Hmmm, I wouldn’t attribute anything you see in a Japanese GAME to what happens here in real life.
While it is true the Japanese do not sell their house and move like in North America but it is also true that they can end up being transferred or living in a different part of the country after high school.
Usually, the eldest son is expected to inherit the parent’s home and to move in and look after the parents when they are older so he does end up in the neighborhood he grew up in. However, that may not mean his childhood friends are still there. Also, considering the working hours of most Japanese males he is more likely to be spending time with his co-workers than with his old friends. Working from 8 AM to 11 PM is not unusual here and going drinking afterward because your boss said “Let’s go drinking!” is not unusual.
Life here is very different than the games and that is one reason why the games are so popular.