If this continues, the year 2026 will set a negative record for the number of bankruptcies.
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Relevant observations were shared by analysts from the research company Teikoku Databank. According to their calculations, from January to July 2026 alone, at least 10 Japanese studios developing mobile games declared bankruptcy. While the number itself might seem small, it significantly surpasses the figures of recent years. For comparison, only three mobile studios in the country went bankrupt in all of 2025.
So far, the worst year for the number of bankrupt mobile studios in Japan remains 2015, when 12 teams folded. However, as is evident, 2026 is not far behind.
Teikoku Databank added that in total, over the last five years, 29 such studios have gone bankrupt in Japan. 51.7% of them had a rather modest capital of less than 10 million yen (62.7 thousand dollars).
According to analysts, the current situation is partly due to the rising costs of developing and maintaining mobile games, as well as a shortage of experienced specialists. In addition, it is becoming increasingly challenging for Japanese studios to compete with teams from China and South Korea, which often have financial backing from large companies.