Japanese Game Industry is Feeling the Pinch

[Darmani]

Okay. Uhm guys.

Why is it we hear japanese industry and think how much the "last" JRPG we played sucked?

I mean other stuff gets produced. And I don't all the japanese gaming industry is failing because Final fantasy XIII got bad reviews.

I'm a little surprised no one's mentioned the facts about how handhelds are where the real action and development is at. Its a combination of things but for the gamer growing up in japan having access to your TV at home with your commuting work schedule and possibly shared and small domicile is... well rare. But with the commuting public transportation culture handhelds that can wirelessly ping nearby are boss.

Because most japanese money and gaming is for on the go and commuter stuff that's cute and idiosyncratic is the deal there. Something quick and easy or involves a different form of co-op (monster hunter) and can be fit around work and other leisure activities. Its not helped that by age 30 you're not supposed to be a gamer anymore (admittedly this is anecdotal from westerners who report on the gaming culture from there)


Third party engine use is a sign of GOOD things. Part of the issue and the slow adoption to HD gaming has been a lack of middleware or middleware and playtest friendly design processes. That seems changed. But its likely being directed to handhelds or niche audiences in japan (which tends to handle IP in a different method referred to as Mixed Media; take an idea and replay it in different medias, comics, novels, etc) not as easily exported for broad western appeal.

I'm going to try to avoid equating all japanese culture with anime but it is similar how many manga and anime are for different crowds but cartoons and comics are for ONE crowd here. This doesn't make for cross market appeal if your show is say about baseball but you're marketing to the core american anime fandom which tend to be scifi fantasy geeks who wanted more elaborate versions of stuff back in the 90s and 80s there were few full motion examples of.

Besides its not so much Japan has gotten worse so much as Western PC developers have branched to wider more mainstream markets and gotten better. You don't have to deal with the peculiar 'isms' of the culture or storytelling ticks despite The Darkness having a number of anime equivalents.

 

[Darmani]

Kickstarter something, dammit! Are you telling me that there aren't a few young, disgruntled Japanese game developers tired of having their fresh new ideas squashed by the senile old farts above them in management? We talk about Western game companies being oppressive monoliths, but they got nothing on the big name Japanese game companies. Break fee of your chains, and let the wallets of millions of bored gamers around the world help you drag Japan kicking and screaming into the 21st century!

When a low level developer wants to make a hit or niche game he goes to fan market or makes a
PC visual novel game that has appeal in visuals, voice-acting and etc.

Japan already has its outlets for indie or offbeat titles and tons of variety check what's on the PSP overthere.

Another issue is cultural things tend to be ... well the elders hold the power and the work conditions are intense, just getting investors as newbie can be a major pain. Also Kickstarters aren't the way of the future unless you are a WELL established and liked author with fanbase willing to pay. Moreover they, like Western Developers, are going to be influenced by local filters. Making girlgame is plainly going to be more of a priority than making a whatever sells in the west.

And what about Binary Domain. coopt tactical 3rd person shooter from Japan by the team from the Yakuza series. Heck the Yakuza series, 3rd person action adventure. Lost Planet, etc.

PArt of the issue is people have an image of japan in there heads and decided they like or love it. Even if more or other is going on it doesn't matter

 

[archvile93]

Maybe this'll provide the right stimulation for them to innovate more.

Which reminds me, the Japanese gaming industry is so weird in that respect. On one hand you have crazy-awesome innovation with games like Katamari and Catherine, but on the other hand you have the ever-popular JRPG genre which is hopelessly outdated, especially in terms of narrative design, because seriously who the hell designs something for an interactive medium almost like a movie.

I never really got that duality.

You're forgetting that some JRPGs actually are innovative within the genre, at least in gameplay and artistic design if not in cutscene design. And if you do want an action-based JRPG without very much spiky hair (and an interesting thing with "heart to heart", get yourself a Wii and Xenoblade Chronicles.

Seriously, do it, that's game's amazing. And who knows? Maybe it'll encourage some games that innovate outside the JRPG label to get localised. ...Or you could just stick to the ever-popular first-person shooter genre which is hopelessly outdated, especially in terms of environment design, because seriously who the hell wants to see the Cold War escalate ten times in one year?

That sounds great, oh wait, no NA release. Seriously, how did that meeting go? "Okay, which game should we release in NA, the more action focused game or the traditional JRPG that's not much more than a niche genre there?"

"Well Americans do tend to prefer action focused games, we'd make the most money by giving them the action focused game, so let's give them the niche title."

"Genius, we'll go with that then. Give that man a medal."

