K, so, japanese game devs hate us now?
- Thread starter Shia-Neko-Chan
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I don't know. All I know is that I've been after Nintendo to release the Spice & WOlf visual novels Stateside for some time. Along with Mother and Mother 3.
I swear, it would probably be easier to learn Japanese and just import the damn things. At least, that's how I plan to play Project Diva once I get a PSP.
I swear, it would probably be easier to learn Japanese and just import the damn things. At least, that's how I plan to play Project Diva once I get a PSP.
FelixG said:
That's why I like that Australia declares 'region locking' to be something you have the legal right to circumvent.
Mainly because they consider companies that try to prevent parallel imports (which is what region locking is for), to be engaging in 'anti-competitive business practices'.
Of course, if ACTA passes, that'll probably change, what with the US insisting everyone copy their seriously draconian ideas...
I'm curious though about the situation with Nintendo, because that's quite strange.
I live in the UK at the moment, and there was a pretty heavy push for Xenogear saga, and a moderate one for 'the last story' and something else (I think it's called pandora's tower, but I could be wrong.)
However, all 3 of these titles are ones that people in the US have been begging for.
Since their sale in the UK means an English translation already exists, this does raise the question of what exactly leads to the conclusion that these games will get a European release, but not a North American one.
Is the problem actually about the west as a whole, or is it just the US that Japan is having a problem with these days?
Yeah, it's like Capcom don't want my money.lapan said:
I was just using it as an example of a game that isn't a JRPG.
But you see, this whole topic is geared towards the Jrpg. The Jrpg is the only Japanese centric genre that made any headway in the west (dating sims being an example of ones that didn't). The reality is not "Japan Hates the Western Markets" because I can tell you Japan loves money as much as the west. It would make no sense for them to hold out on the western titles since greed transcends prejudice.Daystar Clarion said:
The simple truth is, most Japanese games do NOT perform well in the West and particularly in America (for non-prejudice reasons, America is just saturated with homegrown developers). This is particularly true for Jrpgs (Japanese centric genre breaking through to the west... and ultimately losing ground). Even those of popular series like DQ and Shin Megami series get a mixed reception, even among the avid fans. Whether it is down to Developer design philosophies or player preferences, who can tell, but Japanese PRODUCERS just don't see the satisfying returns from the western Market.
The Jrpg market in the west is a minority compared to the more internationally neutral genres like Action/Adventures, shooters and Beat Em' Ups. The Metal Gear series, Resident Evil Series, Tekken, Street fighter, All of Nintendos flagship titles and the various and multitudinous other games I can't be bothered listing, all succeed, and will continue to do so, in the west due to their Universal appeal. Jrpgs are almost (can't stress this enough) entirely popularised in west by the Anime fans of those areas, which is still a minority compared to homegrown mediums and studios.
The Jrpg is just not as transferable a genre as the other more common genres. The conundrum lies in the fact that in order to appeal to the west, it would need to alter the formula that currently succeeds in Japan, which can be hit and miss (and likely miss... people seem to detest changes).
EDIT: That isn't to say Jrpgs don't have any success in the Western Market. The opposite is true in fact. But a failing global economy will almost always diminish what was once considered "adequate"... it's just not, in a producers standpoint, a good investment. The western market was always Icing on the cake to them, and unfortunately they just can't afford cake anymore.
It also can't be ignored that the Japanese game development philosophies are showing their age. Some of the biggest names in Japans gaming scene are saying their industry needs innovation or a complete overhaul (see Sonys current head, who is looking to let hardware development slide in favour of the End User experience).
The type of 'anime fans' this person is describing, don't just not buy anime, they don't buy any media very often. There seems to be some overlap between Japanese NEET who watch anime, and American NEET who watch anime. Consequently a lot of the pirates of any media from any country, including video games, are also NEETs.Vault101 said:
Again, it's not like anime fans who don't go buy anime go blow all their money on other stuff. It's that they're NEET internet addicts who hardly ever leave the house. When they do have money, they do often upgrade their computer, buy anime, manga, or anime games. But a lot of American "otaku" actually fit the otaku label by being "NEET" as well. So they just don't have the money to spend on anime, much less non-anime purchases.
But they're not the only anime fans out there. I spend lots of money on anime dvds. Though I tend to spend a lot more money on jRPGs.
I agree with this as well. The JRPG genre was unique and fresh 12+ years ago, and they had virtually no prominent western elements. I mean sure, there was the occasional reference to western culture, but they didn't use any gameplay styles that WRPGs popularized. The best part? It was well-liked here in the west. Games like Final Fantasy VII and Xenogears sold amazingly well, pretty much selling the PlayStation console by themselves.pg.shadowrunner said:
Nowadays, we get stuff like Demon's and Dark Souls, which, at first glance, I initially thought was a series made here in America. Inside and out, it seemed like a WRPG in both style and gameplay. It's kind of sad when our market prefers that Japan just copy western games instead of sticking to the style that a lot of us love them for.
