Capcom: Our Resident Evil Gamer Fanbase Is Too Old

[otakon17]

Capcom, you are blaming the people that MADE YOU WHAT YOU ARE TODAY for YOUR failings? ARE YOU LISTENING TO YOURSELVES?

1. Make a PROPER Resident Evil game. Take it back to 4 if you don't want to go too far back but dammit it's NOT SUPPOSED TO BE A STRAIGHT UP SHOOTER!
2. MAKE A PROPER BREATH OF FIRE GAME! Your flagship RPG is sinking, WHY!? Hell make a proper BoF HD remake and put it on the 3DS. It would probably sell like hotcakes.
3. PORT MONSTER HUNTER TO THE POPULAR WESTERN SYSTEMS. Stop letting the portables just have it dammit.
4. Make a proper Dragon's Dogma sequel that let's us explore the rest of Gransys AND proper multiplayer with real life people instead of brain-dead pawns.
5. If all else fails, sell everything to Nintendo.(kind of a joke that last one)

Please don't die like this Capcom, it would be a shame.

 

[Ignatz_Zwakh]

If there was ever a videogame franchise in need of a reboot...They'd do better focusing on smaller-budgeted titles that put more thought into scaring it's audience rather than supplying the tired run and gun action that seems to have permeated the series in the past few years. What I'd like to see is a Resi Evil along the lines of an indie title like "Lone Survivor". Low-key and if not horrifying (Due to it's graphics) at the very least grim and unsettling.

 

[Kecunk]

You wanna know how Capcom can get new fans into resident evil the same way they got their old fans into resident evil by making the games not suck and providing an experience that's hard to find anywhere else.

Classic RE might not of been the best survival horror games but they are what brought survival horror to a more mainstream audience

You wanna know how I first got interested in resident evil, it wasn't because the resident evil themed spaghetti was soo good at the resident evil themed restaurant that I decided to buy resident evil 7.

I was because my friend said he wanted to show me the awesome new game he got and watching him play it drew me in to the point that I wanted to own it myself.

 

[Roxas1359]

There's something about Capcom failing so miserably that satisfies me. Really I feel bad for the people who are probably gonna lose their jobs because of executive idiots again, but Capcom has burned me so much in the last few years that I either a) don't buy their games at all or b) make sure that they are used so then they get no money from it. >:3

What, I'm a disgruntled Megaman Legends fan who's still pissed at the fact that Capcom blamed the cancellation of the game on the fact that apparently I didn't love it enough. That'd be like Iwata cancelling a Kirby game because "the fans obviously didn't love it enough". >.>

 

[Haakmed]

So your taking the Squarenix approach I guess? Change the original format so much that the older fanbase does not know what its looking at and the complain when you did not reach your target goals that you pulled out of a hat?

 

[Zeras]

I would love for Capcom to get back to the original formula - I'd love to play a remake of the original game for this console generation, since I didn't come into consoles until after 2001...and my tastes hadn't come into the realm of survival horror....

 

[Atmos Duality]

Capcom has been run by stubbornly arrogant jaggoffs for a while now, but since the start of the previous console generation, their arrogance has only intensified. When Inafune left the company, that legitimately spooked me, because it was very clearly the result of a clash of egos.

And ever since, Capcom has only become more outward with their contempt for the market. Last year they blamed western developers for their woes, and are now doggedly ignoring how RE6's was all but unanimously panned for the same reasons.
Instead, they've opted to blame their demographic.

The same demographics, who produced QUINTUPLE PLATINUM SALES FOR THEM.
Which still isn't good enough for them...uh, there's no way to describe that except as "FUCKING INSANE".

I'm sorry, but loss of jobs or not, I cannot bring myself to feel any sympathy for a company that arrogant and stupid.
Not even one with iconic game series under their belt.

Though maybe they have a point. Perhaps they should be worried about their old target demographic growing older, because as they do, they're likely to be less gullible and better at spotting bullshit.

