Squeenix CEO Calls Out Japanese Gamers on Western Bias

[John Funk]

Squeenix CEO Calls Out Japanese Gamers on Western Bias

Square-Enix CEO Yoichi Wada is frustrated with Japanese gamers' refusal to give Western-made games a chance, calling the Japanese term for the games "terribly discriminatory."

The relationship of Japan and the West when it comes to video games is a strange one, and Square-Enix CEO Yoichi Wada has spoken at length on the subject more than once. Wada clearly admires the Western game industry, mentioning that he wants to see his native Japan follow suit with more games made for adults [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/94963-Square-Enix-Boss-Wants-to-See-More-Adult-Japanese-Games], and - like many other Japanese developers - has obviously been mulling over how Japanese game makers can market their titles to Western gamers more successfully instead of dealing with a relatively small, insulated market.

But for the moment, Wada isn't concerned with how to market his company's games in the West, but with the exact opposite: In an interview with Japanese TV publish in the Land of the Rising Sun [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRF3WIieRUk].

Specifically, Wada has an issue with the Japanese term youge- (洋ゲ&#12540, the word used to refer to titles made in the West as opposed to Japanese-made games, or geimu (ゲーム - yeah, it's just the word "game"). By differentiating between the two, Japanese gamers are essentially saying that Western games aren't actually games, and the Square-Enix boss doesn't like it.

"Even now, there have been people in Japan using the label youge- (Western games) with a terribly discriminatory meaning," said Wada. "I'd like them to try it once. If they play it once, they'd realize how incorrect that label is."

There's no doubt that Wada has a bit of a personal investment in the matter considering that strong sales of MW2 would benefit his company's coffers, but considering his previous statements on the matter it's not hard to believe that the man genuinely wants Japan's gamers and game makers alike to broaden their borders in more ways than one.

(Via Kotaku [http://kotaku.com/5420421/square-enix-president-calls-western-game-label-terribly-discriminatory])

Permalink

 

[oppp7]

Not to sound racist, but ya, I've heard a lot of people say that Japan is xenophobic.
I can point to Mario and Jynx as proof...

 

[mattttherman3]

Well it is nice to see that he wants the people there to try and love our games, just as we do the same, Tales of Vesperia ftw!

 

[Wakefield]

This man makes a lot of sense. Good for him.

 

[jebussaves88]

Japan has always had an air of self-determination. It's fair enough, they seem to know what they like, and what they like is the product of their own culture. However, I'm sure a lot more of them would have fun if they weren't so close minded about such things. I admire this duded for saying this, because with the weight his word would probably carry, it might just win a few over.

 

[SimuLord]

How do you say "cultural relevance" in Japanese, because I suspect the reason MW2 didn't sell well there is because it has a very decidedly Western-centric theme that's not going to resonate with a Japanese audience.

Plus, as far as other Western games go, the Japanese have their own kitsch, they don't need ours. Japanese games are popular in America because there is a strong subset of people who like the cultural memes at work in those games, but that does not necessarily mean that desire for something from another culture is going to cross both ways.

 

[Royas]

Well, it seems to me that there really is a difference between what Western and Japanese gamers expect from their games. Western games don't catch on in Japan as a rule, but to be fair, a lot of Western gamers don't get a lot of Japanese games either. Japanese games do tend to do better in the West than Western games in Japan, but that may be just because Westerners are a little more used to accepting and working within other cultures. You know, the big ol' melting pot concept. But I can see how it would be that the Japanese market would be slower for Western games than their own. Like SimuLord said, they have their own kitsch (good turn of phrase, that). Games made for the Western culture just aren't going to have the mass appeal for the Japanese market.

 

[Raithnor]

MW2 is too Ameri-centric to really appeal to a Japanese audience. Really, take a look at western games how many of them were based on WWII?

You'd have more luck marketing Halo and similar games not based in the "real world".

 

[Mr. Grey]

I find his goal admirable, but a timewaster. America enjoys all games because we're a melting pot, we have all sorts of little things that allows practically anything work for us.

But in Japan that isn't the case, as they are vastly attuned to their own culture. Only very little on a worldwide scale will interest them.

