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The Rogue Wolf

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Umm, wouldn't this actually HURT the sales, since COD always has been about selling as many copies as possible? Game Pass means fewer people buying the game at launch.

Unless ActiBlizz is planning a never-before seen disgusting revenue method, enough to make up for the loss due to game pass
Microsoft doesn't have the slightest idea what it's doing. I think it's just inertia keeping it in business at this point.
 

FakeSympathy

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I mean it’s Ubisoft which makes profit despite their crap practices, but at the same time gaming giants always seem to bounce back from stock drops
 
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BrawlMan

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I mean it’s Ubisoft which makes profit despite their crap practices, but at the same time gaming giants always seem to bounce back from stock drops
Quite the paradox right now.
 
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Casual Shinji

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It seems Japanese gamers are especially pissed off with Ubisoft's decision. And that's fair honestly, if an AC game was set in my country and for some reason I was playing as an American or something, I'd be quite pissed as well.
Didn't Nioh have you playing as a British man? Or were Japanese gamers pissed off about that as well? Also, there's a Japanese woman as the dual protagonist. What about The Last Samurai or that movie where Keanu Reeves is in mythical Japan? I believe there was also a whole thing about the Ghost in the Shell live-action movie and Japan seemingly not caring Kusanagi was played by ScarJo.

But now Japanese gamers are upset that an AssCreed game set in Japan DOESN'T feature someone who is Japanese? Yeah, I call b.s. It's not like the Japanese are starving for samurai media that feature Japanese main characters after all. We just had Rise of the Ronin, for pete's sake. So it's not fair, and highly likely just racism.

Were people this upset about AssCreed 4 for taking place in the Caribbean, but you weren't playing as someone originally from the Caribbean?
 
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BrawlMan

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Didn't Nioh have you playing as a British man? Or were Japanese gamers pissed off about that as well?
No.

What about The Last Samurai or that movie where Keanu Reeves is in mythical Japan?
Last Samurai has Tom Cruise, not Reeves. You're thinking of 47 Ronin.

But now Japanese gamers are upset that an AssCreed game set in Japan DOESN'T feature someone who is Japanese? Yeah, I call b.s. It's not like the Japanese are starving for samurai media that feature Japanese main characters after all. We just had Rise of the Ronin, for pete's sake. So it's not fair, and highly likely just racism.
It is B.S and you are correct. As it turns out, most Japanese fans are excited about Yauske getting major focus, unlike Ni-Oh and Samurai Warriors 5.
 

Bedinsis

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Does Assassin's Creed even sell in Japan? I thought the preferred structure over there was relatively linear/directed; Assassin's Creed is a sandbox series.
 

BrawlMan

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I dunno man, I have SERIOUS questions about what the hell they're doing with their desktop OS as well. It's one bad decision after another. I swear the company just has all encompassing brain damage at this point
They’ve always had about 50:50 alternating track record of doing well by their bread and butter too, true. It’s been like that ever since 3.1 or thereabouts. Currently on another downtrend with 11.
 
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FakeSympathy

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A/B's pricing for WOW's new expansion:
Warwithin.PNG

For the record, the prices go from $50, 70, and then $90.

WTF for a second there I thought I was looking at Ubisoft game. So people have to pay the highest amount just for the early-access?

It's still slightly below Ubisoft prices, but it's like asking if you prefer to be impaled to death or be thrown into a woodchipper
 
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BrawlMan

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A/B's pricing for WOW's new expansion:
View attachment 11211

For the record, the prices go from $50, 70, and then $90.

WTF for a second there I thought I was looking at Ubisoft game. So people have to pay the highest amount just for the early-access?

It's still slightly below Ubisoft prices, but it's like asking if you prefer to be impaled to death or be thrown into a woodchipper
Once again: so much for the buyout "breeding competition and making things better for gaming".
 

Bob_McMillan

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Didn't Nioh have you playing as a British man? Or were Japanese gamers pissed off about that as well? Also, there's a Japanese woman as the dual protagonist. What about The Last Samurai or that movie where Keanu Reeves is in mythical Japan? I believe there was also a whole thing about the Ghost in the Shell live-action movie and Japan seemingly not caring Kusanagi was played by ScarJo.

But now Japanese gamers are upset that an AssCreed game set in Japan DOESN'T feature someone who is Japanese? Yeah, I call b.s. It's not like the Japanese are starving for samurai media that feature Japanese main characters after all. We just had Rise of the Ronin, for pete's sake. So it's not fair, and highly likely just racism.
I based my statement off the comments and dislikes of the trailer that Ubisoft Japan put out, which seemed fairly negative. Since then, it's become clear that many non-Japanese people are just leaving google translated comments in Japanese to make things look worse than they are. So I guess you are right, it was indeed racism.

Were people this upset about AssCreed 4 for taking place in the Caribbean, but you weren't playing as someone originally from the Caribbean?
I mean, the game wasn't about being in the Caribbean, it was about being a pirate. Who were generally European mercenaries or sailors who resorted to piracy after they lost their jobs. And they did make a spinoff game about being a Maroon freeing slaves in the Caribbean, which was nice. A more accurate example would be Ezio in his third game, since he was an Italian dude running around Constantinople. And even then, not quite an equal comparison given that Ezio's games were in a trilogy.