There's something about Capcom failing so miserably that satisfies me. Really I feel bad for the people who are probably gonna lose their jobs because of executive idiots again, but Capcom has burned me so much in the last few years that I either a) don't buy their games at all or b) make sure that they are used so then they get no money from it. >:3

What, I'm a disgruntled Megaman Legends fan who's still pissed at the fact that Capcom blamed the cancellation of the game on the fact that apparently I didn't love it enough. That'd be like Iwata cancelling a Kirby game because "the fans obviously didn't love it enough". >.>

I don't blame ya. I'm in the same camp, really.
It's clear to me that Capcom is trapped in their old ways; only now they're without their original talent, as most of their old key developers have departed the company, mostly in the last decade.

So from what I can see, it's not just their target demographic who is getting "too old" for their shit.
Capcom is outdated and haven't found a way to remain relevant, like many of their peers in Japan (except Nintendo, but Nintendo is...weird to say the least).

 

[Callate]

Wait a minute... You're tired of selling games to the people who actually have the money to buy video games?

I wasn't hugely impressed with RE5, and it kept me from even taking a look at RE6 (which, according to most reviews, is for the best). But I honestly don't think it's a matter of age; it's more that I don't have the patience to push through tedious and ill-conceived game play in order to move forward a grim, nonsensical plot. (You can be grim or nonsensical, but my tolerance for Diabolus Ex Machina is pretty low.)

I've liked some RE games; I just don't think the franchise is sacrosanct. Games like Operation: Raccoon City haven't helped. It's good that they're willing to try to move in new directions, but I think Capcom needs to stop thinking that the strength of the name is a cover for all sins.

 

[w9496]

I wonder what their budget was since selling over 5 million copies isn't enough apparently. I've played Resident Evil since I was old enough to handle a controller properly, and I'm only 19. The fanbase isn't too old, but the games are changing too much for their own good.

I personally feel that RE6, although being a super fun game in coop much like RE5, fell a bit short because of the massive overhaul the game received. Fans want the old stuff, and I'm talking about everything between RE1 and RE4( except for that first-person rail shooter they releases. Nobody wants that shit).

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

Maybe if you finally dropped the bullshit bio-terrorism plots, stopped shoving quick-time events into gameplay/cutscenes, removed random-item generation and focused more on actual survival horror, Capcom.

 

[Aiddon_v1legacy]

Capcom, you are blaming the people that MADE YOU WHAT YOU ARE TODAY for YOUR failings? ARE YOU LISTENING TO YOURSELVES?

1. Make a PROPER Resident Evil game. Take it back to 4 if you don't want to go too far back but dammit it's NOT SUPPOSED TO BE A STRAIGHT UP SHOOTER!
2. MAKE A PROPER BREATH OF FIRE GAME! Your flagship RPG is sinking, WHY!? Hell make a proper BoF HD remake and put it on the 3DS. It would probably sell like hotcakes.
3. PORT MONSTER HUNTER TO THE POPULAR WESTERN SYSTEMS. Stop letting the portables just have it dammit.
4. Make a proper Dragon's Dogma sequel that let's us explore the rest of Gransys AND proper multiplayer with real life people instead of brain-dead pawns.
5. If all else fails, sell everything to Nintendo.(kind of a joke that last one)

Please don't die like this Capcom, it would be a shame.

Uh, that's kind of the problem; the fact of the matter is that you can't expect your audience to stay on. The comics industry learned that the hard way by constantly catering to a shrinking demographic. As for your points, let's see here:

1. Uh, 6 WAS a proper RE game. Once the series dropped all pretenses of being a horror series they were better off for it. Being a shooter wasn't the problem. It was that it wasn't as tightly designed as 4 or 5.

2. And then watch the game sell NOTHING.

3. MH4 is on the 3DS. How the HELL is that not a popular systems.

4. They might get around to that

5. And not a very good joke.

 

[Verkula]

Sound like whoever is in charge there is the one who's actually too old. They have no freakin idea what people want, and are insanely out of touch with the world. Hey, how about making a good horror games(I know, debatable if it was good or so bad its good but that's not the point right now), you know, that thing that actually made the series popular? Yeah that, now make one and sell it to the people who CARE about your damn IP, instead of creating more abominations.

