How can some gamers call Japanese Xenophobic for not accepting western gaming?

[pulse2]

I was involved in a little conversation a while back regarding the Japanese not having an interest in the Xbox, and much of the discussion was made up of rather angry rants targeted at the Japanese and how they were xenophobic, backwards and unwilling to change or accept anything outside their culture.

Today another conversation came up concerning FPS titles and how they are usually always situated in the USA, which by me is fine, but it brought to mind the fact that for us outside of the US, it's hard to identify because these places we are seeing some of us barely know or haven't visited enough to feel an attachment to, not that it makes the game any less fun otherwise they wouldn't sell so well. So I asked the question, why can't more games take place in other locales with other cultures or countries as the heroes? To which the reply was (like the many "Why can't fallout be in other countries" topics on here), 'US is the biggest gaming market, so its only right that developers design with us in mind', which is fair, but 90% of the time? Really? If that's the case, its pretty hard to point fingers at Japanese gamers for not accepting anything outside their culture.

Now its awesome that Crysis 2 took place in New York, but I would have preferred to play it in Shanghai for example or heck, a GTA in the Caribbean, I've seen games done in New York too many times now and it's kind of lost it's charm. I know, I know, demographics and such, but the mass can get used to it over time and it certainly wouldn't stop Fallout 4 for example being any more fun just because it takes place in Indonesia, wouldn't that too make gamers more cultured?

What do you think? Would you like to see more gaming in other countries with other countries as the heroes for once, or do you disagree? Do you still think the Japanese are xenophobic and if so, how is this different?

 

[JaredXE]

If they are being called xenophobic due to them not liking Western gaming, then that's simply not true. No, they are xenophobic because they are xenophobic. Not all of them, but most of the over 30 crowd tend to view foreigners with suspicion and will often outright refuse to serve them in businesses or even sit next to them on the train. It's a cultural thing. Yeah it's been over 150 years since their imposed isolation during Tokugawa, but Japan has always been pretty insular, hell they even treat an entire subsection of their population as lesser due to what kind of jobs their ancestors did.

If Japanese gamers don't like western games, that's fine. I know a number of japanese games that suck too.

 

[Giest4life]

Just Cause 2 was a refreshing game which was set in the fictional Far Eastern nation, and it did not involve the white guys coming in to save the people from their vile dictator. I'd love to see other cities as settings of the game, and I think it might even help the games become popular outside the United States as well. The Japanese are no more xenophobic than the French or the Italians or the Spanish or the Americans. The people don't like anything that makes them feel awkward or out of place.

Also, GTA: Mumbai would be awesome. I'd love to run over people while driving a rickshaw.

 

[Soviet Heavy]

I think that Japanese xenophobia has roots beyond that of games. In many ways, the United States is very similar in that regard.

Before the 20th Century, both countries were very isolationist and independent. After the British forced commerce with Japan under the threat of violence, they opened their borders, albeit reluctantly. The United States entered World War 1 only after submarines started attacking their convoys which were supplying the European Allies.

Ever wonder why so many anime feature Tokyo? Or why so many American productions feature Los Angeles or New York? These cities are cultural epicenters for their countries, making them logical subjects to discuss in a given context. The same way Tokyo Is the center of the universe [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TokyoIsTheCenterOfTheUniverse], New York is the center of the states. If something big is gonna happen, it will hit the city that everybody in the country knows about.

And it isn't like xenophobia is exclusive to the Japanese. From a general perspective, most of the United States appears to hold a neutral to hostile attitude towards foreign countries. (Note General perspective, meaning no specifics). The way that Westerners view Japanese xenophobia isn't much different from how other continents view the United States stance on foreign culture.

 

[pulse2]

Just Cause 2 was a refreshing game which was set in the fictional Far Eastern nation, and it did not involve the white guys coming in to save the people from their vile dictator. I'd love to see other cities as settings of the game, and I think it might even help the games become popular outside the United States as well. The Japanese are no more xenophobic than the French or the Italians or the Spanish or the Americans. The people don't like anything that makes them feel awkward or out of place.

Also, GTA: Mumbai would be awesome. I'd love to run over people while driving a rickshaw.

That's the issue, if it takes place outside of the US, it has to be fictional, I'm fine with that, but why do some western developers makes that their only two options? Fictional or USA? Its refreshing to play a game like Assassin's Creed as I don't think I've ever played a game entirely taking place in Italy for example, except race tracks in a rally game or racing game, but that's not the same.

