Jimquisition: Nintendo of America

[Yopaz]

Hey all of these games are coming to Europe thanks Nintendo of Europe!!

Seriously, thank you. I was not aware of that The Last Story was coming out here and I've really been looking forward to see it come out, but I had given up hope so I have stopped looking (I am used to having high hopes and giving up because of the Tales series) assuming it wouldn't come. You however made my day by informing me that it would actually be released. Thank you so much.

OT: this is the best one so far, I guess that is because I am really tired about games not getting localized too. The remake of Lufia II made it to USA, not here, Tales of Legendia, Tales of the Abyss (that one gets a 3DS remake so I am happy though) and so many Japan only titles. I have been one of those who's joined in to tell them that these games are wanted, but that always fails of course, the only exceptions being Tales of vesperia and Tales of Symphonia Dawn of the New World.

 

[Hugga_Bear]

...I actually liked it. Really liked it.
I don't know if it was the slight detachment from the overtly campy and flamboyantly silly persona or the content but this is the first one I've watched where I've found it genuinely amusing and agreed with a lot of the content (I can normally see how it might appeal, just not to me).

Anyway, good episode and well made. I take serious issue with the localisation when it's between Europe and the US, Japan -> the west is mildly more understandable (though those figures were very surprising, definitely something I'm going to look into a little more) but the difficulty from there is so minimal it's ridiculous and genuinely makes me wonder why the effort wouldn't be worth it...

 

[Taunta]

I agree, localization is kind of annoying. Because localization was sitting around on their hands, we have fun events like Marth debuted in Smash Bros. [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MarthDebutedInSmashBros]

Aren't people crying out for Nintendo to release new IPs anyway? Just localize more games, and there you go. Two problems solved.

Also. Mother and Mother 3.

Also also, Jim, I think you should start thinking about cutting your podium segment, if this is how it's going to be. You look like you're acting and hamming it up for the camera, and I can't speak for anyone else, but it grates on my nerves. There's a reason why I don't watch Top 5 with Lisa Foiles, all the over-acting isn't cute, and gets really old.

 

[Clonekiller]

Definitely agree with you, Jim. In fact, I wonder...

If Project Rainfall sent them THIS VIDEO, how do you suppose Nintendo will react?

Probably a lawsuit, or maybe modeling a Zelda mob after him.

Nice one Jim. I know most commenters prefer the horrific "humor" offered by Loading Ready Run, but I for one rather like satire, so keep it up.

 

[gamegod25]

Who's Nintendo...?

But seriously that's how much and long they have fallen off my radar as a gamer. They simply no longer care about games or gamers and are content to sit on their asses pumping out shovelware for the "casual" masses. They have been pulling in mountains of money from wii and DS sales and instead of using that money to fund new IP's and make new innovative games they give us more bs. "Thanks for all the money, morons! HAHAHAHAHAHA XD "

And not only is "Wii U" an idiotic name I think its them outright admitting that they are pissing all over us.

 

[Gralian]

What exactly is "localisation"? That term gets thrown around so much that i find it frustrating when all i have is this flawed understanding that it's pretty much just translating the dialogue / text and changing from NTSC to PAL coding. Because, really, if that's all it is then i just don't see how on earth it could be considered an expensive process. Especially if the dialogue / text bit has already been done for other English-speaking markets.

I suppose the reason Nintendo of America isn't bothered about bringing niche titles to the Americas is that the Americas themselves are vast. Very vast, in fact, which means a lot of copies would have to be sent out all over the continent which may or may not see any returns. The overall sales figures may be higher than Japan and Europe, but Japan is a small country compared to the Americas - and even the places of Europe that gets titles to distribute, is going to be a smaller market. For example, whenever i go to France, i don't see any video game stores in any of the villages or towns. I only see them in cities. So while Europe may technically be big, they're only really distributing to small, specific parts of Europe. It's the 80-20 rule; 80% of your profit comes from 20% of your demographic. The thing is, Europe and Japan are small enough compared to the Americas that it's okay to only see returns on that 20%, because the Americas in comparison are a far larger investment due to the size of the continent. It's safer to try and sell 100 of X and only sell 20 of it as opposed to try and sell 1,000 of X and only sell 200 of it.

