Japan Tops Global Mobile Game Spending at $578, Double the U.S. and South Korea, and 9x the Global Average

After a sharp 10% revenue drop in 2022 and 2023, the mobile gaming industry has bounced back and continues surging. In 2025 alone, players worldwide are expected to spend over $126 billion on gaming apps, $8 billion more than last year, and $4 billion above the previous all-time high set in 2021. And while more than half of that value will come from the United States and China, the world`s largest mobile gaming markets, neither country matches Japan when it comes to mobile game spending per user.

According to data presented by Skinsluck.com, Japan tops global mobile game spending at $578, twice as much as the United States and South Korea, and nine times higher than the global average.

With Only 122 Million People, Japan Nearly Matches the U.S. and China in Total Spend

Japan`s dominance in mobile game spending shows how per-capita intensity can easily flip the global leaderboard. While the United States and China, the two largest mobile gaming markets and some of the world’s most populous countries, have much larger populations, Japan, with only 122 million, nearly matches both giants.

According to Statista Market Insights, players worldwide are set to spend a whopping $126 billion on mobile games this year. More than half of that value will come from the U.S. and China, with $36 billion and $31 billion in revenue, respectively. Much smaller Japan ranked in third place with $20.9 billion, ahead of South Korea ($6.1 billion) and Germany ($3.2 billion).

However, Japan`s major role in the mobile gaming space becomes even more obvious when looking at average spending per user. With an astronomical $579 per person annually, Japan is the only outlier in the top five group. Not only does it outpace the global average of $60 by an impressive nine times, but it also leaves every other mobile gaming giant far behind.

In comparison, Americans are forecasted to spend around $215 per user this year, less than half the figure expected in Japan. Despite its massive population of over 1.4 billion people, China lags far behind these numbers and even the global average, with around $50 per user or ten times less than Japan.

South Korea also punches above its weight. Despite a relatively small population of 52 million, the country will spend roughly $6 billion in total on mobile games, ranking fourth on the global list, with per-user spend of $252, the second highest globally.

Statistics show Germany also has quite an impressive mobile game spending considering its population. With 83 million people, Germans rank as the world`s fourth-largest mobile game spenders, with an average spending per user of $179.

The World’s Biggest Mobile Game Spender, and the Only One Facing a Five-Year Decline

Interestingly, as the world`s biggest spender on mobile games, Japan is also the only country among the top five facing a five-year spending decline. While Japanese players will spend a whopping $578 on mobile games in 2025, this figure is forecasted to slip by 2.7% to $562 by 2030. However, this minor decline won't affect Japan`s dominance in per-user spending.

All other major mobile gaming markets will see their user spending grow in this period, with Germany leading the way. Statista expects Germans to spend 20% more on average on mobile games by 2030, or around $216 per person. The United States and China follow with a 15% increase, reaching $248 and $57 per user, respectively. Statistics also show South Koreans will spend 10% more on mobile games five years from now, or $278. This double-digit surge in most major mobile gaming markets, along with growth in other parts of the world, will push industry revenue to nearly $164 billion, or $38 billion more than this year.