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World's Top Exports

Trade metrics that inspire global thinking

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Top Video Games Exports by Country

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Minecraft Castle Video Game (courtesy of Pixabay.com)
Minecraft Castle Video Game
Worldwide exports of video game consoles and related equipment totaled US$23.7 billion in 2020. That dollar amount reflects a 47.6% increase for all video games shippers over the five-year period starting in 2016 when exported video games were worth $14.7 billion.

From 2019 to 2020, international sales of video games appreciated by 14.2%.

The 5 biggest video games exporters are China, Japan, Poland, Germany and Hong Kong. Collectively, that cohort of technology suppliers generated over three-quarters (76.9%) of exported video game sales in 2020.

Among continents, suppliers in Asia sold the highest dollar worth of exported video games during 2020 with shipments valued at $15 billion or 69.5% of the overall total. In second place were European exporters at 24.6% while 5.6% of worldwide shipments of video games originated from North America.

Tinier percentages came from providers of video games in Oceania (0.3%) led by Australia, Latin America (0.1%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, and Africa (0.01%).

For research purposes, the 6-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix is 950450 for video game consoles and machines.

Gaming equipment operated by any means of payment is distinguished under HTS code 950430. Video games requiring money to play were worth $2 billion falling -46.5% since 2016 and down -44.1% from 2019 to 2020. The top 5 countries selling video games requiring user payment are the United States of America (19.2% of the global total), China (18.2%), Austria (9.2%), Czech Republic (5.7%) and Bulgaria (4.9%).

Top Video Games Exports by Country

Top 15

Below are the 15 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of video games-related equipment during 2020, excluding video games requiring user payment to play.

  1. China: US$10 billion (46.1% of exported video games)
  2. Japan: $2.7 billion (12.6%)
  3. Poland: $1.5 billion (7%)
  4. Germany: $1.4 billion (6.4%)
  5. Hong Kong: $1.05 billion (4.9%)
  6. United States: $1 billion (4.6%)
  7. Vietnam: $954.7 million (4.4%)
  8. Spain: $852.5 million (3.9%)
  9. United Kingdom: $328.6 million (1.5%)
  10. Sweden: $209.2 million (1%)
  11. Netherlands: $173 million (0.8%)
  12. Singapore: $165.9 million (0.8%)
  13. Czech Republic: $153.7 million (0.7%)
  14. France: $142.6 million (0.7%)
  15. Malaysia: $128.2 million (0.6%)

By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 95.8% of global video games exported in 2020.

Among the top exporters, the fastest-growing video games exporters since 2019 were: Malaysia (up 918.1%), Vietnam (up 201.7%), Sweden (up 76.9%) and Czech Republic (up 40.8%).

The sole decliner was Hong Kong via a -14.8% slowdown year over year.

Advantages

The following countries posted the highest positive net exports for video games during 2020 excluding those that require user payment. Investopedia defines net exports as the value of a country’s total exports minus the value of its total imports. Thus, the statistics below present the surplus between the value of each country’s exported video games and its import purchases for that same commodity.

  1. China: US$9.5 billion (net export surplus up 10.3% since 2019)
  2. Japan: $1.2 billion (up 61.5%)
  3. Vietnam: $949.7 million (up 207.2%)
  4. Malaysia: $108.8 million (reversing a -$6.7 million deficit)
  5. Hong Kong: $69.2 million (down -40.2%)
  6. Poland: $63.7 million (reversing a -$192 million deficit)
  7. Singapore: $58.4 million (up 276.4%)
  8. Paraguay: $10.8 million (up 1,599%)
  9. Slovakia: $9.2 million (reversing a -$370,000 deficit)
  10. Cambodia: $8.9 million (reversing a -$3,000 deficit)
  11. Bulgaria: $4.8 million (reversing a -$486,000 deficit)
  12. Estonia: $1.6 million (reversing a -$2.3 million deficit)
  13. Cameroon: $705,000 (reversing a -$1.2 million deficit)
  14. Cocos (Keeling) Islands: $515,000 (no 2019 data)
  15. United States Minor Outlying Is: $73,000 (reversing a -$3,000 deficit)

By far, the People’s Republic of China enjoys the highest surplus in the international trade of video games. In turn, this positive cashflow confirms China’s strong competitive advantage for this specific product category.

