There’s always been a question of how well video games affect a nation and its economy. After all, people buy video games all the time, and they can be an expensive item. So if enough of them are sold, it’ll boost the economy, right? It’s a bit more complicated than that, and that’s why you honestly don’t hear much from certain nations about how well video game sales are boosting things like their GDP. However, in Japan, a new report states that the launch of Tears of the Kingdom helped raise the nation’s GDP, which is quite something.
The report, as revealed by Forbes, states that Japan’s GDP rose last quarter by about 6% and that a member of the Japanese Cabinet Office noted that game releases like Tears of the Kingdom were part of the cause of that GDP spike. Whether that’s true or not is once again complicated. Forbes also notes that exports did very well in the last quarter in Japan while their domestic purchases were down.
That being said, the video game sales of the quarter were up 2.8% compared to last quarter. While Nintendo’s title was a big reason for the jump, especially given its selling millions of units just within Japan alone, it wasn’t the only title that came out in that quarter that had an impact.
Street Fighter 6 and Final Fantasy XVI were also released in that quarter, and both have been hits for Capcom and Square Enix, with both confirmed to have sold over a million units, if not multiple millions.
But going back to the Nintendo Switch title, it’s honestly a bit funny to hear how the game has had such a profound impact on a place, given its history. Remember, the game was first announced in 2019, and then Nintendo stayed mum on it for years until we finally heard of its official name. It was delayed multiple times as Eiji Aonuma and the rest of the development team wanted to ensure the game was as perfect as possible at launch.
The wait was worth it, and all told, the game has sold over 18 million units since launch, and it’s likely close to or over 20 million by now. The title was so good that it’s considered the frontrunner in the Game of the Year category, and fans are already eager to see what The Big N will do with the next game in the franchise.
Oh, and if it keeps boosting Japan’s GDP? Then that’s a plus too.
