Kojima: 'Japan's curse is its focus on Japan'

CVG:Metal Gear series director Hideo Kojima believes that Japan's biggest issue is that its content, which encapsulates games, movies, novels and more, is too fixated on the Japan market.

[MariaHelFutura]

Ironically that is Americas problem as well.

[linkenski]

Yeah, and also, when i'm watching some of the shows that are on Gametrailers they always bring up, that Xbox 360 is leading the market, because it does in the US. In fact it's several 100k's under the sales of the total PS3 sales. And it's doing really poor in Japan :/

[BrutallyBlunt]

@ MariaHelFutura
Not really considering America seems to buy Japanese products more so than Japan buys American products. Even something like the IPOD had the least response in Japan compared to all other territories. Sony's MP3 player actually continued to sell well in Japan but declined sharply everywhere else. It is the Japan culture to support their products.

@linkenski
Gametrailers is an American publication so of course they are going to be biased. Same goes for Japanese TV. As for total sales Microsoft just announced they are #1 globally for 2011, so disagree all you like but that is coming from them and they need to disclose accurate figures to their shareholders. Did you see Sony disprove that? That is not to say the Playstation 3 hasn't outsold the XBOX360 every other year because they did. It's really meaningless at this point in time anyway this late in the generation.

[ShaunCameron]

But America is twice as big as Japan and exponentially more infuential.

[NYC_Gamer]

Wow,Kojima even said maybe he was born in the wrong country...

[VanguardOfCalamity]

I would like to see what he was saying before and after that quote to get a good idea of the context - but WOW what a quote... kinda wish I had dual citizenship in Holland myself - go Amsterdam!

[rezzah]

He may not would have ended up as he is now if he grew up in america.

Our main personality preferences might be the same, but the cultural impact might change the level of personality fluctuations. Whether the impact affects us more as a group or individually, maybe even both, I do not know. chances are that he would not be the same person who he is now.

Unless you believe in destiny or fate to to point where one person would always be what they are no matter where they are born.

[DarkSymbiote]

I have a feeling Metal Gear wouldn't have been as unique if he grew up outside of Japan.

[Shadow Flare]

I don't want Japanese games to change. What's the point in all games becoming westernised? There's something special about Japanese games that I don't think western developers are really capable of. I could never imagine a western developer creating ICO or Shadow of the Collosus. The Japanese have grown up in their own unique culture that I think grows a really special kind of creativity. Nintendo would definitely not produce the same games if they weren't Japanese. I think anyway. It's a different culture. And I really love what comes out of it.

I think this is what makes the 3 consoles so interesting and enables them to have their own solid fan set.

Nintendo is predominantly Japanese. Their 1st party games are mostly if not all Japanese.

Microsoft is predominantly Western. Most if not all their first parties are western.

Sony is a complete mix of worldwide studios. Their first parties reach all over from Japan, to Europe and America, which is why we see games range from ICO to Killzone, from LittleBigPlanet to Gran Turismo, from Heavy Rain to WipeOut.

I thinks that's why I like Sony the most. They naturally harbour the most diverse and creative minds in gaming, and the games we get are astounding and varied. You just don't see that level of variation from Nintendo or Microsoft.

[wallis]

While I agree that Japan is capable of incredible moments of storytelling they don't really show it in games. Ico and sotc is one example but the west has portal, half life, braid, bioshock, deus ex and many others. If you look at most storytelling in Japanese games it fails to embrace what actually makes games different to movies and it's funny that Kojima is saying this because he took a perfectly reasonable cold war plot and sodomized it into spaghetti with metal gear solid - not only that but he proceeded to borderline punch each and every mgs4 player in the face by forcing hours of cutscenes into a game (tip: if a game has over an hour of cutscenes it's an interactive movie. Games shouldn't have cutscenes any more, it's pointless and very archaic).

In fact MGS4 is a great example of what renders Japan's approach to gaming so problematic. While valve are sitting down and considering ways to communicate a whole world and mythology to a player with nothing more than map cues and writing on a wall Kojima just figures it's easier to record thirty hours of dialog.

But honestly for all that it's worth video games could offer a medium of storytelling so great that it triumphs all other forms; the first and true non-passive artform and even bioware can't resist the temptation to just turn it all into a fucking movie. The west has a looooooong way to go and from Battle Royale to Akira the Japanese are certainly capable of crafting astounding narratives that rival any western endeavour - it's just that in video games they're still stuck... well they're still stuck at the story telling techniques seen in Ico unfortunately.

