Japan’s Gaming Market: A World Apart

Fantasy sells while violent fare like 'Grand Theft Auto' languishes

BY KYOKO HASEGAWA
AFP-JIJI
SEP 24, 2013

CHIBA – The latest version of the blockbuster video game “Grand Theft Auto” may have stoked a worldwide buying frenzy, but the ultraviolent offering is likely to be a minnow in Japan’s vast gaming market.

Shoot-em-up video games from abroad often struggle to gain traction here, where fantasy-style games reign supreme and sell in the millions — even though many in the West have never heard of them. These include the hugely popular “Monster Hunter” franchise, which has sold 23 million copies and counting since its debut a decade ago.

“Most of them were sold in Japan even though we made an English version,” said a spokeswoman for game creator Capcom Co.

Problems in translating the language and cultural differences are among the reasons cited for the struggles of foreign game operators in Japan, a rift that was apparent as gamers flocked to the Tokyo Game Show last week. More than 600 games titles were on offer at the four-day extravaganza that wrapped up Sunday.

[CLOUD1983]

yep different worlds that's how things is no matter how many copies GTA V sell in the west in JPN won't be not even 5% of those & the same happen with Japanese games in the west get for example "Monster Hunter Freedom Unite" for PSP in JPN sold around 7 millions & it have total sales of almost 8 millions http://video-games.findtheb... in US sold just 400k so just 5% of total sales.

[leahcim]

Japan has gave me the best moments of my life trough their games;
Aerith Death and burial (FFVII), Chrono Cross ending, Ashley Riot adventure (VS), the search of Lumina (BFM), FFVIII ending, the fight between Tidus and his father Jecth (FFX), Lauren playing with the knife lying in the ground (SHII), a racing on the mud with the afternoon sun in my eyes (GT3), the sighting of the first colossi,... and so so many more

thanks Japan Gaming World

[HarryMasonHerpderp]

The problem is they don't seem to make any games like that anymore. At least not as much as they used to.
They really used to raise the bar as far as story telling goes with games like Silent Hill, Final Fantasy and Shadows of the colossus.

[DestinyHeroDoomlord]

Killing my first Yian kut-ku...

[truechainz]

Makes sense though for GTAV. It is a strong satire of western culture and there is much gamers can probably relate to in Japan in its content.