Atlus Pulls Catherine Demo From PSN in Japan

[vxicepickxv]

If anyone was unable to try the demo, you can see the guys at Giant Bomb do a quicklook at it [http://www.giantbomb.com/quick-look-catherine/17-3730/]
I have no interest in the game, so doesn't bother me that the demo is gone. But a Giant Bomb quicklook is always worth watching.

*32 minutes later*

That was... interesting. Now I really want the game.

Why, why, WHY IS THERE NO WESTERN RELEASE DATE!?!

If I had to guess, probably because the western games industry (or rather, the US) is still hurting from the ME1 sex scene "scandal" trumped up by Fox News and Christian Fundamentalist groups. In case you missed it, there have been a number of games killed in development because the material was controversial (6 Days in Fallugah being the most noted one) and as a result, publishers are being extra cautious about controversial releases.

Then they need to know how to spin it right. If they can do that, then they can make the people trying to decry their game look like idiots.

EDIT:When you hear Handel's Messiah in anything from Japan, you know it will fuck with your mind, and yes, you hear it in the demo.

 

[luckycharms8282]

Catherine has piqued my interest. If it is ever released in America, I wouldn't buy it for 60 big ones necessarily, but Id wait until it was a lower price.

 

[Tireseas_v1legacy]

If I had to guess, probably because the western games industry (or rather, the US) is still hurting from the ME1 sex scene "scandal" trumped up by Fox News and Christian Fundamentalist groups. In case you missed it, there have been a number of games killed in development because the material was controversial (6 Days in Fallugah being the most noted one) and as a result, publishers are being extra cautious about controversial releases.

That's a lame reason, especially since nobody cared for God of War sex scenes and Persona 4's homosexual themes.

I didn't say it was a good reason, just that it was a reason. Controversy, more often than not, brings more problems than benefits in the world of gaming.

Another reason? Probably the fact that Japanese games generally don't sell well in the US unless they are major titles. For every FFXII and Demon Souls, there's about 20 games that got localized and had terrible sales.

I don't think it can even be considered a reason. Mass Effect brought so much controversy because it was a successful mainstream title. You think ANYONE from the news is going to bat an eye for weird japanese anime game? Hardly.

Also, this game has been generating a lot of hype since it was first unveiled and it has a lot of people interested. Atlus would be foolish not to localise it.

It will come to the West eventually. It's just a question of when.

Anyone remember Postal 2? I don't, but it generated the correct amount of outrage to pass that California Ban that went to the Supreme Court.

You just need the right amount of outrage in the right spot to cause problems, it doesn't matter the source...

 

[GeneticallyModifiedDucks]

If I had to guess, probably because the western games industry (or rather, the US) is still hurting from the ME1 sex scene "scandal" trumped up by Fox News and Christian Fundamentalist groups. In case you missed it, there have been a number of games killed in development because the material was controversial (6 Days in Fallugah being the most noted one) and as a result, publishers are being extra cautious about controversial releases.

That's a lame reason, especially since nobody cared for God of War sex scenes and Persona 4's homosexual themes.

I didn't say it was a good reason, just that it was a reason. Controversy, more often than not, brings more problems than benefits in the world of gaming.

Another reason? Probably the fact that Japanese games generally don't sell well in the US unless they are major titles. For every FFXII and Demon Souls, there's about 20 games that got localized and had terrible sales.

I don't think it can even be considered a reason. Mass Effect brought so much controversy because it was a successful mainstream title. You think ANYONE from the news is going to bat an eye for weird japanese anime game? Hardly.

Also, this game has been generating a lot of hype since it was first unveiled and it has a lot of people interested. Atlus would be foolish not to localise it.

It will come to the West eventually. It's just a question of when.

Anyone remember Postal 2? I don't, but it generated the correct amount of outrage to pass that California Ban that went to the Supreme Court.

You just need the right amount of outrage in the right spot to cause problems, it doesn't matter the source...

You may be right. But I really don't think the game has any sexual content. It has a Cero C rating after all (it's the equivalent of T for Teen (ESRB) and 12+ or 16+ (depending on the game) for PEGI). I don't think it will be a problem.

Besides, even if there was any sex in the game, there would be absolutely no way it would get localised without censorship.

 

[GeorgW]

That seems like and odd thing for sony to do, charge a fee I mean. But considering, you can't blame atlus for that limit.

 

[Hunter.Wolf]

Strange thing about the fees .. there are demos still there from the early days of PSN for games which were released years ago .. if game companies pay money for every person who might download these demos even out of curiosity (some of the demos are above 1 GB).. why don't the game companies ask Sony to remove them from PSN !!!!?

 

[emeraldrafael]

Come on Atlus, bring this to the US. I need something to tide my over while I wait for Persona V, and Catherine looks just up my alley.

