What it is
80億分の1ゲーム (1 in 8 Billion) is a free browser-based life simulation that places you in the role of a newborn baby in one of 141 countries. Your birthplace and family are chosen at random, weighted by real birth and population statistics. From age 0, you live out a single life until the country's average life expectancy, with one in-game year passing every 40–60 seconds (adjustable).
From the developer
In the developer’s own words, from 1in8b.life.
いま生まれてくる赤ちゃんの一人になって、141か国の実際の統計のなかで、その人の一生を生きてみます。あなたはどこで生まれるでしょう？
Editor takes
“The statistical scaffolding from 141 countries is a spreadsheet dream, but the 'choices change your life' pitch gets undercut when birthplace and gender set the odds so hard that a run feels less like steering and more like watching a weighted die roll.”
“A 30-minute life option and 16x speed let you squeeze a full lifetime into a coffee break, and the browser-local save means you can drop mid-life and pick up later, though the decision prompts are meaty enough that you'll likely lean on auto mode during a quick mobile session.”
How to play
You start by choosing how your country is selected — by current birth rates or by population share — and how long the life should take (about 30, 60, or 90 minutes). The simulation then runs from birth to death, with pauses at ages 5, 15, 30, 50, and 70 for reflection prompts. You can pause, speed up (up to 16×), or enable an 'auto' mode that makes decisions for you. Four other lives born in the same second run alongside yours for comparison.
Tips
- The simulation draws on actual data from the UN, WHO, World Bank, UNESCO, and other sources for birth rates, life expectancy, infant mortality, GDP per capita, income inequality, education, and more.
- Death timing follows country- and gender-specific life tables, and causes of death follow WHO/GBD regional and age patterns.
- Decisions about education, work, relationships, migration, and healthcare can alter your life's path, though the statistics of your birthplace remain a strong influence.
- Income is derived from the country's income distribution (based on the Gini coefficient) and displayed in PPP dollars with a Japan-adjusted sense of scale.
- Heavy topics — child death, child marriage, conflict, illness, suicide — appear according to real statistics, without graphic scenes, and crisis helpline information is provided. Rated for ages 15 and
- Completed lives can be stored in a Memorial, where other players can light a candle and leave a message. Your last 10 lives are kept in your browser.
Questions
Is registration required?
No. The game is free to play with no account needed. Your records are saved only in your browser.
What data is the simulation based on?
It uses real statistics from the UN, WHO, World Bank, UNESCO, ILO, UNAIDS, UNODC, UNICEF, and the World Happiness Report, among others, covering 141 countries.
Can I compare my simulated life to my own?
Yes — you can optionally enter the country you were actually born in, and the game will show your simulated life alongside your real one. This data is stored only on your device.
What languages are supported?
Japanese, English, and Korean.
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