 

[alinos]

Localisation is half the problem the other half is that they are becoming more and more restrictive with the region locking of games.

It's one of the things sony gets right i can play a game from anywhere in the world on any playstation.

I might not understand the language of the game i'm playing but at least the opportunity is there for me to stumble around in the dark.

for some reason we still live in a world with archaic borders for no benefit to the consumer.

there is no real reason for region locking

 

[uguito-93]

ok the few good good points that Jim made are completely overshadowed by the fact that he's such an annoying, obnoxious, and idiotic prick halfway up his own ass, and expects us to love him for it. I only decided to give him another chance because I kept hearing that the show had improved since the pilot. Guess how it turned out.

I sympathies with my counterparts in the US, but this idiot sure makes it hard for me to.

 

[Moeez]

Advocacy of piracy, albeit under rather specific conditions, from an editor-approved Escapist video.

Huh. I haven't seen that happen before.

Nope, that happened on Extra Credits in the Piracy episode [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/extra-credits/2653-Piracy], too! Under the SAME conditions as Jim!

 

[dbenoy]

There's a problem in your logic, Jim. (Don't hate me. I think you're great and I have huge problems with NoA too, but there's a problem with your logic)

Let's look at the syllogism I'm concerned with:
These games would be profitable to localize provided the publisher has the resources to do it.
Nintendo of America is a very big company (has lots of resources)
Therefore, Nintendo of America is ignoring an opportunity to profit.

The first statement is a hypothetical, but let's say we accept it.

The second statement is the problem. It equivocates the idea of having a large pool of total resources, with having a large pool of disposable resources, and they're not the same thing. You could say this:

These games would be profitable to localize provided the publisher has the resources to do it.
Nintendo of America's pool of resources vastly exceeds its project load.
Therefore, Nintendo of America is ignoring an opportunity to profit.

But, you would need evidence to back that up. Just saying that Nintendo is really really big is not enough to demonstrate that position.

Edit:
Now that I think about it, even if you accept the conclusion above, then that still doesn't demonstrate that NoA are window licking retards. It's possible for them to recognize the fact that they are missing an opportunity for profit, but simply deciding to invest their resources in something else that would provide an even GREATER profit.

You would have to show that they have disposable resources, and that those disposable resources would not be better spent on other projects, and then show that these two facts are painfully obvious and not up for debate and risk assessment, before you're able to suggest incompetence. None of that was done during your video.

Alternative explanation: It's also possible that Nintendo is being a dick in a different way. Maybe they're refusing to publish these games in order to use it as a bargaining chip against the developer for some future development or something. They get a cut of localization sales, right? Refusing to localize could be used to pressure them, or perhaps the developer asked for exorbitant royalties on localized sales. Who knows? In fact, not knowing is my whole problem with NoA. See my next post.

 

[dbenoy]

Jim didn't touch on my biggest problem with NoA, and the games industry in general:

They're excessively secretive. That press release is a perfect example. It starts out like this 'We promised we'd give you the information you crave. Here it is: No plans at the present time." That doesn't actually say anything. It doesn't say yes, it doesn't say no, it doesn't try to justify their decision or even shed any light on their thought process at all. It literally is the exact same amount of information as releasing nothing at all.

Sadly, this is so normal that nobody even bats an eye at evasive and secretive press releases. I can see why they do it. They don't want to invite their customers into their creative or decision making processes because they don't want users to get too excited or disappointed only to change their minds later, but FUCK THAT. We are giving them our hard earned cash, and when we ask for answers, we should get actual answers, and more of us need to vote with our wallets until that starts happening.

 

[I forgot]

I like it that for once, someone criticized a subsidiary rather than the broad company. I hate it when people blame Nintendo for something that only their subsidiaries are responsible for. Nintendo of Europe is responsible for European localization, NOA for American, etc., etc. So if a game isn't localized, like Mother 3, that's not Nintendo's fault but their subsidiaries whose decision it is to localize and publish them.

