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[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

A 2023 survey on the gaming habits of Japanese youths has recently garnered attention on social media, as it indicates that a majority of Gen Z do not own or use a PS5 or Xbox.

The report, published by SHIBUYA109 Entertainment, compiles data obtained through web surveys and interviews conducted with about 700 Gen Z individuals aged 15 to 24 years old. According to the data, 80% of Gen Z individuals in Japan play video games, 44.9% of whom play every day and spend an average of 100 minutes a day gaming.

As for their gaming devices of choice, the top five answers reveal a significant preference for handhelds and the PC. Devices/consoles rank in as follows:

• Mobile 94.7%
• Nintendo Switch 38.5%
• PC 33.2%
• Tablet (26.5%)
• DS (12.2%)

(The answers do not add up to 100% as the question allowed multiple choices).

Based on this, it would seem that the Xbox and PS5 are less represented among young Japanese gamers than the discontinued DS. Even among those who identified as “hardcore gamers” (as opposed to social and casual gamers), the top three gaming devices remained smartphones, the Nintendo Switch and PC.

Users on social media have pointed out that a big contributor to these statistics may be how financially challenging it is to buy a PS5 and full-priced games for an adolescent. Indeed, the very same survey cited above also states that Gen Z gamers spend an average of 10,446 yen on games yearly, which is under 70 dollars – the amount a single full-price console game can cost. According to Gen Z commenters, free-to-play games, FPS titles and affordable small-scale games popularized by streamers enjoy far more popularity than AAA titles.

Source - Automaton West

 

[Shane89]

mobile gaming is a cancer

 

[MayauMiao]

mobile gaming is a cancer

Don't blame mobile games when next gen game plays like last gen game.

 

[vaibhavpisal]

If this was strictly about price, Switch wouldn’t be there either.

Smartphones are device of their choice, plain and simple.

Why does PC get a pass will always be a mystery to me?? Their favourite streamers use it, sure. But they also use PS/Xbox.

 

[Spyxos]

 

[Angry_Megalodon]

mobile gaming is a cancer

No. Mobile games are devoid of ideological bullshit, unlike AAA mainstream games. Besides, they are becoming bigger in scope than traditional games, while being F2P. Mihoyo has smashed the glass ceiling and elevated the standards in mobile gaming and now more devs with big pockets are following suit. And they are moving onto PC/consoles, see Stellar Blade, Lies of Pi, and other AAA games in the pipeline. This is a long overdue wake-up call.

 

[Three]

Don't blame mobile games when next gen game plays like last gen game.

Because mobile gaming is so next gen?

 

[RoboFu]

They all still dress like a mix of David Bowie and bon jovi... what do they know !?

 

[systemr123]

Don't blame mobile games when next gen game plays like mobile game, but costs full price and then almost forces you to buy MTX on top.

There, fixed it for you

 

[Closer]

Because mobile gaming is so next gen?

Next gen is also last gen

 

[Vlodril]

Don't blame mobile games when next gen game plays like last gen game.

Yea mobile games sure are next gen as fuck..

 

[Bernoulli]

this is for Japan only

 

[violence]

Your kinda of covered if you have a PC.

 

[Mibu no ookami]

Woopah

 

[DaleinCalgary]

They also marry their sex dolls

 

[SmokedMeat]

PC and Nintendo is all you need.

 

[HerjansEagleFeeder]

They also marry their sex dolls

They also will make the policies by the time you're retired.

 

[Spyxos]

this is for Japan only

I don't think that's the only place it looks like that. We recently had a visit from the family. They were on their cell phones and tablets all day. I was able to convince them to play Mario Kart and Smash for an hour, but even then they quickly lost interest. And some stupid mobile game was more important.

 

[drganon]

Generation z is stupid in general. Makes sense they're into mobile garbage.

 

[Gaiff]

Xbox is unpopular with every generation in Japan.

 

[ArtHands]

• Mobile 94.7%
• Nintendo Switch 38.5%
• PC 33.2%
• Tablet (26.5%)
• DS (12.2%)

Based on this, it would seem that the Xbox and PS5 are less represented among young Japanese gamers than the discontinued DS.​

Less interest than a 2 decades old handheld

 

[Guilty_AI]

this is for Japan only

Participated in a game dev class recently, and at one point the teacher asked his students (all gen z) what was their main platform and what they played more frequently.

The overwhelming majority had PC as their main platform (with mobile secondary), and the more frequent choice of games were older and indie ones, mainly single player.

There could be some bias given the enviroment, but it did stood out to me.

 

[Bojji]

Late gen z and alphas play shit games almost exclusively around the world, some Minecraft or Fortnite (etc.) garbage.

 

[lh032]

Lets be honest here, they game on mobile and PC the most right?
But how much they actually SPEND on it?
I think we all can agree all they play are free to play, or the same 1-2 GaaS games....

You need consumers that willing to spend money on your platform, if they spend nothing, who gives a shit if 10 mil users on that platform?

 

[MayauMiao]

No. Mobile games are devoid of ideological bullshit, unlike AAA mainstream games. Besides, they are becoming bigger in scope than traditional games, while being F2P. Mihoyo has smashed the glass ceiling and elevated the standards in mobile gaming and now more devs with big pockets are following suit. And they are moving onto PC/consoles, see Stellar Blade, Lies of Pi, and other AAA games in the pipeline. This is a long overdue wake-up call.

If it weren't for mobile games, there would be no Shift Up studio, and that means no Stellar Blade.

 

[FF:Enhanced_Reality]

Sonys own fault. The moment they started focusing on markets outside Japan and stopped making them a priority they lost that market.

