Japan’s Game Spending Hits Record High Despite Inflation, Food Cuts
Japan’s Game Spending Hits Record High Amid Inflation
Despite soaring living costs in Japan, households are cutting back on essentials like food while gaming expenses have reached record highs. Data from the 2025 Family Income and Expenditure Survey conducted by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) shows this trend among over 9,000 households with two or more members.
🎮 Gaming Costs Soar
In 2025, Japanese households spent an average of 2,044 yen per year (around $14.50 USD) on gaming consoles, marking the highest spending since 2010. This figure is more than three times higher than 2024’s 616 yen and surpasses the peak during the COVID-19 period in 2020, which was 1,548 yen. The surge reflects rising console prices rather than an increase in purchase frequency.
📈 Purchasing Patterns
The average purchase frequency remained relatively low at 0.047 times per 100 households, compared to 0.021 in 2024 and 0.066 during the COVID-19 peak in 2020. MIC concludes that the spike in spending is mainly driven by higher console prices, not more frequent purchases.
🕹️ Hardware Drives the Market
The launch of the Nintendo Switch 2 on June 5, 2025, played a major role in boosting spending. Within six months, global sales reached 17.37 million units, surpassing the original Switch’s launch momentum. The PlayStation 5 continues to support the market with 8 million units sold between October and December 2025.
🧩 Software Spending
Software spending also hit a record 2,306 yen per household (around $16 USD) in 2025, remaining relatively stable since 2020. The consistent spending shows a steady base of dedicated players rather than explosive growth.
🍱 Gaming as a Lifestyle Choice
While food costs have effectively decreased in real terms by 1.2% after inflation adjustments, gaming has become an essential leisure activity. For Japanese households, video games are more than entertainment—they provide stress relief and a quality-of-life boost in challenging economic times.
The data suggests that gaming is no longer merely a hobby. In an era of rising prices, it has become a key component of everyday life for many Japanese households.
Source: Automaton Media
