Survey Says Japanese Dislike Shooters

[UpInSmoke]

can you at least admit that the Japanese are more wary of foreign products/influence than other developed nations?

 

[Brognus]

By that logic the reason dating sims fare so poorly in american markets is because america is extremely xenophobic.

 

[Brognus]

Oh I can easily admit that, but blaming the reason FPS games fail in japan solely because they're western is inane.

Seriously why is Dragon Quest so popular in japan they've been forced by law to release it on a Saturday because it's so popular, when it's barely known of state-side? and why is the DS way more popular in japan?

 

[Brognus]

Speaking of which, can someone please explain to me why Americans hate the french? I never understood it, because they helped you guys in the american revolution (so much it nearly bankrupted them) and gave you the Statue of Liberty, yet they're french fry cheese-eating-surrender-monkeys.

 

[UpInSmoke]

By that logic the reason dating sims fare so poorly in american markets is because america is extremely xenophobic.

We accept the Japanese products that appeal to us, and ignore those that don't. They don't return the favor. It's a one way street. Unless they just happen to hate every single product ever created by a non-Japanese, then I think it's safe to say that there's some xenophobia at play.

 

[UpInSmoke]

This is off-topic, but does anyone know if there are any popular MMORPGS in Japan?

 

[Brognus]

Maybe FPS just don't appeal to Japanese people? If that were true, they wouldn't love golf, or baseball, or borrow so many american loanwords, or wear american clothing, or even like have rap music. Heck the phrase "It's big in japan" in the music industry means your song sucks, because of how many american songs become popular in japan dispite their own lack of success in their home country.

 

[Brognus]

Yeah, and they're mostly Korean mmorpg's, if memory serves.

 

[bluemarsman]

Hey guys, how about I make a rape-game

Already been done. By Japan, of cource.

 

[Zoroastres]

Historically, the Japanese tend to be both EXTREMELY xenophobic ~and~ far more receptive to foreign products and influences. There is a reason they were able to carve out an empire in Asia back when Europe was carving it up for itself. I don't think anyone can look at Japans's modernization without being impressed--they accomplished in a few short years what took the rest of the world centuries.

Sure, it didn't work out too well in the end, but that's another story--with certain interesting parallels to the modern day. Imperialism-->Capitalism, anyone?

*ahem*

I think the real reason why FPS are less popular has more to do with WHO is gaming, and then cultural standards. Games out of Japan, in general, tend to be far less violent. Japanese television, too, is far less violent than western television. You see a lot of games with "anime" style art--they're marketed at children, quite obviously, so a lot of the games tend to emphasize "lessons" to children. That's why you see a lot of the morality stuff, friendship stuff, and "power of love," stuff in games.

In the west games are more a form of entertainment. Shooters, in particular, seem to be aimed at the drunken frat-boy demographic. I'm not sure there's much of an equivalent demographic in Japan.

~__~

Of course, there's something to be said for microanalysis. Take myself, personally. I'm not Japanese. I'm about as American as you can get--well, and still consider yourself a rational individual. I dislike shooters. Mostly, because they're incredibly, insipidly boring. If you've played one shooter, you've played ALL shooters. The gameplay hasn't evolved much in two decades, and I got my fill with Half Life.

Without gameplay, good writing needs to come in, along with good effects and atmosphere. We can appreciate games like Deus Ex, System Shock, and more recently, Bioshock, because they are breaths-of-fresh-air in a stagnant genre. Even then, the core mechanics aren't much changed.

There's a HUGE parallel here, which you must see. We (Westerners) view JRPGs in much the same manner--the writing tends to be very similar, the characters are all archetypal, the gameplay mechanics are virtually identical from game to game, and have been for decades, the art design between games is essentially interchangeable.

I'm sorry, which genre was I talking about? Western shooters or Japanese RPGs? Ulgh. Totally lost my train of thought there. Oh well, you get the point.

Really, I think it's just a case of the Japanese being less tolerant of OUR stagnant genres, while we're just as intolerant of THEIR stagnant genres.

 

[Brognus]

I've never said the Japanese AREN'T xenophobic, I just think it's wrong to blame the lack of success of a Perticular genre on xenophobia.

But then again I've never said America isn't xenophobic either, Obama if he's elected will be the first non-white male president, and how many Asians are there in Hollywood (excluding Jackie Chan)?

I just think that Xenophobia is easier to spot when you're not affliated with it.

Honestly I'm surprised that other cultures aren't MORE intolerant of "Mighty Whitey" considering the Opium Wars, the Colonization of Africa, Occupation of India, Manifest Destiny, ect.

 

[Brognus]

Hey guys, how about I make a rape-game

Already been done. By Japan, of cource.

I meant an AMERICAN rape game, of course.

 

[TomNook]

Speaking of which, can someone please explain to me why Americans hate the french? I never understood it, because they helped you guys in the american revolution (so much it nearly bankrupted them) and gave you the Statue of Liberty, yet they're french fry cheese-eating-surrender-monkeys.

1. Please, the only reason they helped us was to give a big fuck you to Britain.

2. It completely bankrupted us.

3. The only reason they even gave the thing to us is because they lost the Suez Canal to Britain. Had they won that little tiff Lady Liberty would be in Egypt right now.

