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In this [article](https://jp.gamesindustry.biz/article/2102/21022201/), the
author writes about Nintendo fans using 層 as a suffix:

「任天堂の最も忠実な **ファン層** がSwitchの長寿命化の鍵を握っている。」

「このような **層** を満足させるのはいつも難しい」

「任天堂はこの声の大きい **プレイヤー層** を狙っている。」

And, at last:

> 「任天堂は， **ファン層** という点では時間の余裕がある。」

In [Weblio's](https://www.weblio.jp/content/%E5%B1%A4) definition, the
indication of 層 as something related to position, status and class becomes
clear, and there is even an example using the word 「ファン」 to describe a
group/collective/assortment of people.

I can kinda get the usage of 層 in the first example here, where the author
refers the "the **class** of fans _**which are the most passionate**_ ", as
well as the second and third where what kind of class is referred to is also
clear. But the fourth one bugs me, _**which**_ 層 exactly does he want to refer
to here? Given the context, we know it's those "passionate kind of fans", but
if that were to be a single phrase, would it still make sense?
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meaning words
What does 層 mean when referring to fans (the people)?
In my own subjective experience, I've encountered 層【そう】 in reference to a
"layer" of a particular **demographic**. We don't talk about demographics as
"layers" in English, so it might sound a bit funny, but in your sample texts
they're essentially talking about those specific groups of people who are 1)
ardent fans of Nintendo, 2) difficult to satisfy, 3) loud-mouthed () or
influential, and 4) again, fans.

For your fourth example, a different way of looking at it might be this:

> Nintendo has some time to work with, since the company has so many fans.

Put more literally:

> 任天堂は，ファン層という点では時間の余裕がある。  
>  Nintendo `[TOPIC]`, fan demographic `[QUOT]` say point on `[TOPIC`] time
> `[POSSESSIVE]` margin `[SUBJECT]` exists. →  
>  Nintendo has a margin of time, in that [they] have a fan demographic.
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answer
As you have correctly inferred, 層 refers to a specific layer/tier/(sub)group
of people, especially a group of consumers that share the same
characteristics/interest in some market. For example, 任天堂は新しいファン層を開拓した means
Nintendo has developed a new fanbase by releasing a type of game they had
never created (perhaps you could say this referring to FE Heroes). The first
three examples of 層 you have cited are perfectly natural.

However, in the sentence in question, the word _fanbase_ in [the original
English article](https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-02-19-nintendo-
delivered-a-strong-direct-but-fan-impatience-grows-opinion) refers to
Nintendo's fans as a whole, not a certain subgroup of (existing or potential)
Nintendo fans. To be honest, 任天堂はファン層という点では時間の余裕がある in that context made
little sense to me, so I think you can safely forget this translation. They
could have translated this _fanbase_ simply as ファンベース.
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answer