The
economic crisis of Japanese youth has a new culprit: microtransactions. A
report reveals that gacha gaming debts in Japan are affecting
the real lives of thousands of people. According to SMBC Consumer
Finance's "Financial Awareness of Twenty-somethings 2026"
survey, 10.5% of respondents admitted to having serious financial problems
because of in-game purchases.
The
"Debt for Waifus": Alarming Figures for Gacha Gaming Debts in Japan
The study,
conducted at the end of 2025, shows a worrying trend: although fewer people are
spending money on games (down to 19.2%), those who stay spend much more. The
monthly average rose to 5,080 yen (about $32), suggesting that
"whales" (big spenders) are investing more aggressively.
The gender
gap is notable: men are the most vulnerable. 25.6% of men make
purchases in games compared to 12.8% of women, and they are the ones who report
more regret (25.2%) after seeing their bank accounts empty.
Lack of
discipline or predatory design?
The report
went viral on X thanks to the @Pirat_Nation account, sparking
a fierce debate. While some users blame a lack of self-control ("skill
issue"), others point to the addictive designs of titles like Fate/Grand
Order or Granblue Fantasy, which encourage a game-like
reward cycle.
With 30.8%
of young people feeling "pride" when obtaining rare items, the line
between collecting and financial addiction seems increasingly blurred in Japan.img03