Far Cry 2 for example took place in Africa, and considering that Africa would make a perfect setting for some crime and corruption (seeing as how it DOES happen, unfortunately) I'd like to see more games take place there, not just for the negative aspects, but to show the world the rich beauty and interesting landscapes of the country.

I'm still waiting for GTA London 2, I want to steal double decker buses and smash them into Gatwick airport or something

 

[VargRaev]

hell they even treat an entire subsection of their population as lesser due to what kind of jobs their ancestors did.

Thats an... Interesting Reason to look down on someone.

OT: Maybe all japanese gamers just coincidentally dislike Military fps games? atleast its more plausible than xenophobia ^^

 

[JaredXE]

hell they even treat an entire subsection of their population as lesser due to what kind of jobs their ancestors did.

Thats an... Interesting Reason to look down on someone.

OT: Maybe all japanese gamers just coincidentally dislike Military fps games? atleast its more plausible than xenophobia ^^

Look up the Burakumin. Basically their ancestors did jobs like butcher and leatherworker or gravedigger and due to Buddhist prohibition against touching dead things, these people were put in ghettos. Centuries later, their descendants are still looked down on.

 

[KissofKetchup]

Well, Japanese people do have a history of xenophobia, and that stuff doesn't go away overnight. If you're whiet just try to go to Japan and not get called a gaijin. It's not going to happen

 

[trooper6]

So I asked the question, why can't more games take place in other locales with other cultures or countries as the heroes? To which the reply was (like the many "Why can't fallout be in other countries" topics on here), 'US is the biggest gaming market, so its only right that developers design with us in mind', which is fair, but 90% of the time? Really? If that's the case, its pretty hard to point fingers at Japanese gamers for not accepting anything outside their culture.

Well, a number of those games set in the US are made by non-US companies. Most of those GTA:USA games are made by Rockstar North...in Scotland. Non-US folks making games about the US isn't Xenophobia...or not accepting anything outside their culture...because last time I checked, Scotland was not the US. A lot of non-USians are interested in setting games in the US for a number of reasons...I think one of them the prevalence of gun-violence...and the Hollywood film industry.

But anyhow, I don't think Japan is xenophobic because they don't favor Western games. If Japan is xenophobic (I could tell you some "interesting" stories about how my mother, an African-American woman, was treated in Japan in the 1970s...and they aren't good stories), them not liking Halo is not the reason why.

 

[trooper6]

Double Post! Sorry about that.

To make this post more content-full...I'd say that there is diversity in gaming locations...you just have to follow the right genres. Looking over my game collection, I have quite a few games that are globe-trotting (Hitman, Splinter Cell) or set in countries other than the US or Japan (Dreamfall: The Longest Journey, Trauma). But the vast majority of the games I have (I'm a big fan of RPGs) are set in fictional locations (Mass Effect, Enchanted Arms).

 

[Dr. Crawver]

japan is called xenophobic because their culture does have a bit of it in it. If you thought people say it because of that, then you misunderstood what they were saying, and if they actually said that, then they're idiots. The japanese always have just been a little bit racist. (I think you were refering to the yatzhee comment somewhere, can't remember the episode. No, he was just making a joke)

 

[Cocamaster]

New York in the US = Paris in Europe = Tokio in Japan

For some reason, every monster, alien or virus just craves to take these cities down.

 

[twistedheat15]

To answer the question as far as games are concerned, it's because they reject the games simply for being western. If it wasn't made by japanese a lot of them view them game/hardware as inferior just cuz. It's one thing to not like a game that was made by a western dev, it's another to dismiss it just because it's western. I don't rly like jrpg like I did when I was a teen in ps1 era, but I wouldn't look at a game think "lulz that's a japanese games I already know it's shit and not worth looking into."

 

[Ghengis John]

I was involved in a little conversation a while back regarding the Japanese not having an interest in the Xbox, and much of the discussion was made up of rather angry rants targeted at the Japanese and how they were xenophobic, backwards and unwilling to change or accept anything outside their culture.

When you get reports of japanese gamers considering an Xbox then painfully shaking their heads no and going "foreign... foreign." from unapologetic japanofiles it's not a difficult conclusion to draw. While it's fair to say that it might simply be a matter of taste there is clearly also a factor of stigma surrounding the adoption of western gaming.