[Wolfbiker]

Yeah let's just have every game tell the story just like the games you mentioned above (all but braid are first person) and offer nothing different, then if something different than what Americans think is the best form of story telling will be critisized into oblivion.

Japan's problems in the western market aren't necessarily their lack of creative abilities/ quality of titles but more the Americans mindset in accepting something different.

IMO Japan shouldn't change, Americans should open up their minds and cultural acceptance (this has ALWAYS been an issue in America) although right now I guess gaming is too expensive to go out on a limb on a new (to you) title.

[BrutallyBlunt]

@Shadow Flare

So Sony is a complete mix of Worldwide studios but Nintendo is largely aimed at Japanese? That makes no sense at all considering Nintendo 1st party games not only outsell Sony 1st party games they do it on a global scale, not just in Japan.

As for what games you like better is a completely different story. Nintendo this generation has been a much more global company than both Sony and Microsoft.

Microsoft does excellent in North America and good in Europe and poorly in Japan.

Sony does average in North America, good in Europe and good in Japan.

Nintendo does good to excellent everywhere.

[Shadow Flare]

Well learn to read because I didn't say nintendo's games are aimed at the Japanese.

I said nintendo's first party studios are mostly if not all Japanese. Most of their first party games come from Japan. Which is a fact.

I never said anything about target audiences or sales. I said where each companies first party studios are based. And THAT influences the type of games that are made. It doesn't necessarily influence who plays them.

Again, I never even mentioned sales or target audience. Where did you pull that from

[BrutallyBlunt]

Then you fail to grasp the intent on the actual article. It isn't about Japanese studios packing up their bags and swimming across the ocean. It's about Japanese studios who make games solely for the Japanese gamer. Which as i mentioned Nintendo has managed to do a great job at making games aimed at a global market. You're the one who changed directions talking about where the studios are located.

Taken from the article; "The curse in Japan is that a lot of media is made in Japan just for Japan - you go to the cinema and it's all Japanese movies."

So yes, we do learn to read don't we?

The real issue is cost because as game development continues to increase in cost, the demographics to sell your Japanese games targeted at Japanese gamers isn't. A system like the Playstation 3 is not tempting for studios to sink AAA content on that is solely aimed at Japanese gamers. It makes little sense. Even a game like Demon Souls had it's latest instalment (Dark Souls) come out to other platforms. So as you can see publishers are trying to reach a larger market now. Plus that game has managed to appeal to audiences around the world so there are a few exceptions to what Hideo Kojima is saying. Even his own franchise Metal Gear Solid does well outside of Japan. He's basically saying it's ok to make games to gamers in the west too as to not alienate gamers outside of Japan because quite frankly, they need to. Japan for the most part has done poorly on consoles this generation and Japan is no longer the powerhouse it used to be. The West is now getting lots of praise for their efforts this generation. It's not like it was in previous generations.

So you mention Sony being such a powerhouse when it comes to worldwide studios, name us the AAA games aimed at Japanese gamers coming from them?

[Shadow Flare]

Again I never said anything about games being AIMED at anyone! Why do you keep saying that! I merely said games are developed through the inspiration of the culture of the countries that the developer is based in!

It was really quite a simple point to grasp. You seem too dense for that.

And I happened not to comment so much on the article but more my personal views of how cultures inspire game development. It was something that perked my interest and so I thought I'd share a thought. So I didn't stick like glue to the article topic. Sue me!

And just to be clear, for the forth time, just in case you didn't understand the past 3 times...I am not, and never did talk about who the games are aimed at. I could tattoo it on my ass and send you a picture if your still a little unsure?

[Lucretia]

WHoooooooaaa im going to have to mostly disagree with Kojima

i think japanese games are focusing to much on the west so the gaming industry feels....to much the same.

i like my anime/japanese games as they were and like my western games as they are, it bring far more variety