EDIT:
I also like Atlus's business plan.

 

[Akihiko]

I have to admit the gameplay to me seems a bit, lackluster. The rest looks absolutely awesome, the story, the characters, etc. However if the main chunk of the game is going to be those block puzzles, I can see it getting boring fairly fast... I hope I'm wrong, though.

 

[Jumplion]

Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.

Wait.

Wait, wait.

There was a demo for this game?

Spoiler

If you set up an account that's in Japan, you can use the Japanese PSN store (Just, you know, don't buy anything), so I could have downloaded the damn thing!!

 

[Radelaide]

Oh God. Do want so bad D:

 

[Akihiko]

Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.

Wait.

Wait, wait.

There was a demo for this game?

Spoiler

If you set up an account that's in Japan, you can use the Japanese PSN store (Just, you know, don't buy anything), so I could have downloaded the damn thing!!

I know the feeling. I didn't realise the demo had been released yet, would have downloaded the ps3 demo otherwise. Mind you I happened to have a japanese account on xbox live, so I downloaded it from there. Contrary to popular belief you don't need a gold account to download it.

 

[Jumplion]

Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.

Wait.

Wait, wait.

There was a demo for this game?

Spoiler

If you set up an account that's in Japan, you can use the Japanese PSN store (Just, you know, don't buy anything), so I could have downloaded the damn thing!!

I know the feeling. I didn't realise the demo had been released yet, would have downloaded the ps3 demo otherwise. Mind you I happened to have a japanese account on xbox live, so I downloaded it from there. Contrary to popular belief you don't need a gold account to download it.

I demand that you detail every detail on that demo, and help us beg that Atlus release this to the rest of the world. They would become one of my top developers if they did so, I swear.

 

[Akihiko]

Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.

Wait.

Wait, wait.

There was a demo for this game?

Spoiler

If you set up an account that's in Japan, you can use the Japanese PSN store (Just, you know, don't buy anything), so I could have downloaded the damn thing!!

I know the feeling. I didn't realise the demo had been released yet, would have downloaded the ps3 demo otherwise. Mind you I happened to have a japanese account on xbox live, so I downloaded it from there. Contrary to popular belief you don't need a gold account to download it.

I demand that you detail every detail on that demo, and help us beg that Atlus release this to the rest of the world. They would become one of my top developers if they did so, I swear.

Will two youtube videos of the demo with english subtitles do?

<youtube=toL5vd_RDZI>
<youtube=9ngYZH_e3Zo>

Will be gutted if they don't release it to the rest of the world. I don't hold much hope for a european release, but I'm happy just as long as the US gets it, so I can import the PS3 version. Understanding whats going on in the demo has made me even more interested in the story. I want it now!!

 

[Jumplion]

Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.

Wait.

Wait, wait.

There was a demo for this game?

Spoiler

If you set up an account that's in Japan, you can use the Japanese PSN store (Just, you know, don't buy anything), so I could have downloaded the damn thing!!

I know the feeling. I didn't realise the demo had been released yet, would have downloaded the ps3 demo otherwise. Mind you I happened to have a japanese account on xbox live, so I downloaded it from there. Contrary to popular belief you don't need a gold account to download it.

I demand that you detail every detail on that demo, and help us beg that Atlus release this to the rest of the world. They would become one of my top developers if they did so, I swear.

Will two youtube videos of the demo with english subtitles do?

<youtube=toL5vd_RDZI>
<youtube=9ngYZH_e3Zo>

Will be gutted if they don't release it to the rest of the world. I don't hold much hope for a european release, but I'm happy just as long as the US gets it, so I can import the PS3 version. Understanding whats going on in the demo has made me even more interested in the story. I want it now!!

Thank you, and goddamn you, so much for sharing this. I want this game. If Atlus ever releases it outside Japan, the second I become old enough to buy it myself (I can't imagine the look on my father's face if he had to buy this for me, just look at the boxart [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/105847-Catherine-Box-Art-Its-All-About-the-T-A] for goodness sake) I would pick this up in a nanosecond.

EDIT: Oh, and I love the little touch of "Jupiter". The music is great.

 

[Islandboy2]

can't wait for this one... I played the demo (with a japanese xbox account) twice. Its going to be amazing IF we are getting it.

 

[halkun]

Sony charges companies for the bandwidth their demos use?

Is that normal? Sounds like it'd be a big pain in the ass for small or struggling companies.

If you are a small or struggling company, Sony will not let you have a dev kit. You must have a stand alone office with a particular security system in place, insurance, a successful title under your belt and a million dollars in assets. Even if you were able to pay the $10,000 for the kit, if you don't have any of the other things, Sony will deny your application.