 

[TomNook]

Hey guys, how about I make a rape-game

Already been done. By Japan, of cource.

I meant an AMERICAN rape game, of course.

How would it be drawn, we certainly couldn't use hentai.

 

[Brognus]

Still doesn't explain the ameri-hate, and regardless, you'd think Americans would appreciate France more, despite the fact it was a round-about way to punish Albion.

 

[Brognus]

Hey guys, how about I make a rape-game

Already been done. By Japan, of cource.

I meant an AMERICAN rape game, of course.

How would it be drawn, we certainly couldn't use hentai.

I've seen some American shows use Anime art, so that's still valid.

 

[UpInSmoke]

Although I hate to say it I have to agree with UpInSmoke that japanese people are xenophobic dicks. They say they dislike shooters, but resident evil and metal gear solid are consider shooters as well. Aren't they selling well in japan? Sure american shooters are more violent and have stories that are bs, but does that really prevent you from actually liking it?

So not liking a game genre, or a number of games within a genre, makes you xenophobic? Well chalk me up as a right-wing bigot, cos I sure haven't played many decent games coming out of Poland recently.

While many Americans are xenophobic, but it's considered a negative/low-class/uneducated trait in our society. Japanese proudly and openly mistrust and refuse to buy anything non-Japanese. It's a cultural norm that we don't share.

So where is the irony?

1) Work on your sentence structure a little, dude. I'm being a grammar Nazi, I know, but well laid out sentences are often a sign of well laid out arguments.

2) Xenophobia is considered a low class, uneducated trait. And guess what? You exhibited that very trait in your opening post. Doesn't matter what the Japanese believe or not (though I think you are very misguided in your beliefs). Hating on Johnny Foreigner because 'apparantly' he doesn't like you is xenophobia. There's your irony.

3) The rest of the world is buying Japanese goods like there's no tomorrow. Why should Japan itself be any different? Hell, if I had to choose between a Chevy and a Honda, I'd go Japanese any day of the week.

4) From what I've seen of Japan and its culture, its actually a very warm, open country with its own distinctive culture. If you wanna talk about a country that 'openly distrusts' other countries, I'd look a little more to the west. 'It's a cultural norm that we don't share'? My armpit!

1) You could easily have overlooked my typo if you weren't intent on being a dick.

2) I admit that I'm sometimes racist and xenophobic, and that makes me a marginal character here in America. The Japanese teach their children that they are members of the master race. Try declaring yourself a member of the master race in America and see how far you get in the mainstream.

3) Japanese goods are wonderful. They do a lot of things better than a lot of countries. They don't, however, do EVERYTHING better than EVERYONE. So why don't they import anything? Because everything foreign is viewed negatively. That's xenophobia as a cultural norm.

4) From what I've seen, you're dead wrong. In America you can NOT openly dislike ANY group of people without being immediately marginalized. Trust me, my entire American education was a never ending lesson in politically correct, multi-cultural, differences are special, we-are-the-world, everyone is great rhetoric. Calling someone a bigot or a racist in modern America is just about the most serious charge that you can level at them. In Japan, there is no negative stigma attached to having a bigoted attitude towards the rest of the world. That's xenophobia as a cultural norm.

 

[Zoroastres]

2) I admit that I'm sometimes racist and xenophobic, and that makes me a marginal character here in America. The Japanese teach their children that they are members of the master race.

I'm sorry... WHAT?

~__~

There an "ignore user" feature here?

 

[Brognus]

The Japanese teach their children that they are members of the master race.

Cite?

Try declaring yourself a member of the master race in America and see how far you get in the mainstream.

The KKK, Holocaust Deniers and People who blame 9/11 on the jews still exist in america, not to mention how many people thing "We shuld kill dem dirty arabs" also the huge anti-mexican sentiment you guys have going on.

3) Japanese goods are wonderful. They do a lot of things better than a lot of countries. They don't, however, do EVERYTHING better than EVERYONE. So why don't they import anything?

Because ANYTHING japan imports comes from over-seas driving up the costs, hence why apples are so expensive in japan.

4) From what I've seen, you're dead wrong. In America you can NOT openly dislike ANY group of people without being immediately marginalized. Trust me, my entire American education was a never ending lesson in politically correct, multi-cultural, differences are special, we-are-the-world, everyone is great rhetoric. Calling someone a bigot or a racist in modern America is just about the most serious charge that you can level at them. In Japan, there is no negative stigma attached to having a bigoted attitude towards the rest of the world. That's xenophobia as a cultural norm.

The Key word is "Openly" if you disguise it as "Wanting to keep illegal immigrants by building a wall between US and Mexio" or Maginalize other minorities in the media (Missing White Women Syndrome) (Lack of Minorities in Hollywood), or freaking out because your presidential candidate might be Muslim. Also it's fun watching white people being afraid of be, just because I'm black. Having Someone Walk Across the street just to avoid me is Hilarious.

Americans are good at getting rid of open discrimination, but if you think your country has no xenophobia or racism, then you are dead, dead, wrong.