I'd add more but SimuLord and Royas pretty much took the words out of my mouth.

 

[hansari]

Specifically, Wada has an issue with the Japanese term youge- (洋ゲ&#12540, the word used to refer to titles made in the West as opposed to Japanese-made games, or geimu (ゲーム - yeah, it's just the word "game").

There are OUR games, and then there are EVERYONE ELSES games... haha!

Wada shouldn't just discuss the bias of the gamers in his country...look at the industry itself.

Wasn't too long ago I saw an article here about how Japanese game composers believe the West can't come up with anything really memorable. [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/93207-Japanese-Composers-Say-Western-Game-Music-is-Dry]

Oh, and then there is Famitsu.

Look at the list of games they have given "perfect scores" to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Famits%C5%AB#Perfect_scores]...after all these years, not a single foreign game has gotten on that list. (Oh, but they've come quite close )

 

[Croaker42]

So the only way to cover your loss when making a really bad choice. (Publishing a highly western game in an eastern market.) is to make the target market feel bad about its personal taste?

Thats just good business.

 

[Silk_Sk]

He makes good sense but I don't think I can join him on the youge-geimu thing. After all, we in the west have a separate word for animation that comes from Japan.

That said, it would be nice if Japan was more receptive to american games. But that's as in depth as I'm going to go. If it becomes a real issue over there (and I doubt it will) I will follow more closely.

 

[Nazrel]

I have to side with the eastern masses here.
There are few western games in the last 10 years I didn't think were mediocre or crap.

 

[Asehujiko]

My response to MW was "meh" too and that doesn't make me xenophobic, i just dislike bland sequels trying to cash in on the original.

 

[Cherry Cola]

Specifically, Wada has an issue with the Japanese term youge- (洋ゲ&#12540, the word used to refer to titles made in the West as opposed to Japanese-made games, or geimu (ゲーム - yeah, it's just the word "game").

There are OUR games, and then there are EVERYONE ELSES games... haha!

Wada shouldn't just discuss the bias of the gamers in his country...look at the industry itself.

Wasn't too long ago I saw an article here about how Japanese game composers believe the West can't come up with anything really memorable. [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/93207-Japanese-Composers-Say-Western-Game-Music-is-Dry]

Oh, and then there is Famitsu.

Look at the list of games they have given "perfect scores" to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Famits%C5%AB#Perfect_scores]...after all these years, not a single foreign game has gotten on that list. (Oh, but they've come quite close )

...Nintendogs? Seriously?

 

[Silk_Sk]

I have to side with the eastern masses here.
There are few western games in the last 10 years I didn't think were mediocre or crap.

I really don't think that matters. Some games are good, most are crap, no matter the culture they herald from.

 

[John Funk]

I have to side with the eastern masses here.
There are few western games in the last 10 years I didn't think were mediocre or crap.

I really don't think that matters. Some games are good, most are crap, no matter the culture they herald from.

One could argue that we actually get a much better crop of Japanese games since the (really) shitty ones don't get released over here.

 

[Silk_Sk]

I have to side with the eastern masses here.
There are few western games in the last 10 years I didn't think were mediocre or crap.

I really don't think that matters. Some games are good, most are crap, no matter the culture they herald from.

One could argue that we actually get a much better crop of Japanese games since the (really) shitty ones don't get released over here.

Exactly. Also, when judging a games worth, preference matters quite a bit and not just culturally.

Nintendogs, for example, wasn't a bad game by any measure. If someone likes puppies, they are well justified to give that game a perfect score. If you don't like puppies then don't play it, but no one can say the game was bad.

But, to apply that to the issue, the style of western games is radically different to Japanese ones. Their preference is not just because of culture. Japanese games have an astounding amount of subtlety woven into them with regards to game mechanics. The player is expected to discover and learn these mechanics on his own and utilize them to his advantage. Western games don't go much further than headshot = kill. It could be that the Japanese feel that western games insult their skills as gamers.

 

[Gildan Bladeborn]

The fellow has a point, but I can't really complain if Japan found Modern Warfare 2 to be 'meh' as that was my reaction to it as well.