Even Video Game Surveys Reveal Japan’s Shrinking Youth

There’s a common concern online that Japan is ‘dying out’ due to its declining birthrate. Japan’s birthrate fell to a record low of 1.15 in 2024, with just 686,061 babies born — the lowest figure since records began in 1899. For the island nation of around 123 million people, that’s a stark indicator of a rapidly aging population. However, this demographic shift isn’t just reflected in census data — it may also be evident in pop culture.

A massive entertainment brand survey (via Kultur.jp in Japanese) offers a glimpse into how Japan’s gaming preferences have aged alongside its population. Sociologist Atsuo Nakayama and Takashi Yokono of GEM Partners agency surveyed 180,000 respondents aged 15 to 69. It shows that some of the country’s most beloved games now have fan bases skewing well into their 30s and 40s.

Somewhat unsurprisingly, long-running games like Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, Resident Evil, and Yakuza average fans are those well into their late 30s and early 40s. What’s more surprising, though, franchises many in the West associate with kids, like Pokemon, Kirby, and Mario, skew heavily toward the adult crowd in Japan. They are averaging around 30 and 32 years old.

The Fortnite teens or the Minecraft zoomers? While those games do exist in the rankings, they’re not as dominant as you’d think. Both games’ Japanese player base averages closer to 25-28, suggesting the audience grew up with them… and never stopped playing. Despite ‘family-friendly’ Minecraft videos from Japanese YouTubers generating more than 3-5 million views and Steve secured a roster spot in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

What makes this more interesting is that the marketing for releases like those is clearly targeted at younger players. Pokemon Scarlet and Violet commercials, for example, always showcased elementary school kids playing with each other. Minecraft merchandise also shows up in Happy Meal sets. Even Fortnite ads on public transit like commuter trains seem designed for junior high schoolers, leaning on flashy Shonen Jump and superhero collab characters.

With that in mind, these games are obviously still chasing newcomers from the next generation of gamers. However, in Japan, that generation may not be showing up in the numbers.

Meanwhile, in the US, games like Fortnite and Minecraft continue to be dominated by younger players. American data sources often show average ages in the low 20s — or even teens — for these games. According to Udonis advertising agency, 43% of Minecraft players are 21 years old and younger. For Fortnite, the average age is 15-24 years old based on DemandSage. Likewise, Pokemon and Mario skew older — but still younger than Japan’s averages at late 20s.

Related: Gacha Craze Leaves Nearly 19% of Young Japanese Struggling With Living Costs: ‘A Fool and His Money, All That’

So yeah, those jokes about Japan game servers being flooded by elderly gamers? It hits different when the average Splatoon player is 27, and the Monster Hunter crowd is pushing 35. The country isn’t only aging demographically but also culturally.

For those interested in the details, below is the list of all the gaming franchises featured in the survey: