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

[Isaac The Grape]

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.

Ever heard of the Stalker series of FPS's set in the Ukraine and made in Russia? Like the idea of exploring a unforgiving openworld RPG set in Chernobyl? Try it.

And you don't drive rickshaws, someone pulls them for you. What you are thinking of is the Cycle Rickshaw. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cycle_rickshaw

 

[Glademaster_v1legacy]

I call them Xenophobic because they are. I have a friend there who is half english and half japanese, and he's been treated like an outsider all his life. Fuck, he even said there are pubs and bars where all the mixed people meet.

Seriously. They need bars.
Pisses me off to think of that. He's one of the most awesome people I've ever had the luck to meet and befriend.

I think you misunderstand what xenophobia is or aren't giving all the info. Does he like being treated in this way and only stick to people similar to him on purpose or does he do it because he has to as no one will socialise with him? If it is the former he is xenophobic if it is the latter he isn't

He moved away from there as soon as he could because he hated the way he was treated and the way people looked at him.
His relatives were the worst though. They barely acknowledged him, and did so only to be polite.

Were you serious with that question?

Yes it was a serious question as your friend is not xenophobic from how you described him.

Xenophobia is defined as "an unreasonable fear or hatred of foreigners or strangers or of that which is foreign or strange". It comes from the Greek words ξένος (xenos), meaning "stranger," "foreigner" and φόβος (phobos), meaning "fear."

If your friend hated everyone else because they were different to him then he is xenophobic but in this story everyone who mistreated are acting in a xenophobic manner. He however, is not xenophobic. You basically said he was the latter in my question is everyone hating him for no reason(not xenophobic) not him hating everyone for being different(xenophobic).

 

[BlackSaint09]

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.

With youre post, You Sir have made me sad for being caucasian and having been born in Estonia.

 

[Jake Lewis Clayton]

Yes, and Japan is not a very diverse group, which is probably how the xenophobia maintains to this day. Besides, how does Japan not have a market force of Western loving gamers to match America's love of Japanese games if it's just a matter of taste?

Less than half the population?

American games generally not matching with traditional values?

American games quite often being very short story wise compared to Japanese games?

The massive recession in the 1990s which still has an effect on many there?

I'd argue that Japan does have a very diverse culture, just because they don't embrace certain American cultural poos doesn't mean they arn't diverse. Alot of thing americans do, would never catch on over here in the UK and as such we have our own ways of dealing with certain situations, our own type of gang culture, our own type of racism and our own problems.

Just like Japan, has it's own yakuzu, it's own traditional meals (alot more variety than hotdogs, and err.. actually thats the only meal I know thats traditionally associated with america soley). Japan has it's own social problems, and solutions, elders are actually generally treated with alot more respect. And dealing with an ageing population without massive pension schemes and care homes has been found via 2-3 generations living in the same house.

It's a truely beautiful and varied culture and just because it isn't good ol american (What you have been a country for a couple hundred years and barely have a history or true culture of your own) you think its xenophobic when it doesn't want to be just like you?

 

[dickywebster]

Yeah i get fed up of games been set in NY, got prototype recently and was almost convinced i was playing spiderman 2 again...

Truth. If you play Prototype and Spider-Man Web of Shadows back to back, you'll soon see that they ARE the same game, just with reskinned characters/slight plot differences
OT: Yes, Japan, as a culture, tends toward the xenophobic. Does it bother me? Not one iota. You want to stick to one general area in gaming? That's cool, just don't complain when you miss out on some great games.

On the bright side, spiderman never had to face 7 tanks and 4 helicopters at once, lucky sod...
To be fair, theres some gamers who r technically xenophobic just cause of what they play, i know plently of people who wont play games from certain countries or even genres, saying its just a japan thing just kinda silly...
Though to be fair japan has had a generally bad history with everyone else so im kinda not surprised if they are

 

[Silenthillreturnz]

People should stick with their culture and now a days japanise games are much better

 

[holy_secret]

I call them Xenophobic because they are. I have a friend there who is half english and half japanese, and he's been treated like an outsider all his life. Fuck, he even said there are pubs and bars where all the mixed people meet.

Seriously. They need bars.
Pisses me off to think of that. He's one of the most awesome people I've ever had the luck to meet and befriend.

I think you misunderstand what xenophobia is or aren't giving all the info. Does he like being treated in this way and only stick to people similar to him on purpose or does he do it because he has to as no one will socialise with him? If it is the former he is xenophobic if it is the latter he isn't

He moved away from there as soon as he could because he hated the way he was treated and the way people looked at him.
His relatives were the worst though. They barely acknowledged him, and did so only to be polite.

Were you serious with that question?

Yes it was a serious question as your friend is not xenophobic from how you described him.