Opportunities

The following countries posted the highest negative net exports for video games during 2020 excluding those that require user payment. Investopedia defines net exports as the value of a country’s total exports minus the value of its total imports. Thus, the statistics below present the deficit between the value of each country’s imported video games purchases and its exports for that same commodity.

  1. United States: US-$5.3 billion (net export deficit up 70.4% since 2019)
  2. United Kingdom: -$1.2 billion (up 64.5%)
  3. France: -$908.5 million (down -3.3%)
  4. Germany: -$845.2 million (down -4.8%)
  5. Canada: -$535.3 million (up 26.5%)
  6. Australia: -$403.9 million (up 58.4%)
  7. Netherlands: -$317.3 million (up 27.2%)
  8. Taiwan: -$289.3 million (up 102.3%)
  9. Mexico: -$242.6 million (down -30%)
  10. Italy: -$228.6 million (down -15.7%)
  11. United Arab Emirates: -$183.2 million (up 55.4%)
  12. South Korea: -$176.7 million (up 20.8%)
  13. Switzerland: -$153.1 million (up 24.1%)
  14. Russia: -$126.5 million (down -27.1%)
  15. Saudi Arabia: -$120.7 million (down -21.8%)

The United States of America incurred the highest deficit in the international trade of video games. In turn, this negative cashflow highlights America’s competitive disadvantage for this specific product category but also signals opportunities for video games-supplying countries that help satisfy the powerful demand.

Developers

Companies that Develop Video Games

Below are businesses that design and build video games for the international market. The home country for each company is shown within parenthesis.

  • Crytek (Germany)
  • Die Gute Fabrik (Denmark)
  • Frictional Games (Sweden)
  • Microsoft Studios (United States)
  • Netease (China)
  • Next Level Games Inc (Canada)
  • Nihon Falcom Corporation (Japan)
  • Pendulo Studios (Spain)
  • Spil Games (Netherlands)
  • Techland (Poland)
  • Typhoon Games Ltd (Hong Kong)
  • VoxelStorm Ltd (United Kingdom)


 

Searchable List of Video Games Exporters in 2020

The 107 exporting countries listed in the following automated database generated 100% of international sales for video games during 2020.

