country IAP/Install Country IAP/Install
Japan $8.86 Japan $8.42
HK $3.00 HK $4.68
Korea $2.19 Taiwan $3.64
Singapore $2.06 Korea $3.38
Australia $1.90 NZ $3.30
Switzerland $1.62 Singapore $2.78
Taiwan $1.32 Switzerland $2.48
US $0.97 US $2.17
Canada $0.95 Australia $1.93
UK $0.84 China $1.90
Sources: Monetizing Mobile Games - App Annie (2016); Google Play | CONNECT 2016

→ Top 10 games = 50% of all gaming
revenue
→ 90% of revenue comes from local
content
→ Japanese gamers are 3x more
engaged than US gamers
→ 70% of downloads, play-time and
revenue come from RPGs or casual
games, as well as hybrid genres (RPGs:
30.5% on iOS; 37.3% on Android)
Sources: Understanding the Mobile Games Market in Japan – App Annie (2016)

Because of
• Extremely mature, demanding users
with special likes and dislikes, and
• A hyper competitive market
Japan requires
• More engagement and user focus, and
• Effective user acquisition
Leading to
• High operation costs, and
• High marketing costs
Sources: Understanding the Mobile Games Market in Japan – App Annie (2016)
What can foreign companies
do in Japan?
→ Focus on core uses and
apply culturalization

1) Good Game
2) App Store Localization + ASO
3) Localization and Voice Over
4) Graphics and Art
5) Operation, Events, CS/CM
6) Game Mechanics and
Monetization System
7) PR and Marketing
Culturalization - Points to consider
• Budget
• Involvement
• Appeal

• Innovative,
• Addictive,
• Of High quality,
• Have Niche-value,
• A Strong IP, or
• A Favorable genre
Sources: MOBIUS FINAL FANTASY, SQUARE ENIX INC; Minions Paradise, Electronic Arts; Toca Kitchen Monster, Toca Boca
Appealing games are…

What store elements to localize and optimize:
Game Title Description As well as…
• Video (incl. music and voice)
• IAP Product names
Sources: My Country 2020, Game Insight

Screenshots Icon
English Version Chinese Version Japanese Version
English/Chinese, Korean and
Japanese Icons
Korean Version
Sources: Seven Knigths, Netmarble

What means localization?
- Familiarization with the game
- In-game text translation within
the cultural background
- Dubbing and voice over
- Adapting graphics and
background with text
- UI localization
- Others adaptations like dates,
phone numbers, addresses etc.
- LQA and Debug
Sources: Mushroom Garden HD, BeeworksGames

Notes on localization into Japanese as a contextual
language:
- Translation/Localization takes longer
- Important to know the background of the game and its characters
- Japanese has more variations of the same word
- Cultural nuances and associations are different
Sources: http://sgcafecosplay.blogspot.jp
Example: “You”
- No “you” but suffixes: ～様（sama）; さん～君（kun）; ～ちゃん（chan）; ～殿
（dono）; ～氏（shi）; ～卿（kyo）; ～先生（sensei）; ～社長（shachou： CEO） etc.
- Informal “you”: 君（kimi）; お前（omae）; あんた（anta）; kisama – きさま

What kind of games are
popular?
Games that…
1) Look Japanese → Manga/Anime style
2) Are cartoony, cute and colorful
3) Have a simple and clean design
4) Use a popular characters or themes
5) Have HD graphics

Sources: EvilBane: Rise of Ravens, Netmarble
Different character design Different background and UI
Different art assets
and way of displaying

1) Customer Support and
Community Management
2) Operation and Events
Goal:
- New players, increase in active
users, retention and loyalty
- Increased paying user rate
Sources: Clash of Kings, Elex Wireless
Key Points in Japan for Higher Engagement and User Focus:

Sources: Google Play | CONNECT 2016; Happy Street, 3rd Kind; MOBIUS FINAL FANTASY, SQUARE ENIX INC
b) Social Media Events
and Gift Campaigns
- Pre-registrations
- Free gifts
- Gifts based on
achievements, e.g.
social sharing
Community Event Types:
a) Time Limited Events
and Guerilla Events
- Short to very limited
period
- Unexpected
- Rare and special
wanted items,
characters, in-game
credits etc.

Sources: Google Play | CONNECT 2016; MOBIUS FINAL FANTASY, SQUARE ENIX INC ; Puzzle & Dragons, GungHoOnlineEntertainment
d) Internal and External
Collaboration Events
- With popular IPs
- Mutual with other games
- With other industries
offline
Often:
- Time limited and one time
only characters, items etc.
- Using various media for
promotion, e.g. TVCM
c) Gacha and Sale Event
- Special items, characters
through Gacha
- Increased probability
- Items, characters on sale
- Special gifts for whales
- Time limited

Japanese Players like…
- Easy and intuitive UI with many sub-menus
- Easy controls, autoplay, extensive tutorials
- Cooperative over competitive multiplayer
- A variety of rankings
- Vertical over horizontal play
- Short play sessions
- Hybrid genres (casual to mid-core)
- Text intensive, “idolized” and IPs
- Etc.
AND
- Monetization: Gacha and Events
Sources: Kantan Games, Inc.; THE iDOLM@STER Cinderella Girls: Starlight Stage, BANDAI NAMCO ENTERTAINMENT Inc.;

- Localize PR/Marketing
- Utilize pre-registration and SNS in
Japanese
- Go for local Let’s Plays and Live
Streams
- Consider offline marketing, real
events and collaborations
- Prepare a budget for TV Ads and
UA (if you can!)
Recommendation:
→ Japanese Partners
Example:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kt-vwjNvdQQ
Notes on PR in Japan:

- It’s more than worth to consider Japan
- A few tweaks to the game can create a positive return (light culturalization)
- A big wallet makes the difference (heavy culturalization)
- It’s important to not exaggerate culturalization (always keep the balance and
keep the soul of the game)
- Work with a partner!
Thank you!

VP Pontow on Entering the Japanese Mobile Game Market

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