The Japanese trading card game market is expected to have grown by 59.0% in fiscal 2022 from the previous year to 103.8 billion yen about $781 million as Pokemon cards regained popularity, according to a market research firm.
The results of the March 30 survey on the analog game market were announced by Yano Research Institute Ltd. The popularity of Pokemon cards, which are based on the Pokemon game, has given the market a boost, according to the company. The survey was conducted from November 2022 to February 2023 through in-person interviews, phone calls and emails to businesses and industry associations that are involved in analog games or games that don't require electricity.
Since the introduction of the Pokemon cards in 1996, they have been attracting more attention, and have been increasing in popularity since 2018. Its rise in popularity is credited to the Starter Deck, a set of cards for immediate play, and the hit smartphone game Pokemon GO. They are more popular as collectibles as it became more difficult to play face to face during the coronavirus epidemic.
Yano Research Institute believes that the market will continue to expand with the release of new trading card game titles and the entry of competitors from other industries.