I still stand by what I said in my reply to BrawlMan. Given the history of the series, I think it's perfectly reasonable to be disappointed or skeptical about Ubisoft's decision. That said, given all I've seen over the past few days, 95% of all the outrage is pretty much just hate and racism. Which is frustrating, but I guess as a Star Wars fan I should be used to that.
 
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Casual Shinji

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I think it's perfectly reasonable to be disappointed or skeptical about Ubisoft's decision.
It's always perfectly reasonable to be disappointed and skeptical about Ubisoft. And whether they choose this character to shield themselves against their usual corporate shenanigans and abuse allegations, they're certainly going to use him as one.

But the decision in and of itself, no, I don't see a reason to be disappointed or skeptical about that. It's always interesting to hear stories about how foreigners managed to climb up the social hierarchy in a country that was very isolationist, like Japan still is but certainly was back then. You'd think the concept of someone who "isn't Japanese" becoming a samurai and one of Nobunaga's retainers/whatever would be like catnip to these Western gamers who always laud Japan. It's like the ultimate wishfulfillment for them.
 
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Bob_McMillan

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It's always perfectly reasonable to be disappointed and skeptical about Ubisoft. And whether they choose this character to shield themselves against their usual corporate shenanigans and abuse allegations, they're certainly going to use him as one.

But the decision in and of itself, no, I don't see a reason to be disappointed or skeptical about that. It's always interesting to hear stories about how foreigners managed to climb up the social hierarchy in a country that was very isolationist, like Japan still is but certainly was back then. You'd think the concept of someone who "isn't Japanese" becoming a samurai and one of Nobunaga's retainers/whatever would be like catnip to these Western gamers who always laud Japan. It's like the ultimate wishfulfillment for them.
Well, maybe that's just me, but I'm not the biggest fan of such stories. I'm watching my way through Shogun right now, and while the British main character is fun, I'd really rather they focused less on him and more on, you know... the shogun. I'm watching this show to immerse myself in a masterful recreation of historical Japan, having some white guy pop up and bumble around for most of the show gets grating.

Similarly, in AssCreed's appeal to many people (myself included) is that you get to delve into a generally authentic game world from historical periods. When I first imagined what AC in Japan would be like all those years ago, playing as the sole black man in Japan wasn't exactly the image in my head. I don't think it's "wrong" to have Yasuke, but it is quite different from what I was expecting. Right now Yasuke's story feels more like a story you would expect to see as a side mission or as DLC.
 

BrawlMan

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That said, given all I've seen over the past few days, 95% of all the outrage is pretty much just hate and racism.
Yep. As pointed out, Japanese fans don't have a problem with Yasuke being one of the two main characters. Manufacturaed outrage and click bait from your usual hate mongers going extra hard.

kate bush's husband on X: ""the japanese HATE the new assassin's creed!" meanwhile in the real world https://t.co/0VkUEK007f" / X

I think it's perfectly reasonable to be disappointed or skeptical about Ubisoft's decision.
I don't know what's there to be "disappointed nor skeptical" about. It's Ubisoft. You either know what you're getting into or not. I am not disappointed by anything. We already they are going to over price their AAAA product. People should be upset and disappointed by the pricing, and they are, but majority of people are either not bothered by the pricing, as seen by the strong pre-orders and there isn't even an official gameplay trailer yet.
 

Satinavian

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Didn't Nioh have you playing as a British man? Or were Japanese gamers pissed off about that as well? Also, there's a Japanese woman as the dual protagonist. What about The Last Samurai or that movie where Keanu Reeves is in mythical Japan? I believe there was also a whole thing about the Ghost in the Shell live-action movie and Japan seemingly not caring Kusanagi was played by ScarJo.
People complained about those as well. A lot. And rightly so. Around my circle about Last Samurai the most, but i think GitS was the most prominent on the internet.

And no, Japanese gamers specifically are not particularly vocal about that. And why should they. Their own developers are not exactly known for respectful treatment of inspirations from other parts of the world either. It is all fair game there.


But... just a couple of days ago Ghost of Tsushima finally came to PC. And seems to be the better game anyway.
 
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BrawlMan

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People complained about those as well. A lot. And rightly so. Around my circle about Last Samurai the most, but i think GitS was the most prominent on the internet.
No one complained about Ni-Oh. Last Samurai, yes. Live-Action GitS, Americans and Japanese Americans/Asian Americans have huge issues with the casting. The Japanese? Surprisingly no. They actually like the movie and the director of the first two animated movies gave nothing, but praise. Ironic, that the Japanese love the live-action movie for the same reasons they were lukewarm/disliked the original.


Ghost in the Shell (2017) / YMMV - TV Tropes

  • Mexicans Love Speedy Gonzales: Japanese audiences were (surprisingly for some, not so much for others) more favorable toward this American adaptation of a Japanese property, including its most controversial aspects. People in Japan were shocked that there was any problem with Scarlett Johansson playing the Japanese lead, with some even calling her the best option for the role regardless of her race, and as for the divergent elements of the film compared to the manga and anime, Mamoru Oshii himself actually liked the movie and actually opined the producers should have deviated even more from the manga in order to create their own work instead of trying to remain plainly faithful to it.
But... just a couple of days ago Ghost of Tsushima finally came to PC. And seems to be the better game anyway.
Always has been. The Japanese love Tsushima.