K, so, japanese game devs hate us now?

[bruunwald]

Firstly, Japan was suffering badly from the worldwide economic downturn even BEFORE a giant tsunami and earthquake caused devastation across the country. (You DO remember they have suffered great devastation recently, yes?)

Secondly, there have always been scores, if not hundreds of titles released in Japan-only, each year, going way back to the 'eighties.

There is neither anything new, nor alarming about this, and I think it indicates NOTHING. Move along, folks. Nothing to see here.

 

[Nikolaz72]

The second problem I see is the Anime-favoring side of the US's general methods for acquiring it. It's no big secret most Anime-lovers prefer subs, and only a very small percentage of people have actually stuck their necks out from their Internet-laden caves to purchase box sets of some of their favorite shows. I think this, more than anything else, is what inevitably hinders a lot of localization. The three most popular things that are localized from Japan are Anime, Manga, and Games, and when 2 out of 3 are barely being bought up (when they can be fansubbed, released the same day as they were shown in Japan, and viewed off the Internet for free) it becomes a strong disincentive for companies to burn the cash.

your telling me Weaboos/Otaku's dont even buy their damn Anime?

I find somthing hypocritical about that (then again I guess they spend enough on pillows and figures)

ok ok that was mean, I apologise for the derogatory terms (kind of ) I know that was generalisations (and generalisations are subject to exceptions as wel all know)

Meh, dont ask how I know but apparently some of those pillows can end up costing like 1-12grand. Some fans have a lot of dough to spend on that sorta stuff. Then again, that could be because all the the legal Western websites end up selling the stuff at like 500-1000% of what they cost originally. Same with games, I cant imagine how a 20dollargame ends up costing 100dollars. . . Is it really 'that' expensive to sell it on? Guess its the textbook example of supply/demand.

 

[wooty]

Could also be advertising too, I always have to hunt for J-titles behind all the CALL OF DUTY CALL.OF DUTY CALL OF DUTY posters, banners and boxes.

 

[Amethyst Wind]

Of course, I'm finding it kind of funny that you chose to try to refute my point in this way rather than defend your implication that western games don't follow a set of tropes like japan does, when you're trying to say why Japanese games don't do well here. In fact, what your post implies now is that they both do it equally.

I wasn't aware that I'd made the implication that one side did it more than the other. I was trying to say that I notice it more and it's more annoying when I see it in Japanese games.

I'd say your own opinion plays a big part in there too.
Yes, i fully agree that "moe/cute" charactertypes are too overused in Japan. This comes from the manga/anime market mostly and the fact that it sells extremly well to that market. Still, i wouldn't wanna miss great titles like Disgaea getting international releases.

It certainly does, in fact unless I've done something wrong it should make up the entirety of my approach. I can only give my opinion, hence why I don't deal in 'facts'. In my opinion, Japanese characterisation and story structure is far more paint-by-numbers than in western media. That's what I notice and I'm finding it harder and harder to see anything rise above the generic, repeated ideas that are the norm.

 

[zerobudgetgamer]

The second problem I see is the Anime-favoring side of the US's general methods for acquiring it. It's no big secret most Anime-lovers prefer subs, and only a very small percentage of people have actually stuck their necks out from their Internet-laden caves to purchase box sets of some of their favorite shows. I think this, more than anything else, is what inevitably hinders a lot of localization. The three most popular things that are localized from Japan are Anime, Manga, and Games, and when 2 out of 3 are barely being bought up (when they can be fansubbed, released the same day as they were shown in Japan, and viewed off the Internet for free) it becomes a strong disincentive for companies to burn the cash.

your telling me Weaboos/Otaku's dont even buy their damn Anime?

I find somthing hypocritical about that (then again I guess they spend enough on pillows and figures)

ok ok that was mean, I apologise for the derogatory terms (kind of ) I know that was generalisations (and generalisations are subject to exceptions as wel all know)

Well, looking at Lilith Slave's Post, maybe I'm being a little generalizing as well. I have heard, however, that anime and manga sales in the US aren't quite what the localization companies would like them to be. Some are selling well, to be sure, but those are mostly the big name and/or well advertised series like Bleach and Naruto, and I think the shorter, lesser-known series aren't exactly making the same numbers. Hell, for manga in particular there was a fair bit of site skewering a year or so ago to try and reduce the amount of "illegal" sites that were making a profit hosting translated manga and selling advertising. And, again, like Lilith said, a fair number of anime fans (myself included, unfortunately) are NEETs, probably not enough to count as the majority, but still enough.

