Nearly one in five Japanese gamers overspend on in-game purchases, straining basic living budgets

Recap: A new survey spotlights the financial behaviors of young Japanese adults, revealing a significant and growing connection between gaming and personal spending. Conducted in February 2025, the annual online survey polled 1,000 individuals aged 20 to 29, exploring how this demographic navigates expenses across various aspects of life, with a particular focus on gaming and in-game purchases. One of the most striking findings of the survey is that 18.8 percent of respondents admitted to having spent so much on in-game purchases at least once that they struggled to meet their basic living expenses. This figure underscores the powerful draw of microtransactions, especially in games featuring gacha mechanics, where players pay for randomized rewards. The data further shows a gender divide in spending habits: 22.8 percent of men reported prioritizing in-game purchases over essentials like food and rent, compared to 14.8 percent of women. Regret appears to be a common sentiment among t ... Read full article.