Something like that I imagine. And they wonder why there games don't do as well here as they used to.

 

[zerobudgetgamer]

wait... what? only 25% responded? That's an awfully exact number. Is this credible news?

And how is 52% of 25% even an accurate idea of good OR bad? What if the other 75% would have voted positively?

That's like taking 25% of presidential election votes and saying it looks good or bad for one side or the other - how can you even come to a conclusion without at least half the picture?

I am AMAZED no one said this on the first freaking page! Seriously, when I saw 52% of 25% all I could do is go "bwuh?" and expect the article to be immediately turned down for lack of proper research. But instead the comment section seems to be devoted primarily to an East vs. West Smackdown.

Honestly, guys, only 25% of companies that have existed for over 3 years responded, and some didn't even completely fill out the survey. Unless that 25% accounts for more than 75% of the total earnings for the Japanese Gaming Industry, it's pretty damn hard to say for sure how bad it really is.

And besides, how many times has it already been said in this very thread? Japan hasn't had the greatest of years PERIOD! Honestly, I think this should all be very much expected, given the circumstances. I mean, fine, there's nothing saying that they SHOULDN'T be able to make a profit this year, but I'm just saying they kind of have a semi-valid excuse.

 

[NerfedFalcon]

You're forgetting that some JRPGs actually are innovative within the genre, at least in gameplay and artistic design if not in cutscene design. And if you do want an action-based JRPG without very much spiky hair (and an interesting thing with "heart to heart", get yourself a Wii and Xenoblade Chronicles.

That sounds great, oh wait, no NA release. Seriously, how did that meeting go? "Okay, which game should we release in NA, the more action focused game or the traditional JRPG that's not much more than a niche genre there?"

"Well Americans do tend to prefer action focused games, we'd make the most money by giving them the action focused game, so let's give them the niche title."

"Genius, we'll go with that then. Give that man a medal."

Something like that I imagine. And they wonder why there games don't do as well here as they used to.

'Cept it is getting an NA release, albeit limited to Ninty's website and Gamestop. And The Last Story is already confirmed as coming. If you seriously want to see more games cross the gap between America and Japan, buy either (or, heck, both) of them.

 

[archvile93]

You're forgetting that some JRPGs actually are innovative within the genre, at least in gameplay and artistic design if not in cutscene design. And if you do want an action-based JRPG without very much spiky hair (and an interesting thing with "heart to heart", get yourself a Wii and Xenoblade Chronicles.

That sounds great, oh wait, no NA release. Seriously, how did that meeting go? "Okay, which game should we release in NA, the more action focused game or the traditional JRPG that's not much more than a niche genre there?"

"Well Americans do tend to prefer action focused games, we'd make the most money by giving them the action focused game, so let's give them the niche title."

"Genius, we'll go with that then. Give that man a medal."

Something like that I imagine. And they wonder why there games don't do as well here as they used to.

'Cept it is getting an NA release, albeit limited to Ninty's website and Gamestop. And The Last Story is already confirmed as coming. If you seriously want to see more games cross the gap between America and Japan, buy either (or, heck, both) of them.

Really? I just thought they kind of said, "We'll consider it," and never brought it up again. Sadly it really doesn't affect me either way, since they're only on the Wii if I recall. The fact I don't have that system is kind of a dealbreaker since without out that they're really just tiny, $60 frisbees to me. At least it can be enjoyed by people that do have that system.

 

[Simonoly]

wait... what? only 25% responded? That's an awfully exact number. Is this credible news?

And how is 52% of 25% even an accurate idea of good OR bad? What if the other 75% would have voted positively?

That's like taking 25% of presidential election votes and saying it looks good or bad for one side or the other - how can you even come to a conclusion without at least half the picture?

I am AMAZED no one said this on the first freaking page! Seriously, when I saw 52% of 25% all I could do is go "bwuh?" and expect the article to be immediately turned down for lack of proper research. But instead the comment section seems to be devoted primarily to an East vs. West Smackdown.

Honestly, guys, only 25% of companies that have existed for over 3 years responded, and some didn't even completely fill out the survey. Unless that 25% accounts for more than 75% of the total earnings for the Japanese Gaming Industry, it's pretty damn hard to say for sure how bad it really is.

And besides, how many times has it already been said in this very thread? Japan hasn't had the greatest of years PERIOD! Honestly, I think this should all be very much expected, given the circumstances. I mean, fine, there's nothing saying that they SHOULDN'T be able to make a profit this year, but I'm just saying they kind of have a semi-valid excuse.

I'm so glad I wasn't the only one to notice the significance of the statistics. It all feels terribly alarmist.