Sony Bringing Japanese Imports to PSN

Logan Westbrook

Transform, Roll Out, Etc
Feb 21, 2008
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Sony Bringing Japanese Imports to PSN


SCEA is adding an imports section to PSN later this month that will let you play a whole host of the weird and wonderful games that never made it out of Japan.

We in the West really only see a fraction of the total number of games made in Japan, with many of the stranger or more niche titles never leaving the country. But thanks to the marvel that is the internet, Sony will soon make some of these games available via PSN.

Sony will launch a new "Imports" section on the PlayStation Network later this month, which will allow gamers to buy PSone classics that never got a release in the West. Sony will not be localizing these titles however, and the games will launch with all the original elements intact. The service will launch with two games published by the newly formed MonkeyPaw games: side scrolling space shooters Cho Aniki and Gaia Seed.

Cho Aniki, or to use its full name, Chō Aniki: Kyūkyoku Muteki Ginga Saikyō Otoko which translates roughly as "Super Big Bro: The Strongest, Most Ultimate Invincible Man in the Milky Way," has some small degree of notoriety for its heavy use of homoerotic imagery. Gaia Seed is more a traditional shooter, but is something of a collector's item, with copies sometimes selling for hundreds of dollars online.

Both games have been available on PSN in Japan since last year, and there are literally dozens of other games available in the country that have never found their way to the West. MonkeyPaw president John Greiner said the cost of localizing Japanese games was a costly business, which presented a barrier to getting some of the more unique Japanese games released in other territories. By leaving the games as they are, he said, that barrier was removed, allowing access to a "world of Japanese wonder."

The imports section is expected to launch on September 21st in the U.S., with both games costing $5.99.

Source: Gamasutra [http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/30490/PSN_Import_Store_Launching_Next_Week_With_Cho_Aniki_Gaia_Seed.php]


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SpaceMedarotterX

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Jun 24, 2010
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so the games wont be in english, but they will be importable...

... I don't know what to feel, Joy that maybe a favorite of mine will get on the console or rage that I still wont be getting the darned thing in english?
 

Onyx Oblivion

Borderlands Addict. Again.
Sep 9, 2008
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So...they won't just release the English version of PS1 games that are only on the JP PSN Store?

The ones that ALREADY had an English version?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_PSOne_Classics

Because I'd download Jade Cocoon, SaGa Frontier 1 + 2 (the SaGa series is dead to me outside of those games), Legend of Mana, Threads of Fate, Vagrant Story, Xenogears, and Rhapsody in a heartbeat.

Despite still having the discs for SaGa 1 + 2 and Legend of Mana. Just for the convenience.
 

-Samurai-

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Oct 8, 2009
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Super Big Bro: The Strongest, Most Ultimate Invincible Man in the Milky Way
That is easily the best name for anything I've ever heard.

I'll keep an eye out for the ones you don't need to know Japanese to play.
 

wooty

Vi Britannia
Aug 1, 2009
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F..F...F...Final Fantasy 1 & 2! Oh how I've the first installment. Bring it on Sony
 

Yukinari

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Aug 22, 2009
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psrdirector said:
GamesB2 said:
Oh wow that's awesome!

I really hope Microsoft follow suit.

I love Japanese import games.
with what games? I dont think any games have ever come out on the xbox in japan that didnt come out in the states.
Everyone grabs onto that Idolmaster franchise in japan, that never came to america.
 
Jul 22, 2009
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psrdirector said:
with what games? I dont think any games have ever come out on the xbox in japan that didnt come out in the states.
*Ahem*

