"The 100-Year Life Game," co-developed by Hakuhodo and Takara Tomy. (Courtesy of Hakuhodo)
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Takara Tomy has launched The 100-Year Game of Life, a new edition of its popular Japanese version of The Game of Life. Designed for the era of longevity, the game was developed in collaboration with Hakuhodo's 100-Year Life Research Institute.
As Japan faces challenges like an aging population and declining births, this edition encourages players to imagine a fulfilling 100-year life, focusing on life's joyful moments. It debuted on November 23, Labor Thanksgiving Day, a national holiday celebrating life and work.
Unlike the original game, which emphasizes accumulating wealth, this version centers on earning "Well-Being Points." Players aim to reach their 100th birthday with the highest score.
At the 20th and 60th birthdays, players choose from 14 "Value Cards." These cards represent life priorities such as "Health Enthusiast," which focuses on well-being, or "Passionate Worker," emphasizing career aspirations. They determine how Well-Being Points are gained or lost, even when landing on the same space.
Enjoying Longevity
The game's concept stems from real-life experiences gathered through interviews and surveys at the institute's 100-Year Life Café Katariba in Sugamo, Tokyo. These insights encourage players to reflect on the happiness a long life could bring.
The idea for the game emerged after a global survey on attitudes toward longevity was conducted on International Day of Happiness (March 20). Over 5,600 participants from Japan, the United States, China, and five other countries took part. Japanese respondents, however, showed the most pessimism about living longer.
Respondents in other countries desired lifespans 5–15 years beyond the average life expectancy reported by the World Health Organization. However, Japanese participants reported an average desired lifespan of just 81.1 years. This is 3.2 years below the country's average.
When asked about living to 100, only 20% of Japanese respondents viewed it positively. They cited reasons such as "more opportunities" or "they look happy." This was 20 percentage points lower than optimism levels in other countries.
Shifting Perspectives
The institute concluded that fostering optimism about a 100-year life involves highlighting potential future joys and the benefits of longevity. The game reflects this vision.
The institute's deputy director explained, "I hope people of all ages will play this game, especially those in their 30s to 50s, with the latter being at the midpoint of life. It's an opportunity to reflect on how they want to live in the years ahead."
The 100-Year Game of Life retails for ¥3,960 JPY (about $25 USD) and is available through Takara Tomy's online store and other retailers. The eighth edition of The Game of Life, released in April 2023 for ¥5,500 (about $35), is required to play.
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Author: Suguru Kojima, The Sankei Shimbun
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