I’ve not been to an arcade myself for ages, nor have I really had the time (or quite frankly, the inclination) to play any games recently. To see what the Japanese are doing, MyVoice took their second look at game usage, although I’m not sure when the first look took place!

Demographics

Over the first five days of May 2008 14,373 members of the MyVoice internet community successfully completed a private on-line questionnaire. 54% of the sample were female, 2% in their teens, 15% in their twenties, 37% in their thirties, 29% in their forties, and 17% in their fifties.

The last two times we were in arcades (or game centres, as they are known in Japan), we spent all our cash on the UFO Catchers with nothing to show. That falls under the category of “prize games” in Q6, and before I next go I’ll be sure to study this video on how to win at them!



Research results

Q1: About how often do you play on games machines at home, excluding computers, mobile phones games? (Sample size=14,373) Almost every day 8.1% Twice or thrice a week 10.5% Once a week 11.6% Once a month 11.5% Few times a year 17.5% Don’t play on games machines 40.9% Q2: What games machines are currently in use at home, excluding computers, mobile phones games? (Sample size=14,373, multiple answer) Nintendo DS 43.9% PlayStation 2 39.6% Wii 19.8% PlayStation Portable 12.4% Gameboy 12.3% PlayStation 11.1% Famicon, Super Famicon 9.5% Nintendo GameCube 6.7% Nintendo 64 6.3% PlayStation 3 5.0% Sega Saturn 2.6% DreamCast 2.1% XBox 360 1.3% XBox 0.7% Other 2.3% Don’t currently use one 6.1% Don’t have any 22.2% No answer 1.4% Q3: About how often do you visit game centres? (Sample size=14,373) Almost every day 0.4% Twice or thrice a week 0.9% Once a week 3.0% Once a month 10.1% Few times a year 29.9% Don’t visit game centres 55.8% Q4: Compared with a year ago, how has your usage of game centres changed? (Sample size=14,373) Increased a lot 0.8% Increased a little 3.7% Not changed 13.4% Decreased a little (to SQ) 7.6% Decreased a lot (to SQ) 12.8% Not visited an arcade this year (to SQ) 3.5% Not visited an arcade last year 11.5% Not been to arcades at all 46.4% Q4SQ: Why do you use game centres less, or stopped going at all? (Sample size=game centre usage decreased people, multiple answer) Don’t have time to go 25.6% Costs too much to play 19.1% Lifestyle has chaqnged 19.0% No fun games 18.9% Don’t have the money to go 15.4% Dislike tobacco smells 12.0% Been playing on games machine at home 11.3% No games of my favourite types 10.5% No arcades around me 10.5% Children weren’t interested 9.2% Been playing computer games 8.8% No stuff I want to win on prize machines 8.3% Got a new hobby, friends 8.3% Gaming boom is over 5.5% Don’t like the atmosphere in arcades 5.3% Can play arcade games at home now 3.6% Play games on mobile phone instead 3.4% Game centre removed the games I played 3.4% Can play physical games at home now 2.9% Game centre became non-smoking 1.0% Other 9.6% No answer 0.3% Q5: What genres of game do you play on your home games machines? (Sample size=games machine owners from Q2, multiple answer) Role-playing game 44.3% Puzzle 32.7% Action 25.1% Simulation 24.9% Sports 24.7% Study-related game 23.6% Race 19.9% Adventure game 15.6% Table-top game 13.0% Physical game 12.0% Shooting game 11.8% Action war game 11.0% Quiz 10.3% Music game 7.8% Mah Jongg 7.0% Pachinko, Pachi-slot 4.8% Card game 4.8% Gun shooting game 4.1% Chess, shogi 3.1% Typing game 1.7% Other 7.3% No answer 3.0% Q6: What genres of game do you play at game centres? (Sample size=game centre users from Q3, multiple answer) Medal (coin) drop 32.7% Prize game 24.8% Race game 20.3% Music game 11.8% Physical game 11.6% Pachinko, pachi-slot 11.2% Photo seal-related 10.8% Gun shooting game 9.8% Slot machine 9.8% Shooting game 9.4% Horse racing 9.3% Bingo 8.6% Action game 7.8% Action war game 7.6% Sports 7.0% Quiz 6.8% Puzzle 6.0% Prize card game (poker, etc) 5.4% Mah Jongg 5.4% Card game 4.4% Learning-related game 2.2% Chess, shogi 0.7% Other 9.8% No answer 8.8%