Japan BETTER take note of this! I don't want to hear ANYMORE "this won't sell" or "the west wants this??" or "we won't make money off physical copies" etc etc...
It's still less than 6000 people. There's still no real example of a full priced visual novel selling more than a few thousand copies in the west outside of handheld games like Danganronpa and Zero Escape. They'd be smart not to overestimate the size of the western market.
It's still less than 6000 people. There's still no real example of a full priced visual novel selling more than a few thousand copies in the west outside of handheld games like Danganronpa and Zero Escape. They'd be smart not to overestimate the size of the western market.
Yeah, there is money to be made, especially for games from franchises already known in the West. I just wouldn't use this KS or the sales of some of the really cheap games on Steam (Sakura Spirit, GoGoNippon) as indicators that there is a huge VN audience in the west. The best selling full priced VN on Steam is Grisaia at 8k, and half of those sales were from the KS.However, it does show that fans of VN have the $$. Think about the industry in Japan which is similar to this: games, LEs, anime blu rays etc. are higher priced, but they don't sell too many. Still, the amount of money they make from the higher prices, justify selling to that smaller fanbase.
Fans are willing to spend the money on niche titles, if given the option. Companies like NISA also show how successful limited physical runs can be. Many companies either just won't bring the game, or figure that DD-only is ok.
I think Clannad's sales will be an interesting test to see how big of an audience there is beyond their Kickstarter. Type Moon could make a ton of money, but who knows if their disinterest will change.Yeah, a few thousand people paying an average of ~$150 to pre-order a VN (primarily because they get a shitload of merch along with it) doesn't mean that any VN localization can be profitable. The number of people who buy the game after it actually releases will be a much more relevant indicator of viability than the KS numbers.
That said, I would be shocked if Type-Moon didn't do a KS for a Fate/Stay Night localization in the next year or so. If Muv-Luv, a series that nobody really cares about outside of the people who already played the fan translation, can do this well, then Fate, a franchise with a sizable western fanbase that hasn't played the original, can blow its numbers out of the water, especially if they throw as much swag at it as ML is.
I believe the number to beat would be around $1.2 million.Not throwing shade, but they might get, at the end of the campaign, close to the same amount as all Sekai Project's Kickstarters combined.
I believe the number to beat would be around $1.2 million.
It's still less than 6000 people. There's still no real example of a full priced visual novel selling more than a few thousand copies in the west outside of handheld adventure games like Danganronpa and Zero Escape. They'd be smart not to overestimate the size of the western market.
If I pledged $150, do I need to up it by $30 to get the digital side stories/extra stories? Or are they included? And if they are not included, are they included in the $300 tier?
Do they usually sell more than a few thousand full-priced copies in Japan?
Yeah, there is money to be made, especially for games from franchises already known in the West. I just wouldn't use this KS or the sales of some of the really cheap games on Steam (Sakura Spirit, GoGoNippon) as indicators that there is a huge VN audience in the west. The best selling full priced VN on Steam is Grisaia at 8k, and half of those sales were from the KS.
Most don't. And that's another reason why you're seeing more VNs come West, the Japanese market continues to shrink.
Steins;Gate pls.
Your standard generic games, or ones by big popular companies like Âge or Key or Alicesoft?Do they usually sell more than a few thousand full-priced copies in Japan?
Your standard generic games, or ones by big popular companies like Âge or Key or Alicesoft?
The former, yes a few thousand. The latter can sell in the ten thousands on hype and brand name.
Can't be back if one never left!Icecream is back!?!?
Original quote was regarding PC, but in regards to the console space ADVs can fare much better (hence the ports). Whether that is selection bias (only the more popular/pretty/hyped games are usually ported), or the demographic market is larger on consoles versus PC is up for debate.I wonder how Muv-Luv is going to sell on the Vita in Japan.
They're included in the $150 tier.
That said, I would be shocked if Type-Moon didn't do a KS for a Fate/Stay Night localization in the next year or so. If Muv-Luv, a series that nobody really cares about outside of the people who already played the fan translation, can do this well, then Fate, a franchise with a sizable western fanbase that hasn't played the original, can blow its numbers out of the water, especially if they throw as much swag at it as ML is.
Still contemplating whether to back at the 80 or 150$ tier...
From Muv-Luv Team's facebook, apparently likelyhood of physical Vita release outside of this KB project is probably almost non-existent so if someone wants a physical version, they better get it during this stage.
This infos may interest any physical copy lover (from the comment section of KS)
That was my GOTY this year. I wonder if Muv-Luv will be my GOTY next year.
Guess I made the right call pledging now. I'll spread that around.
Just prep yourself for "slow start"
Gonna be suck if people lose interest after playing extra at Spring but Alternative released at Summer
This infos may interest any physical copy lover (from the comment section of KS)
This infos may interest any physical copy lover (from the comment section of KS)
Are they gonna take pledges after the campaign is over? I want the $150 tier but no money right now.
You'll need to pledge at least $1 now to be able to get the $150 tier after it's over.
Still contemplating whether to back at the 80 or 150$ tier...
I know that I would spend a lot of money on a FSN KS depending on the backer rewards.
Trying to pull in who was gonna wait for a retail copy?This infos may interest any physical copy lover (from the comment section of KS)
Hi,
Hmm... Let's just say the situation doesn't favor us during the first year after PC release/ too risky to attempt retail Vita because of it. When the period is done, that's the time we'll look into it; see if VNs are still in-demand for the PS Vita by then, then we can try. It's just way too far ahead in the future to promise, lots of factor to consider.
Cheers,
The Muv-Luv Team
It's absolutely understandable they wouldn't commit to something so far away but they're already making up excuses, which is not a good sign.It's completely understandable, IMO. They can't commit to a physical Vita run for a year or over from now.
It's absolutely understandable they wouldn't commit to something so far away but they're already making up excuses, which is not a good sign.
It won't be risky and there will be interest for VNs on Vita next year, that's really not up to debate.