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▼ Gaming Chairs Win Over Teleworkers In Japan Amid Pandemic
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Demand for gaming chairs is expanding in Japan, on the back of the spread of esports and heightened home office demand amid the pandemic.
Originally developed for pro gamers who spend long hours in front of computer screens, the comfortable ergonomic chairs are now being used by growing ranks of teleworkers, prompting manufacturers and retailers to roll out more products for the market.
Shoppers at the BicCamera Yurakucho store in Tokyo’s Chiyoda Ward can take their pick from about 30 models of gaming chair that feature headrests and cushioned backrests. A footrest can be purchased separately by those who wish to fully kickback and relax.
“Esports athletes can spend over 10 hours training some days,” said Yoshifumi Bando, a sales associate at the store. “These chairs were designed to help reduce the burden placed on the neck, back and waist.”
The core lineup is priced from between ¥20,000 and ¥60,000, but more expensive models have also proved popular.
In the past, the store primarily catered to customers in the teens and 20s. But since last summer, more people in their 30s and 40s have been visiting the sales floor.
The COVID-19 pandemic seems to be a factor behind the demographic shift, with Bando saying there has been a notable jump in the number of people buying monitor and gaming chair together.
According to a survey conducted by the Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry
to gauge teleworking habits in fiscal 2020, nearly 40% of telecommuters reported working from their living room or dining room. Yet about 60% answered they did not have a desk or chair at home specifically for work.
It seems that many teleworkers have turned to gaming chairs to fill this growing demand.
Originally developed for pro gamers who spend long hours in front of computer screens, the comfortable ergonomic chairs are now being used by growing ranks of teleworkers, prompting manufacturers and retailers to roll out more products for the market.
Shoppers at the BicCamera Yurakucho store in Tokyo’s Chiyoda Ward can take their pick from about 30 models of gaming chair that feature headrests and cushioned backrests. A footrest can be purchased separately by those who wish to fully kickback and relax.
“Esports athletes can spend over 10 hours training some days,” said Yoshifumi Bando, a sales associate at the store. “These chairs were designed to help reduce the burden placed on the neck, back and waist.”
The core lineup is priced from between ¥20,000 and ¥60,000, but more expensive models have also proved popular.
In the past, the store primarily catered to customers in the teens and 20s. But since last summer, more people in their 30s and 40s have been visiting the sales floor.
The COVID-19 pandemic seems to be a factor behind the demographic shift, with Bando saying there has been a notable jump in the number of people buying monitor and gaming chair together.
According to a survey conducted by the Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry
to gauge teleworking habits in fiscal 2020, nearly 40% of telecommuters reported working from their living room or dining room. Yet about 60% answered they did not have a desk or chair at home specifically for work.
It seems that many teleworkers have turned to gaming chairs to fill this growing demand.
■ Pushing the needle
With more manufacturers entering the market, gaming chairs are becoming increasingly elaborate.
In January, Okamura Corp., an office furniture manufacturer in Kanagawa Prefecture, launched a new gaming furniture series called Striker.
The series draws on the company’s expertise in office furniture, with seats that move to provide the optimal posture for each game genre, and an ergonomic design that balances out the center of gravity to disperse tension.
Itoki Corp. in Tokyo has also offered a series of cross-focus chairs suitable for both gaming and teleworking since 2019. The chairs have been designed using sofa fabrics and the colors that are easy to match the colors of other furniture at home.
Even furniture specialty shops have begun carrying gaming chairs.
Since last year, IDC Otsuka Kagu has been displaying gaming chairs alongside general office chairs in the showroom at its Ariake headquarters in Koto Ward, Tokyo.
“People have been spending more time at home sitting in chairs during the pandemic, not only playing games or working, but also enjoying videos and reading,” said IDC employee Suguru Fukui. “As demand for comfortable chairs increase, we’ve seen more and more people turning to gaming chairs because they are satisfied with the comfort they offer.”
With teleworking and esports demand expected to continue to grow in the future, the gaming chair industry appears to be sitting in the catbird seat.
As Hirokazu Kitagawa, a product manager at Okamura involved in gaming chairs said, “Demand for comfortable gaming chairs will surely continue to grow.”
With more manufacturers entering the market, gaming chairs are becoming increasingly elaborate.
In January, Okamura Corp., an office furniture manufacturer in Kanagawa Prefecture, launched a new gaming furniture series called Striker.
The series draws on the company’s expertise in office furniture, with seats that move to provide the optimal posture for each game genre, and an ergonomic design that balances out the center of gravity to disperse tension.
Itoki Corp. in Tokyo has also offered a series of cross-focus chairs suitable for both gaming and teleworking since 2019. The chairs have been designed using sofa fabrics and the colors that are easy to match the colors of other furniture at home.
Even furniture specialty shops have begun carrying gaming chairs.
Since last year, IDC Otsuka Kagu has been displaying gaming chairs alongside general office chairs in the showroom at its Ariake headquarters in Koto Ward, Tokyo.
“People have been spending more time at home sitting in chairs during the pandemic, not only playing games or working, but also enjoying videos and reading,” said IDC employee Suguru Fukui. “As demand for comfortable chairs increase, we’ve seen more and more people turning to gaming chairs because they are satisfied with the comfort they offer.”
With teleworking and esports demand expected to continue to grow in the future, the gaming chair industry appears to be sitting in the catbird seat.
As Hirokazu Kitagawa, a product manager at Okamura involved in gaming chairs said, “Demand for comfortable gaming chairs will surely continue to grow.”
- October 5, 2021
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