Japan Only: The Latest Chapter In Square Enix’s Saga of Betrayal

Square Enix’s latest disappointing announcement about Dragon Quest VIII on the 3DS's exclusivity has us thinking.

[Rookie_Monster]

What do you expect, the DS is the best selling systems in Japan and it is a RPG and those two go together like bread and butter. Porting it to consoles is a waste of time.

[thorstein]

The exclusivity is Japan only.

[3-4-5]

I love Dragon Quest, but I've never played DQ7 or DQ8.

I would love to play them.

Two of my most wanted games right now, I hope I get to see one of them over here.

* SE just doesn't see the pot of gold that is Dragon Quest sitting at their feet.....just starring them in the face.

[robothouserock]

If you have a decent computer, Dragon Quest VIII is one of the most upscalable games from the PS2 for emulation. It looks beautiful in 1080p.

[Kurisu]

Would have been all over this if it was a remaster for PS4, PS Vita or hell, even PS3. I played the demo on PS2 but for some reason I never got around to buying the actual game. I could buy the mobile version but...

...no. How could I even think that?!

[gangsta_red]

As i said before, these Japanese companies are going to focus on mobile and handhelds for most of their smaller titles. That is where the money is, especially in Japan.

[gprime]

Please read the article before posting. This has nothing to do with which system the game is on. It's about localization.

[gangsta_red]

I read it. My point still stands and it's in relation to the recent articles of other Japanese game developers focusing on mobile and handheld devices.

Square and other Japanese companies are releasing more games on mobile and handheld devices instead of their console counterparts.

[Hexonimar]

While we both had different ways of getting around to it, it looks like we've both reached the same conclusion. It's a matter of Square Enix no longer making these games a priority and the mobile space is DEFINITELY a factor in that. Gotta follow the money, it's the responsible thing to do as a business. It's just a shame that things like this have to suffer because of it.

[Ravenheartzero]

One game I really would like to see HD version of on ps4 :(

[Hexonimar]

That would be an absolute dream!

[ZaWarudo]

I would rather have DQXI tbh.

[Xof]

After the single-player MMO that was IX, and the actual-MMO that was X, I really don't have any faith that SE is even capable of developing a decent DQ game.

So, yeah: I would much rather have anything else.

Except one of those godawful mobile ports.

[KryptoniteTail]

Guess Vita isn't happening if 3DS ain't.

[Hexonimar]

In a perfect world...

[gamejediben]

If you love DQ8 (and 9), you should credit Level 5 NOT Square-Enix. So many people make that mistake.

SE has tried to kill off their franchises and commit professional seppuku for decades now. Leaving epic masterpieces in Japan like

Bahamut Lagoon
Front Mission 2 & 5 (lots of other FM games too)
Secret of Mana 2
Terranigma

to never touch the hands of RPG fans in the west. Thank the RPG deities for LEVEL 5 and their awesome commitment to localization. Otherwise, we'd never have seen Ni no Kuni, Rogue Galaxy, Dark Cloud 1 & 2, Jeanne D'Arc, the Professor Layton games and many others.

It's no coincidence that the 2 most popular games in the Dragon Quest series are made by Level 5. I keep hoping that Level 5 buys SE and starts making GOOD Final Fantasy games again but that's probably not going to happen... not when SE can keep pumping out cheap crappy FF mobile games and make crowds go "woah" with FFXV vaporware videos. Oh and lets not forget SE's favorite crowdpleaser, the eternally delayed Kingdom Hearts III.

[elninels]

I agree on almost all points except that I don't believe ffxv can be considered vaporware anymore. Yes, level 5 is awesome, like mindblowingly awesome.

[gamejediben]

Yeah that's what all the Silent Hill fans said about PT...

Next thing you know, SE announces that "we need some more development time."

We've been through this song and dance before...

[elninels]

That doesn't make sense, PT isn't vaporware, it's some new form of stolenware. Silent hills doesn't qualify as vaporware either, it was cancelled within a year of announcement. Probably close to within six months.

You seem to think that there is some sort of conspiracy going on. But what would square gain by spending money on a game, for a decade, and not putting it to market. They specifically stated an certain install base they wanted before the game comes out anyway.

Konami on the other hand is going through a clear restructuring. Also losing the cult of personality director of silent hills would kill a game that was hardly in development.

There is no causation for your inadequate correlation.

[gamejediben]

Us gamers have seen this sort of thing happen time and time again. Do you remember:

Star Fox 2?
Starcraft Ghost?
Earthbound 64?
Fire Emblem 64?
Super Mario 128?
Sonic X-Treme?
LMNO?
Star Wars 1313?
Command & Conquer Tiberium?
Command & Conquer Generals 2?
B.C.?
Batman Gotham by Gaslight?
Prey 2?
8 Days?
Mega Man Legends III?
and not to mention the more recent "InSane", also from Guillermo del Toro?

Vaporware oftentimes looks and even feels real. There are playable versions of lots of those games floating around the interwebs.

Just because you can play it doesn't stop it from being vaporware, sadly...

[CanadianTurtle]

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