 

[Vivi22]

If the gimmick restaurants and dressing up don't pan out, they could always try making good games.

But it's the aging fanbase that's the problem. The games are just fine. /sarcasm

Yet another example of a company not getting it. Future game developers better be taking notes with all of this stuff. Honestly, their failures are plainly obvious to anyone willing to actually turn a critical eye to them.

 

[Frostbyte666]

I miss the older resident evils when it was more about survival. Sure 4 was fun but 5 went to more action and I didn't bother with 6. Well capcom I spose you could say that as 1 of your older gen, I have lost interest in the franchise but its because you made it so much like every other action game out there and survival horror was thrown out the window. I just played the evil mansion mod for skyrim (resident evil 1 recreation into skyrim) it was pretty awesome and the atmosphere was great, the howls of invisible werewolves in narrow corridors did bring a stab of terror. Maybe they should look at that mod and try to recreate some of the horror and survival that the series once invoked. Ok better stop there before the rant gets even worse.

 

[otakon17]

Capcom, you are blaming the people that MADE YOU WHAT YOU ARE TODAY for YOUR failings? ARE YOU LISTENING TO YOURSELVES?

1. Make a PROPER Resident Evil game. Take it back to 4 if you don't want to go too far back but dammit it's NOT SUPPOSED TO BE A STRAIGHT UP SHOOTER!
2. MAKE A PROPER BREATH OF FIRE GAME! Your flagship RPG is sinking, WHY!? Hell make a proper BoF HD remake and put it on the 3DS. It would probably sell like hotcakes.
3. PORT MONSTER HUNTER TO THE POPULAR WESTERN SYSTEMS. Stop letting the portables just have it dammit.
4. Make a proper Dragon's Dogma sequel that let's us explore the rest of Gransys AND proper multiplayer with real life people instead of brain-dead pawns.
5. If all else fails, sell everything to Nintendo.(kind of a joke that last one)

Please don't die like this Capcom, it would be a shame.

Uh, that's kind of the problem; the fact of the matter is that you can't expect your audience to stay on. The comics industry learned that the hard way by constantly catering to a shrinking demographic. As for your points, let's see here:

1. Uh, 6 WAS a proper RE game. Once the series dropped all pretenses of being a horror series they were better off for it. Being a shooter wasn't the problem. It was that it wasn't as tightly designed as 4 or 5.

2. And then watch the game sell NOTHING.

3. MH4 is on the 3DS. How the HELL is that not a popular systems.

4. They might get around to that

5. And not a very good joke.

You have no idea what a proper Resident Evil game is then on point one. On point 2, Bravely Default is selling VERY well for all purposes being a Final Fantasy reboot. Point 3, it's on PORTABLE systems mostly and the Wii, NOT on the biggest consoles in the West. 4, yeah and 5 yeah I know it was a bad joke but last I heard they have 150 million left in the coffers to hold them over till the end of the financial season so I have no idea if they're gonna go under or not.

 

[Aesir23]

This is probably going to earn me a lot of flak but I admit that I get a bit annoyed when I see all of the cries for a return to the original formula of RE.

Sure, I would love a return to the more tense atmosphere of the old RE games but at the same time, I have come to appreciate the controls of the post-RE3 titles. The controls of the earlier titles just frustrated me to hell and back, primarily when it came to actually moving your character. So I'd probably prefer if they went back to something similar to RE4 or, more recently, RE: Revelations.

I'm not saying the people who want a return to the old formula don't have a point, something I admitted to just above. The main thing I'm frustrated with is that so many seem to want it exactly as it was with the pre-RE4 titles without even the most minor of differences. If they didn't make some things different outside of the graphics, then we'd just be seeing the same thing again and again.

We'd see the RE version of Call of Duty where people would then be complaining about how there is no innovation.