I'm really hoping that games like Xenoblade, Pandora's Tower and The Last Story (if the latter two are released here) help to open the eyes of American gamers, and get them to remember how great the older style of JRPGs can be.
Maybe it's a cultural thing, but I've never enjoyed any games that could be identified easily as Japanese. I think the difference between what American gamers want and what Japanese developers produce is just too big to work in this current financial crisis, where exports are going to become more expensive and bring in fewer returns. Combine that with the fact that anime and other Japanese imports don't sell well in America at all because of the computer literacy shown by their primary fans, and it's a no-brainer as to why you don't see more Japanese products making inroads here. I certainly won't cry about it because I have an almost across-the-board passionate dislike for the Japanese culture that is popularized in the west, but I definitely think it's a shame that such a big segment of the gamer population is losing their preferred style.
Firstly, Japan was suffering badly from the worldwide economic downturn even BEFORE a giant tsunami and earthquake caused devastation across the country. (You DO remember they have suffered great devastation recently, yes?)
Secondly, there have always been scores, if not hundreds of titles released in Japan-only, each year, going way back to the 'eighties.
There is neither anything new, nor alarming about this, and I think it indicates NOTHING. Move along, folks. Nothing to see here.
Secondly, there have always been scores, if not hundreds of titles released in Japan-only, each year, going way back to the 'eighties.
There is neither anything new, nor alarming about this, and I think it indicates NOTHING. Move along, folks. Nothing to see here.
Meh, dont ask how I know but apparently some of those pillows can end up costing like 1-12grand. Some fans have a lot of dough to spend on that sorta stuff. Then again, that could be because all the the legal Western websites end up selling the stuff at like 500-1000% of what they cost originally. Same with games, I cant imagine how a 20dollargame ends up costing 100dollars. . . Is it really 'that' expensive to sell it on? Guess its the textbook example of supply/demand.Vault101 said:your telling me Weaboos/Otaku's dont even buy their damn Anime?zerobudgetgamer said:
I find somthing hypocritical about that (then again I guess they spend enough on pillows and figures)
ok ok that was mean, I apologise for the derogatory terms (kind of) I know that was generalisations (and generalisations are subject to exceptions as wel all know)
I wasn't aware that I'd made the implication that one side did it more than the other. I was trying to say that I notice it more and it's more annoying when I see it in Japanese games.Shia-Neko-Chan said:
It certainly does, in fact unless I've done something wrong it should make up the entirety of my approach. I can only give my opinion, hence why I don't deal in 'facts'. In my opinion, Japanese characterisation and story structure is far more paint-by-numbers than in western media. That's what I notice and I'm finding it harder and harder to see anything rise above the generic, repeated ideas that are the norm.lapan said:
Well, looking at Lilith Slave's Post, maybe I'm being a little generalizing as well. I have heard, however, that anime and manga sales in the US aren't quite what the localization companies would like them to be. Some are selling well, to be sure, but those are mostly the big name and/or well advertised series like Bleach and Naruto, and I think the shorter, lesser-known series aren't exactly making the same numbers. Hell, for manga in particular there was a fair bit of site skewering a year or so ago to try and reduce the amount of "illegal" sites that were making a profit hosting translated manga and selling advertising. And, again, like Lilith said, a fair number of anime fans (myself included, unfortunately) are NEETs, probably not enough to count as the majority, but still enough.Vault101 said:your telling me Weaboos/Otaku's dont even buy their damn Anime?zerobudgetgamer said:
I find somthing hypocritical about that (then again I guess they spend enough on pillows and figures)
ok ok that was mean, I apologise for the derogatory terms (kind of
Though, the point does remain. Video Games are currently the only Japanese Media that isn't being greatly pirated and/or fansubbed, so when the dubbed versions of the other media aren't selling well (whether or not it's because of the pirating) then yeah, I've got to think that breeds a little distrust in the American Market for Japanese companies.
Not Employed or Educated or in Training, aka a shutin of the highest scale. And my argument stands, nothing is wrong with Japan. It is just they refuse to play with the big boys permanently.
You are also forgetting we don't have that great of an access to the market. The average teenager has probably at least 100$ a month of disposable income, however most who look for anime can't get their hands on it because Bestbuy only carries the ones seen on TV (Lots of Dragonball) and if we want anymore we have to get them ordered in online which your average teenager doesn't have a credit/debt card.Vault101 said:
I wonder why they just wonder why they don't air as much anime as they used to. I mean they make money off of that marketing right? Most people won't buy something they haven't seen unless they heard good reviews about it.