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

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:

(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.