So if I run a company with separate branches and one of the branches make a very bad decision, should I just say "Oh well, not my problem"?

Nintendo of Japan can overrule Nintendo of America and if it doesn't, then it is as much to blame as NOA is. You think Reggie got his job without the approval of Nintendo of Japan?

No, if I run a company with separate branches, I'd expect them to do their job while I do mine. Much like the developers expect publishers and marketers to do their jobs.

 

[Epona]

I like it that for once, someone criticized a subsidiary rather than the broad company. I hate it when people blame Nintendo for something that only their subsidiaries are responsible for. Nintendo of Europe is responsible for European localization, NOA for American, etc., etc. So if a game isn't localized, like Mother 3, that's not Nintendo's fault but their subsidiaries whose decision it is to localize and publish them.

So if I run a company with separate branches and one of the branches make a very bad decision, should I just say "Oh well, not my problem"?

Nintendo of Japan can overrule Nintendo of America and if it doesn't, then it is as much to blame as NOA is. You think Reggie got his job without the approval of Nintendo of Japan?

No, if I run a company with separate branches, I'd expect them to do their job while I do mine. Much like the developers expect publishers and marketers to do their jobs.

Yes but when one branch doesn't do it's job, would you sit on your hands or would you (as the head of the company) make changes?

Nintendo of Japan has the last word so a bad decision make by NOA but not reversed by NOJ still falls on both of their shoulders, not just NOA.

 

[I forgot]

I like it that for once, someone criticized a subsidiary rather than the broad company. I hate it when people blame Nintendo for something that only their subsidiaries are responsible for. Nintendo of Europe is responsible for European localization, NOA for American, etc., etc. So if a game isn't localized, like Mother 3, that's not Nintendo's fault but their subsidiaries whose decision it is to localize and publish them.

So if I run a company with separate branches and one of the branches make a very bad decision, should I just say "Oh well, not my problem"?

Nintendo of Japan can overrule Nintendo of America and if it doesn't, then it is as much to blame as NOA is. You think Reggie got his job without the approval of Nintendo of Japan?

No, if I run a company with separate branches, I'd expect them to do their job while I do mine. Much like the developers expect publishers and marketers to do their jobs.

Yes but when one branch doesn't do it's job, would you sit on your hands or would you (as the head of the company) make changes?

Nintendo of Japan has the last word so a bad decision make by NOA but not reversed by NOJ still falls on both of their shoulders, not just NOA.

Obviously, that depends. If it was the internal teams developing games not doing their jobs, certainly so but this is localization; they're leaving it to their other offices to decide if it'll sell there because they don't know. NOJ doesn't decide if it's okay to have it in Europe, but not America or maybe Australia and not South Africa. That's because that's the shit they let their divisions worry about while they worry about their own country and things of a much more higher priority like developing their hardware and software.

 

[Epona]

I like it that for once, someone criticized a subsidiary rather than the broad company. I hate it when people blame Nintendo for something that only their subsidiaries are responsible for. Nintendo of Europe is responsible for European localization, NOA for American, etc., etc. So if a game isn't localized, like Mother 3, that's not Nintendo's fault but their subsidiaries whose decision it is to localize and publish them.

So if I run a company with separate branches and one of the branches make a very bad decision, should I just say "Oh well, not my problem"?

Nintendo of Japan can overrule Nintendo of America and if it doesn't, then it is as much to blame as NOA is. You think Reggie got his job without the approval of Nintendo of Japan?

No, if I run a company with separate branches, I'd expect them to do their job while I do mine. Much like the developers expect publishers and marketers to do their jobs.

Yes but when one branch doesn't do it's job, would you sit on your hands or would you (as the head of the company) make changes?

Nintendo of Japan has the last word so a bad decision make by NOA but not reversed by NOJ still falls on both of their shoulders, not just NOA.

Obviously, that depends. If it was the internal teams developing games not doing their jobs, certainly so but this is localization; they're leaving it to their other offices to decide if it'll sell there because they don't know. NOJ doesn't decide if it's okay to have it in Europe, but not America or maybe Australia and not South Africa. That's because that's the shit they let their divisions worry about while they worry about their own country and things of a much more higher priority like developing their hardware and software.

