"Western" or "Eastern Market" Means Nothing to Square Enix

[martin's a madman]

Well, then you have games like legend of Zelda which borrow the ideas from the west like the knight, and you have it massively appealing to both markets. So clearly a middle ground does work.

 

[Hurr Durr Derp]

There have been documented cases of Eastern games being dumbed down for Western markets, but I think those are the exceptions, not the rule.

While it's undeniable that Western and Eastern gamers have very different tastes, there are plenty of fans of Eastern games in the West, and I assume the reverse is true as well. I think it's a good thing if Eastern developers don't treat the West as an entirely different market, since the more open-minded the exchange of games and ideas becomes, the better.

Some of the greatest and most successful Eastern games have been heavily influenced by Western ideas, and many Western developers borrow freely from typically Eastern art styles and gameplay elements.

 

[Amnestic]

Spoiler: What a 13 year old girl may look like

Strange since this is neither a thirteen year old girl, nor is it human...

Exactly

I could've gone for a picture of Hector from Fire Emblem, but I thought that two triple gatling cannons on an android served my purposes better.

Plus, KOS-MOS>All.

There have been documented cases of Eastern games being dumbed down for Western markets, but I think those are the exceptions, not the rule.

Kojima games, MGS and ZoE specifically are two series which are have harder difficulty modes than in Japan.

That's why they're called European Extreme

So it goes in reverse as well.

 

[Scrythe]

Well if that's the case then I must admit that I, being a Western gamer, am not quite fond of gigantic alien eyes, androgynous characters, gravity defying breasts and impractical clothing and weapons.

Just saying, if I were an international game developer, I'd probably make certain products for certain target audiences.

Then again, Square Enix knows their shit, and playing one of their games is a nice break from our cliches, like WWII shooters, SPESS MAHREENZ, gruff chiseled men with permanent 5-o'clock shadow, explosions, bullet time, and shoehorning a love subplot into EVERY. SINGLE. FUCKING. STORY.

Wait, scratch that last one. Squeenix does that too...

 

[rougeknife]

You can pretend that they are not different, but they most certainly are.

But good on them for ignoring it and making what they want to make.

 

[Sylocat]

Apparently, according to The Escapist's forum goers, the only Japanese RPGs that exist are FF7, FF8, FF9, FF10, FF12, and Kingdom Hearts 2. What, are all the others "exceptions?"

 

[SomeBoredGuy]

I thought the difference between JRPGs and WRPGS was in WRPGs you use guns and your a macho man, in JRPGs you use car sized sords and you play a 13 year old girl.

Spoiler: What a 13 year old girl may look like

Let's not forget that Final Fantasy VII had Mr T as one of it's main characters.

 

[GestaltEsper]

Apparently, according to The Escapist's forum goers, the only Japanese RPGs that exist are FF7, FF8, FF9, FF10, FF12, and Kingdom Hearts 2. What, are all the others "exceptions?"

Pretty much yeah. You get used to it...eventually.