Q&A: Mega Man Creator Wants Japan to Admit Failure

Wired:

Depending on your perspective, Keiji Inafune is either a singular voice of sanity in the Japanese game industry, or a traitor.

“Man, Japan is over. We’re done. Our game industry is finished,” said Inafune, then a game producer at Capcom, at the Tokyo Game Show in 2009. Shortly after those remarks, the creator of the character Mega Man and producer of hit games like Dead Rising and Lost Planet quit Capcom to start his own game development studios. Free of corporate control, he has continued to raise eyebrows with his cataclysmic comments about Japan.

[NYC_Gamer]

I really believe this dude was being held back by Capcom

[Snookies12]

Damn straight he was! Capcom is just digging deeper and deeper into their own grave of greed. They're actually becoming something of a despicable company. Of course it's a company's main goal to make money, to grow and prosper, but Capcom takes it way too far. They're the very definition of soulless.

Anyway, I definitely know he was being held back there. It's a GOOD thing he left, though it's a real shame Capcom owns Mega Man...

[LX-General-Kaos]

I think this guy talks a tad bit too much trash about capcom, and Japan as a whole. As Long as Nintendo is around Japan will never see complete failure in videogame culture. I can see him being upset with Capcom because they make some interesting decisions, but not even all of their games are bad. They still rule the fighting game arena. The upcoming Resident Evil 6 looks amazing so far as well.

My problem with a lot of Japanese developers is that they try to cater to the west, but usually go about it all wrong. Capcom at times is guilty of that as well. But Nintendo, and a handfull of some of the jrpgs like Xenoblade Chronicles, and The Last Story show me there is still hope.

Sega as well for putting out many fun games on a consistent basis. They don't always listen to what the fans really want, but they put up great effort and results. I'm starting to think he is just becoming a bitter old man with a chip on his shoulder. The Nintendo 3DS entertainment system is the highest selling game platform in the world right now. Strait from Japan.

Between this man, and Lord Kojima. I have never seen so much trash talk about Japan. Yes they are right about a some of the things they mention. But I don't think its as bad as they make it seem. They never bring up the success storys that still come from the land of the rising sun. They just sit under a dark cloud and focus on the negative. If they had the work ethic of a company like Nintendo or the better parts of sega, they could see a turn around, and great success as well.

Rated E For Everyone

[Baka-akaB]

"Depending on your perspective, Keiji Inafune is either a singular voice of sanity in the Japanese game industry, or a traitor. "

More like someone that isnt the single voice of japan to begin with , and hasnt shown anything relevant yet , of late .

And before someone take offense , i'm talking about RIGHT NOW . He has one notable game in the pipeline , that has yet to :

1. Actually being released
2. Proves successful in japan
3. Proves to be successful overseas
4. Show us anything different than his fellow japanese niche or big devs .

I'm sure he is passionnate and feels annoyed by the current state of japan's gaming . However the constant multiple interview where he recites the same mantras over and over , and the even more multiple quotes out of context from the same interviews , are starting to feel like PR and self promotion .

Release your games , show us something different that isnt from your glorious past , and then let's talk again

[gumgum99]

Its really sad to hear some of Japan's own developers talk so much negativity about a great sector of the gaming industry. Sure a good deal of the positives have happened in the past, but that does not mean there are not some great things that have come, and are coming in these twilight years of this generation.

They deserve a lot more credit than they deserve. As an american, I believe they know more about what inherently makes a game fun, then even some of us would ever know. Not every company, but some of the older ones like Nintendo sure do.

Actions speak louder than words Inafune-san. I hope you remember that.

[Lucretia]

thats funny, whether its true or not he is part of the failures, Megaman hasnt been around forever, Lost planet is garbage as is dead rising. so im not sure why he is speaking

[Baka-akaB]

he is shifting a part of the blame that still incomb to him , to the publisher .

Publishers makes big mistakes and bad decisions all the time , doesnt mean you shouldnt be able to at least have the basic gameplay features and the core of the game interesting and good .

The failure was at every level in such cases

[Lucretia]

well not saying he isnt entitled to his opinion, but nothing he has made has been very good imo. Dead risings gameplay is just plain bad, its an ok premise but its too simplistic and easy. lost planet 1 wasnt bad, but feels like the idea never reached fruition.

I guess he needs another company.

oh wells

[Baka-akaB]

we'll not have many fans , but oh well , i'm with you on this one . Both felt like games that were only interesting in the early life and cycle of the consoles .

He speaks too much imo when he's been knee deep involved with some of the truly bad decisions of the era and doesnt propose much solutions so far .

Guys like Fargo or Tim Schafer complains a lot usually about the industry , most times for the right reasons ..

But they didnt stand around accepting it and just saying "we are doooooomed" , they tried to change things , and are starting a mini revolution via kickstarter .

So yeah i've no reasons to respect current Inafune , and by that i mean the inafune circa 2005-2012

[Darkieinthemist]

This is what I have to say.......

Just shut up and be a game dev..........

I am happy most media outlets didnt pick this up. Its really just sad at this point.

Saying how you feel if fine, but this is like his 10th time with this shtic, and thats really all it is

Inafune is a bias, hypocritical, jerk. Thats really what it comes down to

Lets break it down.......

His favorite company is idea factory......please correct me but they do REALLY NICHE THINGS and they never ask the west for help. ANd they paid him right?

Next, your making a 3ds japanese rpg, and you arent asking anyone for help are you? By the way when is that coming out next gen? And your working with nintendo, so you also dont say anything bad..........

Lastly the guy said he still loves japanese games but you ignored him and rationalized it away..........

Really this interview out of them all really puts him in the scumiest light........

Sure, inazuma never happened, layton never happened, radiant historia never happened, etrian oddessy never happened, mario galaxy never happened, kid icarus never happened, 10 tales games never happened, ect

hes no better than phil fish who generalizes the entire nation........there is a reason why you are 1 dev in japan out of over a million........and nobody else really agrees with you, as strongly as you do about hating japan