Combined PC and PlayStation unit sales in Japan rose 13% year-on-year to 21 million in the first half of 2026, with Capcom ranking as the top publisher by units sold across both platforms, according to Sensor Tower's latest Japan Game Market Insights report. The firm's Japan data covers Steam and PlayStation only.

Resident Evil Requiem drove much of that growth. Capcom's latest horror release delivered its strongest first-month performance on Steam, selling an estimated 2.6 million units.

Why does Steam matter for Capcom?

"The result underscores Steam's growing importance to premium Japanese games, giving Capcom immediate access to a large global audience while extending the series beyond its traditional console strength," Sensor Tower said.

Engagement metrics back that up. Steam players averaged 25 hours of playtime in Requiem, the highest figure among comparable titles in the franchise.

"A Steam page established 264 days before release provided a long runway for awareness and wishlists, while broad participation across the United States, China, Japan, Europe, and other markets helped turn anticipation into sustained play," the report noted.

Requiem passed eight million units in July and lifted Capcom's latest financial results alongside Pragmata, with the publisher also reporting "ongoing sales growth" from Resident Evil 4 and Resident Evil 2.

What happened to mobile?

Mobile in-app purchase revenue fell 5.1% year-on-year to ¥1.56 trillion ($10 billion), with downloads dropping 5.4% to 585 million. Japan still ranks as Asia's second-largest mobile gaming market.

Key mobile figures from the report:

• Japan generated twice the IAP revenue of South Korea and almost four times that of Taiwan
• Domestic players produced 65% of IAP revenue, versus 35% from overseas
• Japan-based publishers accounted for 28% of mobile downloads in Q2 2026, below the 32% recorded a year earlier
• Gaming drew $749.7 million in ad spend and 208 billion impressions in H1, ranking third among Japan's top advertising categories

Sensor Tower said local publishers' download share "has stabilised since late 2026" but remains under pressure "as overseas publishers collectively expand their reach among Japanese gamers."

Which games and genres led?

eFootball was Japan's highest-grossing mobile game from January to July 2026, followed by Monster Strike, Last War: Survival and Whiteout Survival. Sensor Tower credited Konami with sustaining "momentum from April through July by aligning football-themed content with heightened World Cup interest." Dragon Quest Smash/Grow was the country's top action RPG by both IAP and revenue over the same period.

By genre, RPGs captured 32.8% of mobile IAP revenue and strategy games took 23.8%, while puzzle games drove the largest share of downloads at 37.8%.

What comes next?

The console and PC segment's 13% growth contrasts with a shrinking mobile market, a divergence publishers will weigh as they plan releases for the second half of 2026. Requiem's eight-million-unit milestone in July suggests Capcom's dual PC-console strategy has room to run, and Sensor Tower's next quarterly data will show whether overseas publishers can push their download share in Japan back above the 32% mark.