 

[Ev1L AuRoN]

That just proves that gen z sucks everywhere... JK

 

[Punished Miku]

You need consumers that willing to spend money on your platform, if they spend nothing, who gives a shit if 10 mil users on that platform?

A huge chunk of us grew up on consoles with almost no money. We rented games, got one for our birthday maybe. Played handhelds. And those consumer habits get developed when you're young and often carry you through adulthood when you do get money. If these kids grow up playing on PC because it's cheaper, they will have much less incentive to jump on to a console instead when they're older. They'll have access to more games already, better performance, cheaper prices, and they'll be totally familiar with PC and have a digital library. It's not like it will take very long for trends like this to matter. Just give it 10 years; basically one more console gen.

 

[SmokedMeat]

Lets be honest here, they game on mobile and PC the most right?
But how much they actually SPEND on it?
I think we all can agree all they play are free to play, or the same 1-2 GaaS games....

You need consumers that willing to spend money on your platform, if they spend nothing, who gives a shit if 10 mil users on that platform?

FTP and GaaS are making the most money.

 

[Magic Carpet]

Switch games much be much cheaper in Japan if it says Youth have no money but then list the Switch as one of the main devices they play.

 

[Topher]

 

[dickpretzel]

This gen sucks so I don't blame them

 

[lh032]

FTP and GaaS are making the most money.

yes, for a small group of companies, thats what i meant.
For most of the devs, they are not going to make any money from this group of consumers.

 

[lh032]

A huge chunk of us grew up on consoles with almost no money. We rented games, got one for our birthday maybe. Played handhelds. And those consumer habits get developed when you're young and often carry you through adulthood when you do get money. If these kids grow up playing on PC because it's cheaper, they will have much less incentive to jump on to a console instead when they're older. They'll have access to more games already, better performance, cheaper prices, and they'll be totally familiar with PC and have a digital library. It's not like it will take very long for trends like this to matter. Just give it 10 years; basically one more console gen.

we'll see about that in the future, there is alot of assumption there in your reply.

 

[Robb]

DS (12.2%)

 

[Banjo64]

Ahead of the curve.

Lets be honest here, they game on mobile and PC the most right?
But how much they actually SPEND on it?
I think we all can agree all they play are free to play, or the same 1-2 GaaS games....

You need consumers that willing to spend money on your platform, if they spend nothing, who gives a shit if 10 mil users on that platform?

I think mobile dwarfs every platform in terms of revenue (and presumably profits).

 

[ShaiKhulud1989]

Ah yes, mishandled data points with wrong takes and conclusions based on them - The Thread

 

[Dr. Wilkinson]

Stationary home consoles continue to fade from relevance in Japan, it's been happening for 20 years. Nintendo's been vindicated again! Gotta do the tablet form factor that can be connected to a TV

 

[lh032]

Ahead of the curve.


I think mobile dwarfs every platform in terms of revenue (and presumably profits).

Thats the problem here, i'm not a mobile gamer.

 

[Cyberpunkd]

No. Mobile games are devoid of ideological bullshit, unlike AAA mainstream games. Besides, they are becoming bigger in scope than traditional games, while being F2P. Mihoyo has smashed the glass ceiling and elevated the standards in mobile gaming and now more devs with big pockets are following suit. And they are moving onto PC/consoles, see Stellar Blade, Lies of Pi, and other AAA games in the pipeline. This is a long overdue wake-up call.

Japan doesn’t have any ideological BS, try again. However I agree mobile gaming GAAS like Genshin impact has insane production values.

 

[twilo99]

iGen/genz are on their phones practically all the time so it makes perfect sense that they would use those for gaming if they could..

 

[SmokedMeat]

yes, for a small group of companies, thats what i meant.
For most of the devs, they are not going to make any money from this group of consumers.

I don’t think the hardware makers really care, as long as they’re getting a cut of those microtransactions.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

Surprised PC is so high in Japan. They've always been a console and mobile/handheld market.

 

[lh032]

I don’t think the hardware makers really care, as long as they’re getting a cut of those microtransactions.

you get less traditional games though, companies less likely to take risk.
But of course if you are not into AAA its fine, theres still plenty of indie games out there.

 

[SHA]

Local numbers in Japan doesn't count.

 

[SmokedMeat]

you get less traditional games though, companies less likely to take risk.
But of course if you are not into AAA its fine, theres still plenty of indie games out there.

The younger generation that’s playing all of these ftp/gaas games are going to ruin things for older players that enjoy traditional style games.

Indies will be fine, but I think traditional AAA will be an endangered species.

 

[Boss Mog]

Surprised PC is so high in Japan. They've always been a console and mobile/handheld market.

It's because so many have a laptop for their work.

 

[playtillyadrop]

you simply can't compete with accessibility. Billions of phones versus millions of consoles. Consoles need to become a lot more powerful and start pushing graphics and tech where its the only place you can play certain games. Again with wont make it more popular it will simply drive more interest and demand. Tech moves too fast and consoles need to follow suit.

 

[Bernoulli]

Participated in a game dev class recently, and at one point the teacher asked his students (all gen z) what was their main platform and what they played more frequently.

The overwhelming majority had PC as their main platform (with mobile secondary), and the more frequent choice of games were older and indie ones, mainly single player.

There could be some bias given the enviroment, but it did stood out to me.

that's like asking lifeguards if they prefer to swim or run

 

[Kataploom]

Don't blame mobile games when next gen game plays like last gen game.

That's irrelevant, normal people are not desperately looking for some novelty like some of you, problem is those consoles don't attend Japanese young tastes and that everyone has a phone so they don't have to buy something else to play, same for PC, most of them probably play on a PC they already had and most Japanese games come to PC anyway so even less reasons to get a console for those that care about those games