ReportCESA – Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association
Game Developer Employment: Career Formation of Student Game Creators 2019 Survey 2025
1 Jan 202545 pages~49 min full read
A significant gender divide exists in career aspirations, with game creator ranking as the top choice for male elementary and middle school students while placing nineteenth for females.
See it on page 7The appeal of a game development career for males remains consistently high, appearing in the top two career choices for students from grade three through nine.
See it on page 13Approximately 80% of higher-education students interested in game creation view the role as a professional career path rather than a hobby or secondary activity.
See it on page 35The persistent lack of interest among female students across all age levels suggests a potential long-term bottleneck for diversity in the Japanese game industry workforce.
See it on page 14The 2025 survey data indicates that the game creator profession remains a peripheral career choice within the broader Japanese labor market despite strong early enthusiasm from young males.
See it on page 16Addressing the talent pipeline requires targeted outreach, curriculum development, and mentorship programs specifically designed to increase female engagement in game development.
See it on page 37The 2025 Japanese survey of students’ career aspirations investigates how the role of “game creator” is perceived across gender, age, and educational level, aiming to gauge the pipeline of future talent for the domestic game development sector. It encompasses elementary, middle, high‑school, technical‑college and university respondents nationwide, providing a comprehensive snapshot of attitudes toward a profession that remains peripheral in the broader labor market.
Findings reveal a stark gender divide. Among male pupils in elementary and middle school, the game‑creator career ranks first overall and consistently appears within the top two choices for grades three through nine, indicating strong early enthusiasm. In contrast, female students place the same role far lower, with the position falling to nineteenth overall for females and remaining near the bottom of their preference lists at every age level. When respondents reach higher‑education stages, roughly eighty percent of those who still consider the occupation view it primarily as a professional pathway rather than a hobby or ancillary activity.
The data suggest that while the game‑creator profession enjoys robust appeal among young males, it fails to attract comparable interest from females, potentially limiting diversity in the future workforce. The pronounced early‑stage gender gap underscores the need for targeted outreach, curriculum development, and mentorship programs that can broaden awareness and appeal among female students, thereby strengthening the talent base for Japan’s evolving game industry.