If NOA said "We aren't going to release Skyward Sword or the next Mario game in America", NOJ would almost certainly overrule them. Don't you agree?

 

[I forgot]

I like it that for once, someone criticized a subsidiary rather than the broad company. I hate it when people blame Nintendo for something that only their subsidiaries are responsible for. Nintendo of Europe is responsible for European localization, NOA for American, etc., etc. So if a game isn't localized, like Mother 3, that's not Nintendo's fault but their subsidiaries whose decision it is to localize and publish them.

So if I run a company with separate branches and one of the branches make a very bad decision, should I just say "Oh well, not my problem"?

Nintendo of Japan can overrule Nintendo of America and if it doesn't, then it is as much to blame as NOA is. You think Reggie got his job without the approval of Nintendo of Japan?

No, if I run a company with separate branches, I'd expect them to do their job while I do mine. Much like the developers expect publishers and marketers to do their jobs.

Yes but when one branch doesn't do it's job, would you sit on your hands or would you (as the head of the company) make changes?

Nintendo of Japan has the last word so a bad decision make by NOA but not reversed by NOJ still falls on both of their shoulders, not just NOA.

Obviously, that depends. If it was the internal teams developing games not doing their jobs, certainly so but this is localization; they're leaving it to their other offices to decide if it'll sell there because they don't know. NOJ doesn't decide if it's okay to have it in Europe, but not America or maybe Australia and not South Africa. That's because that's the shit they let their divisions worry about while they worry about their own country and things of a much more higher priority like developing their hardware and software.

If NOA said "We aren't going to release Skyward Sword or the next Mario game in America", NOJ would almost certainly overrule them. Don't you agree?

Sorry, but you need to come up with a better argument. That's next to impossible because NOA already knows that Mario and Zelda are high selling franchises. You're using a hypothetical situation that has zero chance of ever happening.

 

[Epona]

I like it that for once, someone criticized a subsidiary rather than the broad company. I hate it when people blame Nintendo for something that only their subsidiaries are responsible for. Nintendo of Europe is responsible for European localization, NOA for American, etc., etc. So if a game isn't localized, like Mother 3, that's not Nintendo's fault but their subsidiaries whose decision it is to localize and publish them.

So if I run a company with separate branches and one of the branches make a very bad decision, should I just say "Oh well, not my problem"?

Nintendo of Japan can overrule Nintendo of America and if it doesn't, then it is as much to blame as NOA is. You think Reggie got his job without the approval of Nintendo of Japan?

No, if I run a company with separate branches, I'd expect them to do their job while I do mine. Much like the developers expect publishers and marketers to do their jobs.

Yes but when one branch doesn't do it's job, would you sit on your hands or would you (as the head of the company) make changes?

Nintendo of Japan has the last word so a bad decision make by NOA but not reversed by NOJ still falls on both of their shoulders, not just NOA.

Obviously, that depends. If it was the internal teams developing games not doing their jobs, certainly so but this is localization; they're leaving it to their other offices to decide if it'll sell there because they don't know. NOJ doesn't decide if it's okay to have it in Europe, but not America or maybe Australia and not South Africa. That's because that's the shit they let their divisions worry about while they worry about their own country and things of a much more higher priority like developing their hardware and software.

If NOA said "We aren't going to release Skyward Sword or the next Mario game in America", NOJ would almost certainly overrule them. Don't you agree?

Sorry, but you need to come up with a better argument. That's next to impossible because NOA already knows that Mario and Zelda are high selling franchises. You're using a hypothetical situation that has zero chance of ever happening.

Your argument appears to be:

"NOJ doesn't get involved with what games are released in other regions"

My example was to show that NOJ CAN get involved and since they can, they should in cases like this where public outrage is becoming severe. If they refuse to get involved then they are just as much to blame as NOA.

It doesn't matter though, I don't really care who YOU blame, I know that both NOA and NOJ are responsible for those games not being released here.