Renowned Game Designer, 50, Struggles to Find Work in Japan’s Gaming Industry

Game designer Tokihiro Naito, who created one of Japan’s earliest open-world action RPGs, has spoken about the challenges of finding work in the games industry due to age discrimination.

Naito, whose career in games spans more than four decades, is currently a director at M2 and previously worked on titles such as Hydlide (1984, T&E Soft).

He posted on his X account:

“When I turned 50 and my contract was not renewed, I sent out almost one hundred resumes. Roughly 90% were rejected at the document screening stage. The reason given was my age — my abilities weren’t even considered.”

He added that some companies invited him for meetings only because they wanted to meet Tokihiro Naito personally, not because they were seriously considering him for the role. Ultimately, luck and personal connections were what allowed him to secure work.

Other developers corroborated his experience: game designer Hiromasa Iwasaki said that after fifty, foreign studios are more likely to hire, and that he landed his recent positions through contacts. A former T&E Soft employee reported that from 25 applications he received just two interview invitations — both ended with rejections citing his age and included personal insults.

Age discrimination in Japan is part of a wider issue. There are few laws or penalties addressing it, and a seniority-based culture discourages hiring staff who are older than their managers. In the games industry this makes it especially difficult for veteran developers to change jobs, while overseas companies often place far less emphasis on age.

Source: iXBT.games