#Japan #Tokyo #Cross Marketing #Consumer Games #Gaming Trends

Exploration of Gaming Trends in 2025

In June and July of 2025, Cross Marketing conducted an extensive survey on consumer gaming habits, targeting a diverse demographic of 1,159 males and females aged 15 to 69 who play video games at least once a month. This report highlights the evolving landscape of gaming purchases, play frequency, and associated spending trends.

Key Findings from the Survey

Play Frequency, Time, and Spending

The data revealed that 34% of regular gamers play daily, and when combined with the 25% who engage in gaming every 2 to 3 days, this amounts to 59% of players actively participating in gaming. This frequency shows a slight increase compared to the previous year, indicating a growing engagement with the gaming community.

When looking at the time spent playing compared to one year ago, 54% of respondents indicated their gaming time has remained consistent, while 31% reported spending more time gaming. On the spending side, 59% said their expenses remained unchanged, yet 28% admitted to increased costs—marking the highest increase seen in four years. This rise in spending can likely be attributed to the growing prevalence of in-game purchases and inflation affecting gaming hardware.

Game Titles and Genres

Analyzing favorite games over the past year revealed varying preferences by gender and age. Males exhibited differing top titles based on their age group, while females consistently named Animal Crossing: New Horizons as their leading game, with popularity hitting between 20% and 40% across all ages.

When breaking genres down, Action RPGs (like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom) dominated at 35%, followed closely by Action Games (34%), Sports/Racing Games (27%), Sandbox Games (26%), and Command RPGs (17%). Particularly noteworthy is that players aged 40-50 showed a 40% preference for Action RPGs, while those aged 15-19 preferred Action and Sandbox games, also at over 40%.

Gaming Expenditure and Purchase Mediums

When considering expenditures over the last month, 57% of the costs were attributed to completed game purchases, followed by 38% for in-game purchases and 30% for downloadable content (DLC), marking the highest figures recorded in four years.

Signifying a major shift in purchasing habits, 20% of gamers reported buying exclusively downloadable versions, and 23% stated they primarily buy downloads but still purchase some physical copies. This demonstrates a clear pivot from traditional package games to download-only purchases in the current gaming market.

Report Overview

The survey encapsulated various aspects:

• - Attributes (gender, age, residential area, marital status, children, occupation)
• - Consumer gaming play frequency
• - Daily gaming hours on weekdays and weekends
• - Year-on-year changes in gaming time and spending
• - Channels for gathering information related to gaming

Attributes of Consumer Gamers

Further, the report elaborated on the gaming frequency and time management, as well as how expenditures are distributed across software purchases, in-game spending, and subscriptions.

In-depth metrics included reasons for gameplay, factors valued when selecting games, and trends in purchasing mediums. Information was compiled from multiple sources to gauge interest in newly released titles and also assessed gamers' sources of information before making purchases.

For those looking to access the complete report, it can be downloaded at Cross Marketing Report.

Research Details

The study utilized an internet research methodology across Japan’s 47 prefectures, with target respondents being those who play consumer games at least once a month. The data was collected over several periods, with the 2025 survey running from June 27 to July 3, garnering a solid response rate of 1,159.

About GEM (Game Engagement Monitor)

The survey leveraged the original Game Engagement Monitor (GEM) service, utilizing a database of 380,000 dedicated gaming profiles, assisting companies in precise market analysis and target audience understanding.

For detailed insights, please visit GEM Overview.

Company Information

Cross Marketing Co., Ltd. is headquartered in Shinjuku, Tokyo, established in April 2003, specializing in marketing research and consulting services in the field. For media inquiries, please contact our public relations department via email at [email protected].