PS5 and Xbox largely unpopular with Gen Z in Japan, survey shows

[Gamernyc78]

PS5 and Xbox largely unpopular with Gen Z in Japan, survey shows - AUTOMATON WEST

A survey from 2023 shows that the majority of Gen Z gamers in Japan do not own or use the PlaySation 5 or Xbox.

automaton-media.com

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.

 

[Gamernyc78]

What we already knew evident through sales.

 

[Jim Ryan]

DS?

I would question the validity of the study and how everything was framed.

But if this is largely true, then Sony needs to do a lot of work to proliferate their console.

Putting games on pc doesn't help this trend, it exacerbates it.

 

[Johnic]

Ahh, another study, finded by yours truly. MS really has no shame.

 

[Umar]

The results arent really suprising. Of course they prefer mobile, free to play and gacha games over full price triple AAA games. Looking at the physical ps5 software numbers shows that

 

[Gediminas]

so playing shit games, gocha..

 

[Nhomnhom]

Anything bundled together with Xbox is going to be unpopular anywhere outside of NA. Is the PS5 considerably less popular than the PS4 and PS3 in Japan? Hardly.

PC being so close to the Switch and DS being above PlayStation make no sense and pretty much makes it clear this is pure BS.

 

[Box]

Does Japan even have a Gen Z? Their birth rates have been super low for decades now its mostly boomers there

Anyways who even cares what an irrelevant market like Japan thinks?

 

[Sunrise Ninja]

The Japanese are obedient workers they don't have time to relax, the toliet break is the only time the get to game that's why they love handhelds and mobile gaming.

 

[Systemshock2023]

The Japanese are obedient workers they don't have time to relax, the toliet break they get is the only time the get to game thats why they love handhelds and mobile gaming.

The train commute

 

[ethomaz]

Consoles are unpopular to Gen Z around the world.
My kid, the next gen, will probably prefer to play games in a smatphones than consoles.
It is not a Japan trend... it is global.

 

[Sunrise Ninja]

The train commute

Toliet break only

 

[Sircaw]

Toliet break only

That sort of reminds me of when i first came to the UK and had to catch the tube during rush hour.

That was like 25 years ago, hate to think what its like now.

 

[Jim Ryan]

No family, no fun, no personal time, no children... No PlayStation.

Japan sounds like a blast /s

There are better things to do than spend your whole life devoted to a company or overworking yourself.

 

[Killer_Sakoman]

Japanese market is dead for consoles. It was killed by Sony and all other Japanese publishers during PS3 era when they decided to ignore the market.

 

[gokuss4]

Ps6 will have a handheld version imo

 

[PlacidusaX]

No it won't.
Mobile gaming is big over there.
Nintendo makes gimmicks and doesn't directly compete with consoles.

 

[quest4441]

Ofc kids in school prefer f2p games, they don't have money lol, unless they swipe mom's credit card which sadly to this day some adults do as well

 

[Dabaus]

PS5 needs a major price cut and Sony need to ship tons of Portals. Maybe get monster hunter marketing associated with the portal as well.

 

[Yuniac]

Every time I see mobile on top it makes me sad, for many different reasons that I don't care to elaborate on.

I can always say boo-hoo those people are missing out on great games (and they are) but it's either their fault/choice and you can't change that. Or their lives are so shitty, that they don't have time or the money for proper games, which is even sadder and you also can't change it.