Lost in Translation: Japanese Video Game Industry Only Has Itself to Blame

Joel Taveras writes, " For the last twelve years or so there’s been this paradigm shift in video game development and the philosophy that surrounds it. Much of it stems from the newer game creators that are popping up from literally every where. Every single day we’re seeing new creative hot zones spring up across the globe, with North America and Western Europe seeing the biggest influx of home grown talent. It’s safe to say: we’re at the tail end of gaming’s first renaissance."

[JohnnyMann420]

Tell that to people that play them. I obviously like Street Fighter, but here are some notable games I like from Japan.

Deus Ex?
Monster Hunter
Dynasty Warriors
Metal Gear Solid 1-4 redefined cinematics in gameplay.
Mario and anything Nintendo pretty much including
Zelda
Vanquish
Ninja Gaiden
Harvest Moon
Tekken
WWE games

These are just some games I could think of. Japan is different and has different tastes, but to say all japanese games suck is one of the dumbest things I have heard in recent history.

[Chrono]

Deus Ex isn't Japanese.

[ash_divine]

The author isn't saying that all japanese games suck. No one is, except for that Phil Fish guy but no one really cares what he thinks.

This Article isn't about any of that. What the article is saying is that it is Japan's refusal to evolve that's leading to their own decline.

I'm glad you mentioned Nintendo, because they just prove my point. Nintendo is a company that isn't afraid to grow. (Which is why they are so successful.)

I mean, just look at some of their top selling games. Wii Fit, Wii Sports, even the Mario and Zelda games. They don't rely on worn out tropes like a lot japanese games do these days. They are japanese without distinctly feeling japanese. They have GLOBAL APPEAL.

And that's all the author (and almost anyone who criticizes the japanese industry) is saying. The rest of the industry needs to evolve. (Just as Nintendo has.)

[ash_divine]

Firstly, calm down. (you care way too much about this.)

Secondly, could you specifically point out where I said that feeling japanese was bad? What I said was: The reason they are so successful, Is because their games appeal to a global market.

And keep in mind, we're talking financials only.

I like Japanese games. (My profile pic is the "shot-gun guy" from Versus XIII.)

But I'm not so biased to them that I can't see the uphill battle they are facing.

When I use the term "evolve", I mean technologically. It wasn't so long ago that the Japanese were the ones putting out the Graphical Behemoths. With cutting edge concepts and storytelling(garnering 9's and 10's). Now it's companies like Naughty Dog and Bioware doing those things.

If they don't raise the bar, they will fade into obscurity. (hell, they've already become a niche. So they're half-way there.)

[JoelT]

@ash_divine

I really appreciate that you "get it" and see it as not an attack.

[killerhog]

neither is WWE lol.

[BuffMordecai]

Yukes is a Japanese developer that makes the WWE and UFC games for THQ.

[Batzi]

"Agree" if you only came here because of Kojima's picture!

[LX-General-Kaos]

They got me

[MrDead]

Joel Taveras...... what a tool.

[christheredhead]

Japanese games are awesome. The probably make up about 80% of my collection and general gaming hours. Im not understanding the increasing resentment of the East.

What really ruins Japanese games is the westernization of their IPs. Other than that, they still make stellar titles. Once they start to "appeal" to the western audience it degrades their standards and ruins the game/series.

[dinkeldinkse]

The little truth in this is overrun with crap.

[ash_divine]

I was just talking about this yesterday.

I mean, I literally hit on these exact same points/subjects.(To the point where it's kind of eerie to read the very next day.)

I'd add something more constructive but I'm a bit talked out on this subject.

So I'll just sit this one out.(well, maybe.)

[Godmars290]

Just know I'm having a problem with taking Inafune seriously when the best he could do for Megaman were two retro titles.

[kevnb]

theyve moved on to portable gaming mostly this gen. Makes sense for them.

[yokokoroma]

That's the realization here, JRPG's or just Japanese games in general, have shifted focus to portable gaming devices (i.e. cheaper and easier to develop for), as opposed to last gen, where they were developing almost exclusively for consoles.

This is the sole reason why Japanese games are not where they were last gen. I don't understand why Kojima and Inafune are undermining Japanese game developers creativity. It's the basis for which Japanese games are known for.

Yet, they've recently been stating that Japanese developers "need" to adapt and or change to the way the western world develops games, when in reality they don't and should not. The only thing Japanese developers need to do, is shift their projects back to consoles.

Look at the(creative)games seen this gen:

Catherine
El Shaddai: Ascension Of The Metatron
Demon Souls
Dark Souls
Folklore

Just to name a few, not that there's a whole lot more.(strictly speaking console wise)but it at least demonstrates that Japanese developers are still thinking outside the box.

[D3mons0ul]

If you ACTUALLY hate Japanese games and want to see them stop coming over, YOU ARE NOT A GAMER.

[palaeomerus]

If you ACTUALLY hate Japanese games and want to see them stop coming over, YOU ARE NOT A GAMER*.

*According to some nerd on the comments section of video game news aggregator site that routinely accepts terrible op-eds, and tiresome click-lists from blogspot sites without even google ads on them that nobody ever reads.

I'm sure that sort of criticism matters to somebody.

[Tex117]

Dark Souls/Demon's Souls.
That is enough for me to care what Japan does.