Though, the point does remain. Video Games are currently the only Japanese Media that isn't being greatly pirated and/or fansubbed, so when the dubbed versions of the other media aren't selling well (whether or not it's because of the pirating) then yeah, I've got to think that breeds a little distrust in the American Market for Japanese companies.

 

[Vault101]

your telling me Weaboos/Otaku's dont even buy their damn Anime?

The type of 'anime fans' this person is describing, don't just not buy anime, they don't buy any media very often. There seems to be some overlap between Japanese NEET who watch anime, and American NEET who watch anime. Consequently a lot of the pirates of any media from any country, including video games, are also NEETs.

Again, it's not like anime fans who don't go buy anime go blow all their money on other stuff. It's that they're NEET internet addicts who hardly ever leave the house. When they do have money, they do often upgrade their computer, buy anime, manga, or anime games. But a lot of American "otaku" actually fit the otaku label by being "NEET" as well. So they just don't have the money to spend on anime, much less non-anime purchases.

But they're not the only anime fans out there. I spend lots of money on anime dvds. Though I tend to spend a lot more money on jRPGs.

I dont know what a NEET is...

but I figured that Anime apeals mainly to teenagers, and I guess teenagers dont have alot of disposable income

 

[gyrobot_v1legacy]

Not Employed or Educated or in Training, aka a shutin of the highest scale. And my argument stands, nothing is wrong with Japan. It is just they refuse to play with the big boys permanently.

 

[Toy Master Typhus]

but I figured that Anime apeals mainly to teenagers, and I guess teenagers dont have alot of disposable income

You are also forgetting we don't have that great of an access to the market. The average teenager has probably at least 100$ a month of disposable income, however most who look for anime can't get their hands on it because Bestbuy only carries the ones seen on TV (Lots of Dragonball) and if we want anymore we have to get them ordered in online which your average teenager doesn't have a credit/debt card.

I wonder why they just wonder why they don't air as much anime as they used to. I mean they make money off of that marketing right? Most people won't buy something they haven't seen unless they heard good reviews about it.

 

[lapan]

Well, looking at Lilith Slave's Post, maybe I'm being a little generalizing as well. I have heard, however, that anime and manga sales in the US aren't quite what the localization companies would like them to be. Some are selling well, to be sure, but those are mostly the big name and/or well advertised series like Bleach and Naruto, and I think the shorter, lesser-known series aren't exactly making the same numbers. Hell, for manga in particular there was a fair bit of site skewering a year or so ago to try and reduce the amount of "illegal" sites that were making a profit hosting translated manga and selling advertising. And, again, like Lilith said, a fair number of anime fans (myself included, unfortunately) are NEETs, probably not enough to count as the majority, but still enough.

Especially Anime has a lot to do with the fact that it's extremly overpriced when compared to western media. 30-40? for 2-4 episodes is the norm, while i can get entire boxsets of american tv series for half the price.

 

[Popeman]

Maybe they read all those Western articles about how irrelevant they are and decided "Fine. We're irrelevant. Screw all y'all."

Fucking haters ruining my video game fun.
Does this mean I'll be stuck playing "Generic Macho Fantasy Marine with Big Neck and Big Gun, Killing Things in a Pointless Sandbox: Now with more Gore! III"

Fuck.

Hi Japan, some of us still appreciate your creative an innovative games. The west is pretty generic.

It's out there. It may not be the most popular stuff out there but it's there.

 

[Nomanslander]

Let's see, what is the last Japanese made game I liked enough to buy? Dark Souls! So, I guess as long as they keep churning out more DS games I'll be happy. ^^

 

[Casual Shinji]

Japanese developers don't hate the west, they've simply accepted that we're not going to bother with crappy traditional JRPG's anymore.

Metal Gear Solid
Resident Evil
Dark Souls
The Last Guardian
Lollipop Chainsaw

... Bring 'm on in. But they can keep their shitty turn-based shenanigans.

 

[gyrobot_v1legacy]

not to make a dig at anyone. i have enjoyed the odd one, but ive noticed that jrpg mentions are shrinking in posts on forums and general gaming sites in the west. while the interest is stil there for alot of people, the japanese interest from jrps to anime, etc seems to be declining for alot of people.

is that a result of people being over it or shrinking budgets for advertising in the west? i dont know.

There is a good deal of talk about Dark Souls, it is just we don't bother with the kusoge from Idea Factory.

 

[VanQ]

Funny how nobody ever bothers to, you know, learn some damn Japanese? If you want the games so badly, you have only two choices.

1) Get off your arse and learn Japanese. Which isn't even a difficult language to learn.
or
2) Sit around, twiddling your thumbs doing nothing except occasionally posting a thread on a random forum the Japanese can't or don't bother reading, complaining about the lack of Japanese games.

