Japanese banking subsidiary SMBC Consumer Finances annual survey of financial awareness in the countrys 20- to 29-year-olds revealed some troubling findings about the demographics gaming habits, Automaton reports.
For example, 18.8% of the 1,000 respondents admitted to have spending so much on in-game purchases that it affected their ability to cover living expenses. Men (22.8%) were more likely to prioritize investing in gacha rolls over, say, food and rent than women (14.8%).
While almost one-quarter of those surveyed regretted spending money in video games, the amount of people who purchased microtransactions increased by almost 6% from 2024s survey. Positive responses to the statements “Im willing to pay to have an advantage in-game” and “I cant enjoy the game if I dont make in-game purchases” grew several percentage points among both men and women compared to last year, even if average monthly purchases fell slightly and the majority of folks in their twenties continue to avoid such purchases altogether.
Video games with in-app purchases, especially mobile apps and those with gacha mechanics, continue to bring in big money worldwide. In March 2025, combined spending through Apples App Store and Google Play reached $6.79 billion, with Japan alone responsible for 14.3% of that revenue. Some of the biggest game include PUBG Mobile, Candy Crush Saga, and Pokémon Go, but for every well-known game bringing in a profit, there are two or three massively outperforming them with little to no coverage on sites like Polygon.
Like it or not, these games are only growing more and more successful over time, even if folks like those surveyed in Japan are spending money begrudgingly.