Today another conversation came up concerning FPS titles and how they are usually always situated in the USA, which by me is fine, but it brought to mind the fact that for us outside of the US, it's hard to identify because these places we are seeing some of us barely know or haven't visited enough to feel an attachment to

Isn't that really your problem? Would you have more attachment to other places in the world you've never visited?

not that it makes the game any less fun otherwise they wouldn't sell so well. So I asked the question, why can't more games take place in other locales with other cultures or countries as the heroes?

Well to be perfectly fair we do go to japan a lot in games, even American made games and likewise see a lot of Japanese protagonists. I think the question you're really asking is "why can't we go to Europe more?"

To which the reply was (like the many "Why can't fallout be in other countries" topics on here), 'US is the biggest gaming market, so its only right that developers design with us in mind', which is fair, but 90% of the time? Really? If that's the case, its pretty hard to point fingers at Japanese gamers for not accepting anything outside their culture.

Luckily that's not the case. We aren't exactly shaking our heads at games like katamari damacy or leaving playstations on store shelves simply for coming from beyond our shores. I won't say that xenophobia does not exist, but it's probably greatly reduced among western gamers who grew up on japanese products. For that matter I have never argued that market share is why we can't put fallout in another country. A far more sensible perspective is that writers should stick to what they know. If an american game developer tried to set a game in europe and what's more tried to satirize or lampoon the culture of any particular country there what are the odds that that attempt would come off as poorly executed and inflammatory? If you're going to set a game in a country it would be wisest to have it made by denizens of that country. This is why 4A's Metro 2033 and Lionhead's Fable both "work" respectively. They are genuine voices and not the unfamiliar, vaguely racist overtones of someone trying their best to ape a culture.

I want you to think about how many well intentioned western made games have had say, a china level and how many unintentionally funny youtube clips have come out of that. Cross reference that with cries of racism levied at the Japanese developed resident evil games and I hope you start to get the picture. It's hard for a foreign developer to depict another culture and not draw some criticism.

Now its awesome that Crysis 2 took place in New York, but I would have preferred to play it in Shanghai for example or heck, a GTA in the Caribbean, I've seen games done in New York too many times now and it's kind of lost it's charm. I know, I know, demographics and such, but the mass can get used to it over time and it certainly wouldn't stop Fallout 4 for example being any more fun just because it takes place in Indonesia, wouldn't that too make gamers more cultured?

I don't think we'd learn too much about Indonesia's culture stealing cars or blowing up mutants. If anything I think the games you've listed really depict America in a negative light, GTA especially and you should probably be happier games like it are not set elsewhere. If you want games, good games, to be set anywhere else in the world then it would probably be best for developers from those countries to step up and handle the task themselves.

What do you think? Would you like to see more gaming in other countries with other countries as the heroes for once, or do you disagree? Do you still think the Japanese are xenophobic and if so, how is this different?

I've outlined the second question so allow me to address the first. Sure I would, are you gonna make that happen? And how will you depict us?

 

[Something Amyss]

I was involved in a little conversation a while back regarding the Japanese not having an interest in the Xbox, and much of the discussion was made up of rather angry rants targeted at the Japanese and how they were xenophobic, backwards and unwilling to change or accept anything outside their culture.

You got that backwards. The lack of interest in Western gaming is due to xenophobia, not vice versa.

In short, this didn't come out of a vacuum.

What do you think? Would you like to see more gaming in other countries with other countries as the heroes for once, or do you disagree?

Variety is nice, but as long as the games are good, they can all be set in Elbonia for all I care.

 

[Ghengis John]

When the XBOX 360 was in is final design stages it was presented to a Japanese focus group (without actually telling them who made it) to see what they thought of it. Most of them were pleased because, and I quote "Didn't look like a crappy american design".

Thank you Trevize, and there you have it folks.

 

[RJ Dalton]

Thats an... Interesting Reason to look down on someone.

It's honestly not any less ridiculous than the bloodline bullshit that is the basis for England's nobility. We even have that in America to an extent. American high class always envied England for its noble families and did everything they could to imitate that system from the 1880s on. The only difference is that there's no legal titles of nobility in this country.
Honestly, people only have reasons for looking down on people because they'd feel bad about themselves if they didn't.

 

[Use_Imagination_here]

I'm pretty sure most people call them Xenophobic because their xenophobic.

And as almost always when commenting on this site, I'm speaking from experience so shut up.