Capcom Wants to Cut Ties With The West, Increase DLC

[Steven Bogos]

Capcom Wants to Cut Ties With The West, Increase DLC

Capcom has warned that profits for this year will be about half of their initial prediction, and is taking some drastic measures to correct that.

Capcom isn't doing too well this year. Profits for the current financial year will be about half of what was initially forecast, the company has warned. It was quick to point the finger at Western developers, under performing projects, and "not taking advantage of digital markets." Their solution for this is to cut ties with Western developers, and produce more DLC, a move that is sure to rustle a few jimmies, considering Capcom's "questionable" [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/116155-Capcom-Responds-to-Street-Fighter-X-Tekken-DLC-Complaints] DLC policy.

Also to blame for the profit loss were recent restructuring efforts at the company, an effort to keep up with "drastic changes in the industry's market environment." They also cited the "concentration of AAA titles in the hands of few foreign competitors" and its "delayed response to the shift to digital media in the home videogames business," as problems to be addressed.

The most worrying thing that came out of this press release was the fact that Capcom asserted that "decline in quality of titles outsourced to overseas developers" has forced it to alter its business strategy: it wants to shift Western developers to internal R&D and "increase post-release DLC." Earlier this year, Capcom rebooted its Devil May Cry franchise with DMC: Devil may Cry, which was developed by UK studio Ninja Theory. While getting generally favorable reviews, the game ultimately failed to reach sales expectations.

Lastly, Capcom stated that "work in progress in game software" has been "strictly re-evaluated for business restructuring". This is business speak for "games that we think won't sell well, or don't have the potential for post-release DLC, we are going to cancel."

Capcom recently tapped American developer WayForward to develop its DuckTales remake. [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/122859-Capcom-Taps-WayForward-To-Revive-DuckTales] Let's hope that this one manages to avoid the chopping block!

Source: MCV UK [http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/capcom-issues-profits-warning-cuts-ties-to-western-developers-scraps-projects/0114309]

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[Colt47]

So in other words, if a megaman game were to come out, we'll have to pay $15 USD to unlock the right to use a different mega-buster configuration and a third of the bosses are going to be locked behind a pay wall. Speaking of which, this company does realize the economy in general hasn't been too good lately and that while cutting back the number of games being developed is a good idea, throwing more DLC into the picture might ruffle a few feathers?

 

[jayzz911]

Oh capcom, how amusing that you want to "cut ties with the west". Given that you have a habit of not releasing games in the west this doesn't surprise me. You pissed fans off with DmC's reboot (not me i never liked DmC to begin with) and then wonder why it didnt reach its target. When the west isnt part of your target audience,you shouldn't expect them to listen to you. I feel bad for the devs that are gonna get less work though.
But yea sell some more DLC that will get the public to like you again. They sure loved finding out that characters were already content complete on street fighter x tekken.

 

[mirage202]

Publisher refuses to listen to fans, fans dont buy games, publisher loses profit. Publisher blames every one but self.

Why does this sound familiar? Oh right, same shit, different company.

 

[CardinalPiggles]

Introducing Resident Evil 7, now with social integration so you can share your stats on FriendFace. Also now with 79% more quick time events than it's predecessor, and 86.5% more dubstep.

 

[J Tyran]

Publisher refuses to listen to fans, fans dont buy games, publisher loses profit. Publisher blames every one but self.

Why does this sound familiar? Oh right, same shit, different company.

You have to wonder what these publishers actually inside their skull because it certainly isn't brains. "Since we began our DLC strategy we only met 50% of our sales estimates, we must invest even more into the DLC strategy to correct this!"

How can they be blind to it? People are getting fed up of this and Capcom are one of the worst for DLC shenanigans, maybe even the worst and now they are paying for it through customer dissatisfaction.

 

[Gormech]

Huh ... This kinda goes along with the whole discussion we had on the Monster Hunter forum thing a day or two ago. Okay then. Capcom and EA just got a little closer.

 

[bafrali]

Guess Sheakspeare was overrated.

*rimshot*

What has happened Capcom. I tought your partnership with eastern developers were the way of the future. Take DmC. You got a whole 2 extra point in Metacritic score for your efforts. I doubt you will get your platinum title though. Not in a million years.

 

[shadow skill]

Someone send this to Hayashi and Tecmo. Hayashi apparently thinks that partnering with a western developer is needed to remain relevant.

 

[1nfinite_Cros5]

Such a shame because they finally got it right with western devs by making DmC. I know I'm going to get a lot of flak for this, but I genuinely enjoyed the game. Ninja Theory is a talented developer and it really showed in it, bringing so much originality to the series. I was finally having fun with a Devil May Cry game. It's just saddening that customers in the gaming industry have such a knee-jerk reaction and refuse to get something just because of a different take on the formula.

I know people are justified to not want to get something because of face-value, but goddamn there were good things in that game.

*sigh*

 

[Ariyura]

I would be so sad if we didn't get any of the new Phoenix Wright games coming out. Already had to give up on AA2 and I'm keeping my hope low for Layton X Wright but come on Capcom, let us have Phoenix Wright 5 at least. T_T

 

[PunkRex]

Im starting to think that the games industry may generally be made up of robots incapable of understanding human emotion or logic...

 

[lacktheknack]

Well... Seeya, Capcom... I never really bought your stuff because you didn't want me to have any of it... but seeya...

 

[Chemical Alia]

I'm trying to think of one Capcom game I ever bought and nothing at all comes to mind. They could cut out their games to the west completely and I doubt I would notice. Though "Devil May Cry" does stand out in my mind as one of the lamest titles for a video game I ever heard, so that's notable.

 

[Terramax]

No one here gonna point to the elephant in the room?

*Looks over at the failure that was Resident Evil 6*

Made by a Japanese dev, right? Didn't meet sales expectations.

Yeah, it's the western dev's fault.

 

[1337mokro]

When your predictions are delusional they will fall short.

You thought Resident Evil 6 would be the next Call Of Duty. I will not be sorry to miss you Capcom, you are kind of insane and have horrible customer treatment.