Is the Japanese market that big of a factor in gaming anymore?

[Peench]

There's been loads and loads of conversations, news pieces and discussions about the need for gaming console manufacturers to capture Japan to really capture the gaming market. When MS released their 360 they shot for Japan and many thought they would have to capture it well in order to do well in this generation of consoles. Well they have fallen short a bit but the 360 still seems to be doing well.

So what gives? Has the U.S. market increased that much that the Japanese market is no longer necessary? Has the Japanese market gone too niche? I don't know. If I had to guess I'd say that the Japanese market is not as big of a factor in the gaming manufacturer world anymore. But what do you think?

[Lord LouDog]

I voted yes only because this time around I think the Japanese market is a potential factor. The niche games for the PS2 held a lot of weight in Japan (DMC, MGS, FF, and not to mention the slew of weird-arse RPGs and mech-shooter titles). I am interested to see if the PS3 digs up any of these titles to flesh out their lack-luster library. With the amount of series and niche games their gamers bought for the PS2 I am surprised they haven't tapped into them. I know MGS4, FFXIII, and Killzone 2 (Killzone was only "okay", I know some think it was a Halo killer....shrug) are headed to the PS3 but I think they could do so much more to make the Japanese market a viable market. Nintendo has absorbed a ton of gamers by promising and delivering new games from classic franchises. 360 has and is gaining ground with some pretty impressive exclusives, but is still weak in sales in Japan. So I suppose what my morning rambling is trying to say, the Japanese market has the potential to help Sony. Where the hell is my coffee...

[Crippler]

IMO, no. North America and Europe are now what counts. Japanese niche games, basically, only sell well in Japan and their cultural tastes in games limits that market today. The devs outside of Japan have shown they have got what it takes to dominate the game industry now. As gaming continues to become more culturally acceptable worldwide, Japan will only continue its decline in influencing the video game market. The 360 continues to out pace the PS3 in overall sales even though its sales in Japan are basically non-existent. That pretty much sums it up. As does my virtually Japanese dev free game library. Dead Rising being the only exception.

[D_Litch]

No. North American and European game developers are consistently making better games that Japanese devs. That and gamers are in those two regions more than they have ever been. Japan matters, but not that much anymore.

[Gordon]

Sadly it is still a factor, otherwise we would not see exclusive Japan games. I believe it is still seen as the movie theatre of videogames, where they are put out there to test the water before giving it out to the big boys. They certainly get better packages and swag.

[AlphaQ GehaD]

Well its a Big Factor, in the Eye the beholder that is! Man everytime i get a gameinformer i flip to the end pages were they have the top 20, top 10 GI, top 10 Japan, Top 10 PC. Top 10 GI and Top 20 have similiar common games that Im interested in and that everybody i know seems to know and have. Then i look at Top 10 Japan and No where in their do i see such games as: Halo 3, CoD4, Mass Effect, Assassins Creed...none of those. All i see is Pokemon: Crystal, fire burgandy red, yellow sunfire lava, Plus some hard to say RPG names and all these brain games.

Last i heard the Xbox was doing awesome and during the holiday season they sold about 1.4 million units, with or without Japans customers Microsoft is making polls and hitting benchmarks. To me its not a factor and i dont think it will be for long. The only thing is, many of the publishers have their Huge HQ in japan. Capcom, Konami, Square Enix, etc.... but they are now making games for both sides IE. Blue Dragon, and they know that Metal Gear Solid is a huge seller in America just as much as it is in Japan if not more so. I mean, MGS has a freakin American hero and its supposed to be made by the Japanese...wtf is that about.

WTF is with Assassins Creed having an American with a huge American accent as the assassin? is he "The Last Assassin" like Tom Cruise is "The Last Samurai" i mean come on FFS!


BTW I better end this before i start ranting like mad...my answer to the poll is.......NO, But they got imagination to make a hell of a game.

[Thornes70]

Originally Posted by Crippler

IMO, no. North America and Europe are now what counts. Japanese niche games, basically, only sell well in Japan and their cultural tastes in games limits that market today. The devs outside of Japan have shown they have got what it takes to dominate the game industry now. As gaming continues to become more culturally acceptable worldwide, Japan will only continue its decline in influencing the video game market. The 360 continues to out pace the PS3 in overall sales even though its sales in Japan are basically non-existent. That pretty much sums it up. As does my virtually Japanese dev free game library. Dead Rising being the only exception.

My sentiments exactly, 'cept I don't own DR!

When I only had a PS2, I remember how scuffed I felt about Japan getting all this cool crap & America basically getting "throwbacks" or getting the game well after it had already been out in Japan. That had a lot to do with me getting an Xbox, & I haven't looked back since.

They're too big into national loyalty; MS should give them the finger and say, "Okay, we're done with you... enjoy your Mario, buh-bye." Screw 'em!

[lovekeiiy]

Is Japan still a factor, yes. But as some have said above, it's declining. More and more, games are becoming more acceptable in more house as each day goes by. It's not that the US or Europe by themselves are more important, but put together, they have a bigger installation base which developers notice.

Then there are the great games in Japan and US/Europe that just don't well in Japan or US/Europe. I just don't see simulated horse racing and dating sim games being popular. Heck, the dreamcast have a game, I believe, called Tour Bus, where the object was the give tours on a bus. You had to obey all traffic laws, hit certain areas and so forth. Huge game for the Dreamcast. Not that it came to the US, but who in the US would want that?

So, it's not the xbox can't do well. They just don't put out games the Japanese consumer really wants.

With that said, some fun game do come out of Japan that I enjoyed such as Shenmue, RE, Dragon Warrior series to name a few.

[Shuckey]

I would have to say a resounding "No"..... America has shown one thing this time around. People are going to buy what they want, not what you think we want. With the sales figures for the PS3 so bad even the PSP outsold it in the month of December 1 Million units to 800,000. That's sad, really sad....Sony dropped the ball and gave us a system that we did need for a price not even Sony Fanboys would pay (except those Launch Junkies). Xbox Live is what has decided this console War. With all things equal between the 2 consoles....the online experience is what has sold ( or in Sony's case "Not Sold" ) systems. Sony thought they could do no wrong and made us the consumer pay for something we did not want or need right now a Blu-Ray player. Microsoft was smart in that aspect they gave every consumer the choice on what they could buy.....Core , Premium, HD-DVD Player, Elite so that everyone from every budget could game. Xbox Live costs money but it is WELL worth it compared to Sony's crappy PSN. I bought Unreal for the PS3 the day it came out and there was 250 people online playing...on launch day it was already a ghost town. No matter which format in the DVD realm wins Microsoft gets royalties because Blu-Ray also uses MS software for it's firmware and drivers. MS even has a Blu-Ray add-on already to go If HD-DVD loses out to Blu.

So what does the Japan have to offer anymore to the War......not a whole lot.

[Thornes70]

...And to add to that: where the hell is that huge "console revolutionizing experience" known as Home? Wasn't that supposed to blow our minds? LOL

You know what Japan is like when it comes to the video gaming market? It's like that really cute girl in school that knows you like her so she totally ignores you... but as soon as she sees you with a girl, she's a total bitch to you - and Japan has just been too much of an arrogant beeotch in the past !