[Honest_gamer]

japans main problem is three things (in my eyes)
1, EVERY RPG that comes from japan has a child in it FF13-hope, Infinite undescovery - the twins, lost oddesy - your grandchildren, star ocean - lymle. i read an interview where developers said its because theres so many people in japan that read mangas etc with children being abused etc that they are trying to include them in there sales, (after looking for 5 minutes i cant find the interview to prove this)
2, the games are two over the top the only over the top games i have played that i enjoyed was bayonetta and if she wasnt so good looking and having all that fan service i dont even know if i would have enjoyed that game?
3, every RPG game follows the same 2 stories
story 1: i forgot my memorys turns out im a super bad ass warrior and i have to save the world/kingdom
story 2: I dont want to fight (yet im an amazing warrior who eventually agrees to fight and you go from a no body to being able to beat a goddess on the moon :/)
If they started to expand there horizons a bit, ditch the children, and go for a different story there rpg's would be amazing again (tho saying this there rpg's have been some of my best this gen its just they werent as good as last gens, but still better than most rpgs)
EDIT
i forgot to mention a 4th thing they are doing wrong
THEY DONT RELEASE THE BEST GAMES TO THE WEST!!!!!! and when they do it has a cheap annoying english voice over just stick to the japanese and add subs >.<

[Lucretia]

I have to say even though it does do the whole Locked memories thing, Valkyrie Profile's story is amazing, and changes it quiet a bit. Her human life memories are sealed instead and she is a valkyrie.

but the entire story is amazing, dunno if you played it

[Wolfbiker]

1.) What's wrong with including Children? Children are able to pull emotional string better than most characters, the scene at the end of disc 1 of Lost Odyssey is one of my favorite scenes ever in gaming.

2.) What's wrong with over the top?

3.) Yeah and Shooters NEVER end with a nuke....

I feel Japanese games are the best at triggering emotion ( FFX, Lost Odyssey, Radiant Historia, FFVI, FFVII, Xenogears, Xenoblade, .hack, Nier, etc.) Journey was the most emotional American made game I think I have ever played.

[NYC_Gamer]

I would love to see Kojima and Inafune team up to create a game since they both share a lot of the same views

[GraveLord]

I think he is right. Japanese Developers should focus more on making more games like Call of Duty. Screw Japanese culture.

(that was sarcasm btw)

[tippytaco]

Kojima is a legend and a genius, but hes wrong about this.

Diversity= good

The west looks to the east, the east looks to the west, both do there own thing

all are fine.....

No offense to him but the second all I play are realistic action or shooter games, I am out

I need some kind of diversity

The end to anime and manga? I dont think so........

I dont even think inafune shares this particular view.

His favorite company is idea factory and they do srpgs and VN's

how japanese can that get?

Maybe he gets caught up in E3 and comicon, and he feels like he needs to make a pro west statement, I dont know

But when it comes to TGS, I want the games I can only find in japan......

I dont want E3 part 2

Looking around at E3 I saw ni no kuni, I saw paper mario, I saw REXX, I saw ff rythm

and I though to myself, we need this kind of japanese whimsy and fun

Not everything has to have a gun in it to be so

( sorry for the long post I just think his statements are that false)

[ronin4life]

TGS has more software diversity than every other Game Convention combined.

And yet, there are people who want Japanese developers to be just like everyone else? To conform to a ridiculous notion of an imaginary "standard"?

Japan is already becoming a shadow of its former self, and why? It is modeling its economy, government everything of of the west. This is no coincidence: they are being forced to conform to a standard that isn't even working anymore, or for Japan specifically isn't working for their own culture.

Global standardization is a moronic notion that the west needs to give up on. At the very least, Keep it out of myy Vidiya Gaems!!
/(O[]O)/ ' I__I,, <-----(table flip)

@tippy
Japan has been fine this gen. It is our fellow gamers who have not been so fine in regards to our fellow Developers and gamers across the pacific that are causing problems.

*takes deep breath

Ok... I'm good now...^_^;

[Yangus]

Mr Kojima.
Make MGS5.Thanks.

Japan market:JRPG's FF/DQ/Xenoblade etc and other style..Bayonetta,Okami,Zelda,M ario,i like this games.

USA/EU market:FPS.TPS.FPS.TPS.Shootin g.Arcade racer.TPS Shooting.FPS shooting.Action.
Japan developer make FPS/TPS Mr Kojima?C'mon.....once again Mr Kojima make new MGS game...4 years nothing,nothing...

I disagree with Kojima...

[indysurfn]

I wonder if he will keep making that sucking sound when he goes back to Japan? I wish I had been born where they make Foreign dog dong! I hate the way we make games, please buy my game now. He should be proud of Japanese games. Some one tell me with a straight face if there was only western games and no Japanese games we would have companies like square, GUST. Tell me would we have turn based games? Games that are not dark? LOTS of games with Classical melodramatic music? Turn based summon spells? If you think we would, then I ask you why don't we now?

