Game designer Naito Tokihiro, creator of one of the first Japanese open-world action RPGs, spoke about the difficulties of finding work in the gaming industry due to age discrimination.
Naito, whose career in the gaming industry spans more than forty years, is currently a director at M2 and previously worked on projects such as Hydlide (1984, T&E Soft).
He wrote on his X account:
"When I was 50 and my contract wasn't renewed, I sent out almost a hundred resumes. About 90% were rejected at the document screening stage. The reason was age. Skills weren't even considered."
He added that among the companies that invited him for an interview, some did so only "to meet Naito Tokihiro," although he was not considered for the position. In the end, luck and personal connections helped him get a job.
Other developers confirmed: game designer Hiromasa Iwasaki noted that after 50, foreign studios are more likely to hire, and he received his current vacancies through acquaintances. A former T&E Soft employee shared that out of 25 applications, he received only two interviews, both of which ended in rejection with mention of age and personal insults.
Age discrimination in Japan is part of a broader problem. There are practically no laws or penalties for it, and the culture of seniority makes it difficult to hire employees older than managers. In the gaming industry, this makes it difficult for older developers to change jobs. At the same time, foreign companies are not interested in age.