You want to prove to the Japanese that we are a viable market in the west? Then get to importing those games. Just expect your wallet to be emptied once you cross over to this side. Trust me, they don't call Namco Scamco for no reason.

 

[Helmholtz Watson]

Maybe they read all those Western articles about how irrelevant they are and decided "Fine. We're irrelevant. Screw all y'all."

Fucking haters ruining my video game fun.
Does this mean I'll be stuck playing "Generic Macho Fantasy Marine with Big Neck and Big Gun, Killing Things in a Pointless Sandbox: Now with more Gore! III"

Fuck.

Hi Japan, some of us still appreciate your creative an innovative games. The west is pretty generic.

yes, we're generic because we don't have games with angst filled teenagers(who look like they stuck there fingers in electric sockets and dyed there hair neon-whatever) who go and have turn based fighting.

Yes because games like Pyschonauts, MineCraft, Max Payne,
Soul Reaver, and StarCraft are missing that Japanese essence(which includes,but not limited to, cut scenes so long you'd think your watching a movie). /sarcasm

 

[LilithSlave]

shitty turn-based

Strategy games are not inferior to more action-y, real time games.

If anything, strategy is what the Japanese RPG excels at. So much that they have inspired the West to create several jRPGs of the S/TRPG variety. Strategy RPGs are every bit as good as the RTS. Because actually allowing you to have turn based combat allows you the proper time to think and carry out each move step by step. You're not allowed the same amount of finite control over combat in the RTS as the TRPG. Not saying the RTS is inferior, or anything, the the SRPG is every bit as good of an attempt at the strategy game as the RTS, and both are good parts of strategy gaming.

Speaking of which, look forward to Territoire. It is easily EasyGameStation's most ambitious project(the folks who brought you Recettear), and will likely be one of the best indie titles out of Japan or anywhere in years.

Maybe they read all those Western articles about how irrelevant they are and decided "Fine. We're irrelevant. Screw all y'all."

Fucking haters ruining my video game fun.
Does this mean I'll be stuck playing "Generic Macho Fantasy Marine with Big Neck and Big Gun, Killing Things in a Pointless Sandbox: Now with more Gore! III"

Fuck.

Thank you.

 

[VanQ]

your telling me Weaboos/Otaku's dont even buy their damn Anime?

The type of 'anime fans' this person is describing, don't just not buy anime, they don't buy any media very often. There seems to be some overlap between Japanese NEET who watch anime, and American NEET who watch anime. Consequently a lot of the pirates of any media from any country, including video games, are also NEETs.

Again, it's not like anime fans who don't go buy anime go blow all their money on other stuff. It's that they're NEET internet addicts who hardly ever leave the house. When they do have money, they do often upgrade their computer, buy anime, manga, or anime games. But a lot of American "otaku" actually fit the otaku label by being "NEET" as well. So they just don't have the money to spend on anime, much less non-anime purchases.

But they're not the only anime fans out there. I spend lots of money on anime dvds. Though I tend to spend a lot more money on jRPGs.

I dont know what a NEET is...

but I figured that Anime apeals mainly to teenagers, and I guess teenagers dont have alot of disposable income

NEET is an originally UK term that is now quite popular in Japan. A NEET, not to be confused with Hikkikomori, stands for Not in Education, Employment or Training. It's basically the equivalent of a welfare leech that sits at home playing games and wasting the government's or even worse, their own parent's money on food and figurines.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NEET

 

[Shia-Neko-Chan]

yes, we're generic because we don't have games with angst filled teenagers(who look like they stuck there fingers in electric sockets and dyed there hair neon-whatever) who go and have turn based fighting.

Instead, we have buzz-cut muscle shooter (in space or ww2 or modern warfare) #1, #2, #3, #4, etc, who don't have feelings or emotions or try to express them, cause they're hard core!

Or medival chainmail clad muscleman #1, #2, #3, #4 who doesn't have feelings or emotions or try to express them, cause cause they're hard core!

of course, that's not all america has to offer (even if it is majority), but the point is, two can play at that game.

Drakengard, Nier Gestalt, Tales of Vesperia, Devil May Cry, and more show that not every japanese character is "angsty" (which isn't angst as much as it is just emotions. Kinda like how Roxas from kh2 is "angsty" because he's appropriately angry and emotional about

Spoiler

his ENTIRE EXISTANCE BEING RIPPED AWAY FROM HIM

). Sometimes I wonder if western gamers actually give japanese games a chance or just wait for the first instance of "This guy's not completely hard-BOILED!" so they can call the characters "angsty".