[ronin4life]

The reason Games are all the same and are dark and "badass" is to achieve a self image of adulthood and gain Media acceptance and legitimacy.
Basically, the western games media and developers are trying to prove they are mature by measuring their dongs.

This is also why the Western Games media has been on an anti Japanese games kick these past 12 or so years: they believe that the colorful and sometimes "kiddy" games made in Japan(and non kiddie ones too) hurt this "image" they are trying to falsify. So, in order to affect the market, they are brainwashing people with hyperbole and slander into hating Japanese games.

It all started with a single games company: Sony, and their 30^ demographic(and teenagers wanting to play games without looking like kids and wanted a way to "prove" they were still mature and not just playing with toys.) Sony hit the ground running with this marketing blitz and utilized it to it's fullest, raising the generation of gamers who would feel the need to destroy Japanese games with a modicum of color.(although, this was not Sony's intention)

Of course, other factors come into play as well, such as the over saturation of JRPGs leading "us" to believe all Japanese games are the same. But this fallacy too was purposely driven by our Gaming media magazines and websites, people who should have known better and used their stance to properly inform people instead of inputting their own bias and agenda into their publications.

O_O;;;

Wow, 3 crazy rants in 1 thread?
I need to get away from the internet for awhile....@o@

[ShaunCameron]

<The reason Games are all the same and are dark and "badass" is to achieve a self image of adulthood and gain Media acceptance and legitimacy.
Basically, the western games media and developers are trying to prove they are mature by measuring their dongs.>

Talk about self-esteem issues.

<This is also why the Western Games media has been on an anti Japanese games kick these past 12 or so years: they believe that the colorful and sometimes "kiddy" games made in Japan(and non kiddie ones too) hurt this "image" they are trying to falsify. So, in order to affect the market, they are brainwashing people with hyperbole and slander into hating Japanese games.

<It all started with a single games company: Sony, and their 30^ demographic(and teenagers wanting to play games without looking like kids and wanted a way to "prove" they were still mature and not just playing with toys.) Sony hit the ground running with this marketing blitz and utilized it to it's fullest, raising the generation of gamers who would feel the need to destroy Japanese games with a modicum of color.(although, this was not Sony's intention)>

SONY? Isn't that a Japanese company? I actually thought it was Microsoft responsible for it. I can understand Microsoft being anti-Japanese. But Sony? Well that kind of explains why the PS3 (and the PSVita) seems to be devoid of character in its library.

[FinaLXiii]

That curse is what made me fall in love with games in first place.

[Hicken]

I like Japanese games BECAUSE they're Japanese. If I wanted a Western-styled game, I'd get one.

[USEYOURFIST]

Kojima you are wrong, the problem with japans devs is they think they can make loads of cash making there games western because of cod even when talking about ffxiii square said something about taking insperation from cal of duty wtf.....japan we westerners who brought your games in the ps2 era when they were extreemly popular brought them because we liked them how they were you wont be able to make a better western game then a wester dev so support your original fans instead of chasing the western call of duty cash coz you wont get it...rant over lol i just hate how some of japans devs seem to think this way and ive had a poor supply of jrpgs when compared to the constant stream of them on the ps2, i hate this gen

[TheDivine]

Japans problem is they think they have a problem. Just make the games you want to to the best of your ability. Dont mimick America, both countries have things that each likes and neither understands. Japan has (imo) pervy young girls, turn based combat, and other things that just arent big here in general. America has shooters, big open rpgs, and more. Japans shooters fail because they just make a shooter and dont understand what makes games like gears, halo, and half life great, they think we just like violence and explosions. Those are just broad genralizations though, games like vanquish (a great Japanese shooter) and Demons Souls (a wrpg from Japan) are the exception.

Its also wrong to say the west as no brilliant games like Mgs, Ico, and SOTC. We have Limbo, Journey, Bastion, and games like Heavy Rain, Portal, and Mass Effect. These are just as good as the games from Japan.

The big shift happened when MS entered last gen. Before that console gamers only had mainly Japanese games. The xbox introduced gamers to stuff like Kotor, Elder Scrolls, Halo (and competitive mp), Doom 3, and more. It became even more prevelant this gen because MS became the main player. All of a sudden western games were front and center (even sony struggled to catch up and chase the west with shooters like Uncharted, Resistance, Kz, Infamous, instead of platformers and jrpgs). Everyone became obsessed with online mp. Japan needs to keep making the games they always did because we dont want knock offs when we have the real deal (gears, halo exc). We want jrpgs, survival horror, platformers exc.