Xenophobia is defined as "an unreasonable fear or hatred of foreigners or strangers or of that which is foreign or strange". It comes from the Greek words ξένος (xenos), meaning "stranger," "foreigner" and φόβος (phobos), meaning "fear."

If your friend hated everyone else because they were different to him then he is xenophobic but in this story everyone who mistreated are acting in a xenophobic manner. He however, is not xenophobic. You basically said he was the latter in my question is everyone hating him for no reason(not xenophobic) not him hating everyone for being different(xenophobic).

Thank you, living Wikipedia.
Whatever would I do if you wouldn't be here to tell me what obvious words mean.
The etymology part was interesting though.

We have gone kind of off topic, don't you think?

I think you misunderstood him. He didn't call his friend xenophobic, he called the japanese xenophobic and added the expirience of his friend to justify this.

You got it right, sir

 

[Prof. Monkeypox]

Yes, and Japan is not a very diverse group, which is probably how the xenophobia maintains to this day. Besides, how does Japan not have a market force of Western loving gamers to match America's love of Japanese games if it's just a matter of taste?

Less than half the population?

American games generally not matching with traditional values?

American games quite often being very short story wise compared to Japanese games?

The massive recession in the 1990s which still has an effect on many there?

I'd argue that Japan does have a very diverse culture, just because they don't embrace certain American cultural poos doesn't mean they arn't diverse. Alot of thing americans do, would never catch on over here in the UK and as such we have our own ways of dealing with certain situations, our own type of gang culture, our own type of racism and our own problems.

Just like Japan, has it's own yakuzu, it's own traditional meals (alot more variety than hotdogs, and err.. actually thats the only meal I know thats traditionally associated with america soley). Japan has it's own social problems, and solutions, elders are actually generally treated with alot more respect. And dealing with an ageing population without massive pension schemes and care homes has been found via 2-3 generations living in the same house.

It's a truely beautiful and varied culture and just because it isn't good ol american (What you have been a country for a couple hundred years and barely have a history or true culture of your own) you think its xenophobic when it doesn't want to be just like you?

No point in arguing with someone who has already decided on the inherent inferiority of Western gaming. Especially not if they confuse "Western" with "American," and are so goddamn proud of Japan just for existing.

 

[Nathan Crumpler]

I don't know if any one mentioned this yet, but Half-life 2 takes place in Eastern Europe.

 

[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.

Europe is not one big fracking country. Paris is not representative of the whole of Europe. Only France.

Go complain to the people who make movies. I'm just making an observation here.

It's always New York, Tokio and Paris, and sometimes São Paulo.

...besides, Europe wishes it were a single country...

 

[Lunar Templar]

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?

smart ass answer: with my brain XD

yeah, more games set out side the US in a non FPS setting would be nice, as well as having a hero who isn't white and male or hell -.- I'd settle for less male main characters

as for the xenophobic thing, to my understanding, just how it is over there *shrugs*

 

[Ghengis John]

But that would be to say that they adopt nothing from the west, which isn't true, if anything, quite a lot of the youth of Japan are INFLUENCED by the west, even to the point where Anime characters and Japanese game characters look more American than Japanese in most cases. They eat American foods at restaurant chains that have spread there, they adopt American devices such as Apple products, and of course they support their own which I would tell any country to do anyway, that's patriotism.

Well no, it's not. They will adopt things, but on their own terms. Will they accept an anime character that looks American? Yes. Does that mean they will accept an American worker moving in next door? No. Do they tend to think Europeans are more beautiful than they are? Yes. Do they tend to think Europeans should be paid as much as they are for the same work? No. If there were no problem the Japanese government would not have been waging an anti-discrimination campaign since 2001. I'm not saying every Japanese person is xenophobic, but there are a lot who are to varying degrees. Eating pizza does not preclude viewing an Xbox and a PlayStation on equal merits.

I'd like to simply play more games that don't always have to include someone from America or IN America, not because I'm fed up of it, but just because I'd like some diversity.

Well to be fair, and somewhat self critical, there's nobody who really meddles as much abroad as we do. Whether by choice (Iraq war) or by obligation (Libyan revolution). And not always through conflict either, we are the leading contributor of personal and supplies for most international humanitarian efforts and have been since the soviet famine in the 1930's. We are also the third most populous nation on earth. If you're dealing with matters in a global theatre, given these two factors, odds are you'll run into some of us. So much to the point that our exclusion (Harry Potter series) seems kind of odd.

That's fair, I wasn't pointing out the fact that American developers in particular had to do it, but many of these same developers have European branches, Crytek for example, a German developer, why couldn't Crysis 2 have taken place in Germany rather than the overly used New York, usually when games ever took place in Germany, it was killing EVIL GERMANS in world war 1 & 2 games, which doesn't really bring the nature of the country into perspective, certainly not in a positive light anyway, there's a difference between a city being wrecked and trying to defend it from evil attackers making the city more interesting because it's what you are defending, than ATTACKING evil doers in a city, to which you'll spend more time killing than caring about the landscape. There are more than enough UK developers, but yet they feel they NEED to make a game based in the US to appeal to a wider demographic, which shouldn't always have to be the case. Which is why Rockstar never returned to London with the GTA franchise.