11 Eyes Crossover
Absolute: Blazing Infinity
Agarest Senki Zero: Dawn of War
Akatsuki no Amaneka to Aoi Kyojin
Apocalypse
Aquazone
A-Train HX
Blue Dragon
Bullet Witch
Castle Shikigami III
Chaos;Head: Love Chu*Chu!
Chaos;Head: Noah
Clannad
Convenience Store 200X
Cross Edge Dash
Cyber Troopers Virtual-On Force
Dead or Alive Code: Cronus
Death Smiles
Death Smiles 2
Diario Rebirth Moon Legend
DoDonPachi Daioujou BL X
Double Clutch
Dream C Club
Dynasty Warriors 4 Special
Earth Defense Force 3
Enchanted Arms
Espgaluda II Black Label
Everyparty
Far East of Eden Ziria
Fist of the North Star
Guilty Gear 2
Idolmaster
Idolmaster 2
Idolmaster: Live for You!
Ikaruga
Infinite Undiscovery
Janline
Kengo Zero
Ketsui: Kizuna Jigoku Tachi Extra
LoveFOOTBALL
Mamonoro
Memories Off 6: Next Relation
Memories Off 6: T-Wave
Memories Off: Yubikiri no Kioku
Mobile Suit Gundam: Operation: Troy
Moe Moe 2-Ji Daisenryaku: Ultra Deluxe
Momotaro Densetsu 16 Gold
Monster Hunter Frontier
Mushihimesama Futari Ver 1.5
My Wife: A Bride Just For You
No Fate! Only the Power of Will
No More Heroes: Heroes' Paradise
Nobunaga no Yabou: Tendou
Onechanbara vorteX
Operation Darkness
Ore no Yome: Anata Dake no Hanayome
Otomedius G
Pro Baseball Spirits 3
PROJECT SYLPHEED
Senko No Ronde Rev.X
Senko no Ronde: Dis-United Order
Sengoku Hime 2
Shin Sangoku Musou 5 Empires
Shooting Love, 200x
Shutokou Battle Ten
Speak Out
Spectral Force 3
Steins:Gate
Strike Witches: Wings of White Silver
Super Robot Taisen XO
Superstar Karaoke
Tayutama: Kiss on my Deity
Tenchu Senran
Tetris Grand Master Ace
Time Leap
Tomoyo After: It's Wonderful Life
Touryuumon
Trusty Bell
Vampire's Rain
Virtual Fighter 5 Live Arena
Winning Post World 2010
World Love Organization
WRESTLE KINGDOM
Zegapain XOR
Zoids Alternative
Zoids Ex Neo

Source: http://www.xbox360achievements.org/forum/
 

Onyx Oblivion

Borderlands Addict. Again.
Sep 9, 2008
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wooty said:
F..F...F...Final Fantasy 1 & 2! Oh how I've the first installment. Bring it on Sony
Umm...They're not coming. These are games still in native Japanese that NEVER saw a release outside of Japan. FF 1 and 2 got over here. In multiple version, like Dawn of Souls for GBA and Anthology for PS1.
 

Amnestic

High Priest of Haruhi
Aug 22, 2008
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If they release Super Robot Wars: Original Generations (PS2) on the PSN I might actually have to go out and buy a PS3.
 

Break

And you are?
Sep 10, 2007
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Onyx Oblivion said:
So...they won't just release the English version of PS1 games that are only on the JP PSN Store?

The ones that ALREADY had an English version?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_PSOne_Classics

Because I'd download Jade Cocoon, SaGa Frontier 1 + 2 (the SaGa series is dead to me outside of those games), Legend of Mana, Threads of Fate, Vagrant Story, Xenogears, and Rhapsody in a heartbeat.

Despite still having the discs for SaGa 1 + 2 and Legend of Mana. Just for the convenience.
I know that Vagrant Story has already been released. In Europe, at least. I bought it a while ago. Still haven't seen those other classics, unfortunately.
 

jebbo

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Jul 17, 2009
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cursedseishi said:
Onyx Oblivion said:
So...they won't just release the English version of PS1 games that are only on the JP PSN Store?

The ones that ALREADY had an English version?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_PSOne_Classics

Because I'd download Jade Cocoon, SaGa Frontier 1 + 2 (the SaGa series is dead to me outside of those games), and Legend of Mana.
Thats how I feel. I could give a rats ass about getting to play an import I never heard of, but to leave Vagrant Story and Xenogears locked up in the Jpn PSN for some unknown reason? WTF!

It can't be tied to profit though, as this seems completely backwards in that case. Why hold back games that they know the core audience of them would pay for day 1 on PSN, and choose to release Jpn-exclusives that no one has heard of...?

Besides, considering they most likely wont be translated for us, it can't be any real decent game besides those bloody side/vertical-scrolling schmups and bullet-hell games, we got enough of those as it is. They pretty much a dime a dozen now.
you know you can actually create a japanese account on your ps3. there are tutorials on youtube to get through the japanese sign up process. Then you can download anything from the japanese PSN. My friend currently resides on mt. fuji according to his account
 

daftnoize

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Aug 23, 2010
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Don't complain too much here in the uk we hardly get anything in comparison to the USA. We only got ff 6 and chrono trigger a few years back ! Bit silly not putting them in english though
 

Kurt Horsting

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Jul 3, 2008
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Common Hokuto no ken the fighting game!!! Fatal K.O.'s and basket ball combos are SO fucking hype!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fx5S_Cj8muo
 

Tartarga

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Jun 4, 2008
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This makes me happy for some reason, but in the end its just another reason I should learn Japanese.
 

ggamer2

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May 18, 2010
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Amnestic said:
If they release Super Robot Wars: Original Generations (PS2) on the PSN I might actually have to go out and buy a PS3.
Amen to that. Actually any SRW would be nice