Perhaps I'm just misinterpreting it but that's how it comes across a lot of the time so someone please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[Easton Dark]

Sure, I would love a return to the more tense atmosphere of the old RE games but at the same time, I have come to appreciate the controls of the post-RE3 titles. The controls of the earlier titles just frustrated me to hell and back, primarily when it came to actually moving your character. So I'd probably prefer if they went back to something similar to RE4 or, more recently, RE: Revelations.

But RE4 and up controls are just tank controls like the previous games with an over-the-shoulder camera and requiring precise aim. It's just as awkward to move as it was previously.

I wish capcom realized that there are more 18 year olds and up now than there were in 1996, and definitely many more that are into games, so that if they recaptured what made RE great almost two decades ago, it'd be an even bigger success, and it would cost peanuts compared to RE6, plus the old fans would come back as well.

Oh well, RE2 still exists as the best one.

 

[TheMadDoctorsCat]

I don't think Capcom get that a franchise "brand" is just another tool. It can be used for good or for evil. More than that, a brand can be poisoned; if one "Resident Evil" game isn't very good, a lot of people might remember and avoid the next "Resident Evil" game, but might buy the same game without the name on it.

It seems like Capcom don't have confidence in their product any more, doesn't it? RE:6's only such point was the strong brand name behind it, which was enough to get it five million sales. Unfortunately it's "poisoned the well" for the next game. Even if that game happens to be much better (which it hopefully will be). It did this by NOT coming up with a unique vision - instead it tried to be all things to all people, and as a result, had no identity of its own.

The basics of selling a videogame are the same as any other product:

- Come up with a vision for a product with a unique selling point.
- Market that unique selling point to the audience who you think are most likely to buy the product as a result.

If anything, being part of a franchise should make this process EASIER, not harder: you've got the name and the theme, you're halfway there already! But a unique selling point that's a "brand" only works if previous iterations haven't diluted its value. A lot of people disliked RE:6 and may not buy RE:7 as a result, regardless of the reviews (after all, RE:6 had enough bad reviews, and it didn't stop people from buying it.)

 

[Aesir23]

Sure, I would love a return to the more tense atmosphere of the old RE games but at the same time, I have come to appreciate the controls of the post-RE3 titles. The controls of the earlier titles just frustrated me to hell and back, primarily when it came to actually moving your character. So I'd probably prefer if they went back to something similar to RE4 or, more recently, RE: Revelations.

But RE4 and up controls are just tank controls like the previous games with an over-the-shoulder camera and requiring precise aim. It's just as awkward to move as it was previously.

I wish capcom realized that there are more 18 year olds and up now than there were in 1996, and definitely many more that are into games, so that if they recaptured what made RE great almost two decades ago, it'd be an even bigger success, and it would cost peanuts compared to RE6, plus the old fans would come back as well.

Oh well, RE2 still exists as the best one.

I just always found the controls of the post-RE3 games to be much easier to deal with, probably because of the perspective itself. Perhaps I just lacked the dexterity at the time but with the control style of the earlier games I would struggle just to navigate a room efficiently. Even more so when I was under pressure.

 

[Mr. Q]

Capcom, if you're gonna run a company with that kind of half-ass logic, I might as well take you out back and put two deer slugs in the back of your head.

The reason why RE6 failed is because you tried reaching out to the "spunkgargleweewee" fans who barely give half a rat's ass about other properties that are not Call of Duty or Battlefield. I don't care if you're gonna do another sequel or reboot the franchise, but, Jesus Christ on a pogo stick, get this series back to its survival horror roots. Either learn from what made RE4 popular (and not just gloss over the details) or learn how to do proper survival horror (might wanna take notes from Amnesia: The Dark Decent and Outlast). You cannot spend your time trying to chase an audience that is already taken care of. Focus on winning back your fan base, make a damn good product, and let word of mouth take care of the rest.

You cannot afford to fuck up anymore, Capcom! Failure is no longer an option in this day and age!

THQ is already dead and buried. EA has one foot in the grave judging from their past actions. Do you really want your company to suffer the same fate?