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[DoubleClutch]

It’s mind blowing how much Japan contributes to gaming. No other country remotely comes close. From hardware to software, they just seem to produce gold.

From Software, Atlus, SquareEnix, Nintendo, Sony, Capcom, Sega, Bandai Namco, Platinum, Arc System… and the list doesn’t end.

If you removed everything non-Japan, gaming would still thrive, but if you removed Japan from gaming, it would be on life support.

 

[MagiusNecros]

Many Indie devs are not from Japan so I doubt it.

 

[NotMyProblemAnymoreCunt]

 

[diffusionx]

If you mean sales/popularity, of course not. The most popular games are still Western garbage. If you mean in terms of quality game experiences, then, maybe.

 

[Cert.in.Death]

At this moment in time? More true than not.
During the PS3/360 era (and into the PS4/WiiU/XboxOne days) it was almost exactly the opposite. Japan couldn't do anything right back then.

 

[DoubleClutch]

If you mean sales/popularity, of course not. The most popular games are still Western garbage. If you mean in terms of quality game experiences, then, maybe.

Yes, I should clarify, I don’t measure it in terms of $$$. Because by that metric FarmVille and Candy Crush Saga are one of the best games of all time.

 

[SegaSnatcher]

Are you just talking about the games and not hardware?

If its just the games, then no gaming wouldn't die, we would just have less choice.

The top most popular games these days are Western games.

 

[Punished Miku]

I like Japanese games but the endless exaggeration and fawning is so over the top. Its not just the OP, but the majority sentiment on here. Of all the games currently installed on my hard drive, only 4 are Japanese. The other 79 are from US, Europe, Korea, China.

 

[DoubleClutch]

Are you just talking about the games and not hardware?

If its just the games, then no gaming wouldn't die, we would just have less choice.

The top most popular games these days are Western games.

I’m taking everything, gaming as a whole. Love them or hate them, PlayStations and Nintendos have been monumental to gaming as a topic.

 

[RetroGamingUK]

Apart from the PS360 era Japan has always been the best region for game production for every generation.

Without Japan there’d be no NES to kick start the American industry after the crash and no PlayStation to make gaming cool and mainstream for adults.

Without them it’d just be Atari, Microsoft and PC, not a timeline I’d like to exist in.

 

[Imru’ al-Qays]

I wouldn't be gaming if it weren't for Japan, that's for sure.

 

[snapdragon]

PC gaming would exist but the overall industry would be significantly smaller

 

[Reizo Ryuu]

no, not even close.

 

[Fabieter]

I think europe also did great with two of the best rpgs of all time. Bg 3 and kdc 2.

 

[Mr Moose]

I play a lot of Star Rail, Genshin and CoD.
The Japanese game I am currently playing is Monster Hunter Wilds (and Astro Bot sometimes).

 

[N0S]

I think europe also did great with two of the best rpgs of all time. Bg 3 and kdc 2.

 

[T4keD0wN]

It wouldnt be dead, but the snowball effect had Japan never got involved with gaming in the first place would be massive. The level of contribution since the start from them is huge.

 

[Griffon]

Gaming would've been dead without Japan long ago. They've been carrying that industry several times over.

 

[Fabieter]

Forgive me sir witcher and cp77 ofc as well. Insane rpg value in Europe.

 

[TintoConCasera]

Barely an RPG. Henry's game is miles better.

 

[RetroGamingUK]

Gaming would've been dead without Japan long ago. They've been carrying that industry several times over.

It’s still be a thing, but the quality standards would be way lower.

Imagine fighting games without Japan

 

[vaibhavpisal]

They were dead for me in PS3-PS4 era. Only now have they made a comeback.

And a lot of modern Japanese games have picked up qualities from games around the world. That has led to improvements.

 

[N0S]

Forgive me sir witcher and cp77 ofc as well. Insane rpg value in Europe.

I dont care much for Cyberpunk tho

 

[GrandlyBodacious]

Gaming as we know it across the world owes absolutely everything to this guy:

 

[KimDongHwan]

I have this same thought every once in a while, how such small piece of land has completely defined my entire life, long live Japan

 

[lughnasadh123]

Maybe for those weebs who only have a diet of Japanese games. Rest of us would be fine.