RankExporterVideo Game Exports (US$)2019-20
1.China$9,981,580,000+9.3%
2.Japan$2,718,615,000+28.1%
3.Poland$1,518,046,000+23.8%
4.Germany$1,379,218,000+8.3%
5.Hong Kong$1,050,822,000-14.8%
6.United States$1,000,329,000+17%
7.Vietnam$954,748,000+201.7%
8.Spain$852,461,000+8.6%
9.United Kingdom$328,583,000+40.3%
10.Sweden$209,234,000+76.9%
11.Netherlands$173,047,000+27.4%
12.Singapore$165,935,000+4.1%
13.Czech Republic$153,682,000+40.8%
14.France$142,592,000+8.1%
15.Malaysia$128,170,000+918.1%
16.Slovakia$122,868,000-24.8%
17.Canada$105,300,000-2.2%
18.Mexico$103,315,000-18.3%
19.Denmark$70,035,000-28.9%
20.Italy$66,339,000+94%
21.Australia$52,672,000-8.1%
22.Belgium$48,189,000-19.4%
23.Austria$47,413,000+29.4%
24.Romania$41,918,000+61.1%
25.Bulgaria$22,335,000+5.5%
26.Hungary$20,036,000+119%
27.Taiwan$19,254,000+65%
28.Greece$17,809,000+46.7%
29.Russia$15,840,000-34.4%
30.Lithuania$15,538,000-11.9%
31.Ireland$14,523,000+18.7%
32.Paraguay$10,807,000+1599%
33.Croatia$10,199,000-9%
34.United Arab Emirates$8,959,000-95.7%
35.Cambodia$8,909,0000%
36.Chile$8,637,000+1366%
37.Slovenia$7,391,000+17.4%
38.Finland$7,228,000-47.3%
39.Latvia$7,184,000+59.4%
40.Estonia$6,996,000+185.4%
41.Portugal$4,711,000-18.1%
42.Belarus$4,618,000+105.2%
43.Switzerland$3,933,000-33.2%
44.Ukraine$3,558,000+50.8%
45.Turkey$3,557,000+209.6%
46.South Korea$2,346,000-11%
47.Norway$1,942,000-39.6%
48.Colombia$1,831,000+42.5%
49.South Africa$1,656,000-25.4%
50.Luxembourg$1,533,000+68.5%
51.New Zealand$1,149,000+442%
52.Brazil$1,139,000+434.7%
53.Israel$923,000-39.2%
54.Cameroon$900,000+44900%
55.Macao$745,0000%
56.Serbia$550,000-29.7%
57.Cocos (Keeling) Is$515,0000%
58.India$483,000-66.2%
59.Panama$330,000+24.5%
60.Andorra$283,000+53.8%
61.Indonesia$278,000+97.2%
62.Tunisia$267,000-98.4%
63.Cyprus$135,000+128.8%
64.North Macedonia$127,000+135.2%
65.Thailand$105,000-70.3%
66.Peru$77,000-74.8%
67.US Minor Outlying Is$75,0000%
68.New Caledonia$67,0000%
69.Costa Rica$63,000+50%
70.Cook Islands$51,0000%
71.Moldova$40,000+3900%
72.Uzbekistan$30,0000%
73.Fr. S./Antarctic Terr$27,0000%
74.Guatemala$26,000-25.7%
75.Kazakhstan$25,000-16.7%
76.Philippines$15,000-16.7%
77.Malta$8,000+166.7%
78.Lebanon$8,000-86%
79.Nicaragua$7,000+600%
80.Zambia$7,000+250%
81.Jordan$5,000-95.1%
82.Ethiopia$4,000+300%
83.Namibia$4,000-63.6%
84.Mauritius$4,0000%
85.Sierra Leone$4,000+33.3%
86.Kuwait$3,000-99.3%
87.Honduras$2,000+100%
88.Morocco$2,000-98.5%
89.Mozambique$2,000+100%
90.Kenya$2,000-80%
91.Dominican Republic$2,0000%
92.Ecuador$2,0000%
93.Venezuela$2,000-93.8%
94.Armenia$1,000-50%
95.Antigua/Barbuda$1,0000%
96.Azerbaijan$1,000-50%
97.Bahrain$1,000-98.9%
98.Bermuda$1,0000%
99.Guinea$1,0000%
100.Haiti$1,0000%
101.Eritrea$1,0000%
102.Fiji$1,000-90%
103.Curaçao$1,000-50%
104.Mali$1,0000%
105.Montenegro$1,000-96.9%
106.Eswatini$1,000-94.7%
107.Tanzania$1,0000%

You can change the presentation order by clicking the triangle icon at the top of the columns. Note: excluded are video games that require user payment to play. Also, an entry of 0% in the right-most column means that 2019 data was unavailable.

See also Top Toys Exporters for Traditional Toys Versus Video Games, Top Industrial Robots Exporters, Heart Pacemaker Export Sales by Country and Top Importers of Laptop Computers Ranked by Dollar Value

Research Sources:
Alibaba, Supplier showroom for video games. Accessed on July 31, 2021

Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on July 31, 2021

Forbes Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on July 31, 2021

International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on July 31, 2021

Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on July 31, 2021

Wikipedia, List of video game developers. Accessed on July 31, 2021

Wikipedia, Video game industry. Accessed on July 31, 2021