Well you're preaching to the choir now. I'd like to see more foreign studios setting their projects in native locales myself. I think it's been long enough after world war II that we can set a game in Germany without involving Nazis.

That's the whole point of having multinational branches and this is exactly where Microsoft failed in Japan, they expected to appeal to Japanese with Western games predominantly, without having a branch there, how can they understand and relate to that culture in a way that is more effective then the methods they are trying if they didn't attempt?

Actually microsoft did have a branch in japan. They founded Mistwalker Studios and hired Nobuo Uematsu, the creator of final fantasy and Yukio Futatsugi of Panzer Dragoon fame to make games for them no less.

 

[Glademaster_v1legacy]

I call them Xenophobic because they are. I have a friend there who is half english and half japanese, and he's been treated like an outsider all his life. Fuck, he even said there are pubs and bars where all the mixed people meet.

Seriously. They need bars.
Pisses me off to think of that. He's one of the most awesome people I've ever had the luck to meet and befriend.

I think you misunderstand what xenophobia is or aren't giving all the info. Does he like being treated in this way and only stick to people similar to him on purpose or does he do it because he has to as no one will socialise with him? If it is the former he is xenophobic if it is the latter he isn't

He moved away from there as soon as he could because he hated the way he was treated and the way people looked at him.
His relatives were the worst though. They barely acknowledged him, and did so only to be polite.

Were you serious with that question?

Yes it was a serious question as your friend is not xenophobic from how you described him.

Xenophobia is defined as "an unreasonable fear or hatred of foreigners or strangers or of that which is foreign or strange". It comes from the Greek words ξένος (xenos), meaning "stranger," "foreigner" and φόβος (phobos), meaning "fear."

If your friend hated everyone else because they were different to him then he is xenophobic but in this story everyone who mistreated are acting in a xenophobic manner. He however, is not xenophobic. You basically said he was the latter in my question is everyone hating him for no reason(not xenophobic) not him hating everyone for being different(xenophobic).

Thank you, living Wikipedia.
Whatever would I do if you wouldn't be here to tell me what obvious words mean.
The etymology part was interesting though.

We have gone kind of off topic, don't you think?

I think you misunderstood him. He didn't call his friend xenophobic, he called the japanese xenophobic and added the expirience of his friend to justify this.

You got it right, sir

Now you're being a bit of a sarcastic prick. You were not clear in what you said either times and I was trying to figure out what you were trying to say as from what you said both times you did not show you knew what the word meant. Yes we have gone a bit off topic but excuse me for misreading something that was not very clear to begin with as being half Japanese does not mean the guy has to live in Japanese and since that was the only direct mention of anything to do with Japan in your post I thought you were saying your friend was xenophobic.

If it was so obvious you didn't have to give an obscure answer that restated what you said in the first post you could have easily said my friend is half Japanese living in Japan where is ostracised/spurned by people there because he is mixed race which would have cleared everything up nicely.

 

[repeating integers]

I don't know if any one mentioned this yet, but Half-life 2 takes place in Eastern Europe.

But everyone there is American except Cubbage. Only someone who knows his architecture could figure it out without finding it out from the Combine OverWiki, so it may as well take place in America.

 

[Fanfic_warper]

I think Xenophobic might be the wrong word here.

They're not afraid of anything new, but they have a different taste when it comes to gaming. where FPS is the forefront of games in Americ, RPGs are in Japan. There are a FEW FPSs in japan but mostly, the japanese are an almost story based culture and FPs games usually make poor stories.

 

[Hitokiri_Gensai]

Speaking as a half Japanese, Japan's isolationist policy ended by force of arms, not by their own decision.

In 1849 Captain James Glynn sailed into Osaka harbor, and sucessfully negotiated with Japan, however upon his return to America, recommended that they use a show of force, to back the negotiations. Commodore Matthew Perry was sent back, sailing into Uraga Harbor, he was met by representatives of the Tokugawa Shogunate who instructed him to sail to Nagasaki, where the Dutch had a small trading post. There he sailed past the Japanese Naval line and demanded that he be allowed to present a letter from the President of the United States, and that if he was not allowed, he would use force to destroy the ships around him and possibly Edo itself. After he was allowed to present the letter, he left, saying that he would return for a reply. In 1854 when he did return he brought twice as many ships as an even bigger show of force. The Japanese built fortresses such as Odaiba Battery at the enterance to Tokyo Harbor, afraid of an American Naval attack. Ever since that, "Black Ships" has been a term used to describe the threat imposed by western technology.