 

[RoboFu]

It would be vastly different. Idk about dead.

A lot of people don't realize how much Japanese computer scene of the 80s has heavily influenced gaming. A lot of popular devs got their start on systems like the pc88 and Msx. It was basically like a niche scene.

 

[alphachino]

Yes.

Cue this retard rolling in his grave:

 

[ShadyAcshuns]

as a

 

[clarky]

What? No.

 

[Hookshot]

The UK scene would have continued on so I'd have still been playing stuff but obviously it wouldn't be like it is today without Japan.

 

[LazyParrot]

Console gaming, maybe. Just look at China or Korea. Gaming is absolutely massive over there, but very little of it happens on consoles.

 

[N0S]

The UK scene would have continued on so I'd have still been playing stuff but obviously it wouldn't be like it is today without Japan.

 

[Killjoy-NL]

All Sony's top-studios are Western.

 

[RetroGamingUK]

Gaming as we know it across the world owes absolutely everything to this guy:

Not a single franchise in the world comes close to Mario in terms of influence and importance.

The mascot for gaming as a whole.

 

[RetroGamingUK]

All Sony's top-studios are Western.

And they’re all going to shit.

Their jewel in the crown was Naughty Dog

Now it’s Asobi

 

[Killjoy-NL]

And they’re all going to shit.

Which ones? Their main studios still release system-sellers that sell millions of copies.

Unless you refer to Firewalk?

 

[Fabieter]

I dont care much for Cyberpunk tho

It was a good experience, but I preferred the other rgps mentioned.

 

[acm2000]

havent played anything from those devs in a long time so no.

 

[SegaSnatcher]

I’m taking everything, gaming as a whole. Love them or hate them, PlayStations and Nintendos have been monumental to gaming as a topic.

If hardware is included then it would be pretty dire, but I guess more people would just move to PC or Steam Deck for their gaming needs.

 

[winjer]

Not dead, but it would be a lot worse.

 

[RetroGamingUK]

Which ones? Their main studios still release system-sellers that sell millions of copies.

Unless you refer to Firewalk?

They’re not at the level they were during the late PS3 and PS4 days though.

The forum mostly agrees and now even I’ve given up defending them.

Japanese AAA is carrying PlayStation for me now, AstroBot, GT7 and Ragnarok are the only Sony games I’ve bought this gen.

My wife had to finish Ragnarok for me I got so bored.

 

[Danjin44]

For me it would, since 90% of the games I play are Japanese and mostly lost interest in majority of western games.

I continue love gaming entirely thanks to Japanese games.

 

[K' Dash]

The NES single-handedly saved the industry back in the 80s.

So yeah, without Nintendo the people who fund the games wouldn’t put any money to develop a failed product, Nintendo 1983 is a canon event.

 

[Azelover]

It would be very different if Nintendo had not brought the industry back in the 80's

 

[Killjoy-NL]

They’re not at the level they were during the late PS3 and PS4 days though.

How so?

Because the last wave sold a bit less? Those released during the pandemic and were cross-gen while PS5 suffered from major shortages.

The forum mostly agrees and now even I’ve given up defending them.

Yeah, the same forum that acted like Astro Bot sold 10M copies at launch, because "reviews".
Gaf is in no way to be taken seriously.

Japanese AAA is carrying PlayStation for me now, AstroBot, GT7 and Ragnarok are the only Sony games I’ve bought this gen.

My wife had to finish Ragnarok for me I got so bored.

Okay, but that's highly subjective.

 

[Guardian Monkey]

Lol, no. Other players would come into the game.

 

[RetroGamingUK]

How so?

Because the last wave sold a bit less? Those released during the pandemic and were cross-gen while PS5 suffered from major shortages.

For me the innovation has faded with Sony’s AAA games.

This gen they’ve just been more of the same with more pixels and worse stories.

You know me, look at any Sony vs Microsoft thread, so I don’t say it lightly when I say Sony’s output has declined.

 

[Wildebeest]

Japan has their niches and if you removed them it would leave a hole, but they are very far from being so important that they do everything and gaming would be less "dead" without everyone but Japan.

 

[MagnesD3]

Yes, it would be very mediocre.