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[sonycowboy]

There's a lot in this little news bit. The funniest being how they can shorten development time. Japan works on the game while the US sleeps and vice-versa :lol

Also:

1) Developing targeted Japanese audience games by developing locally.
2) Platform support (all but next gen stated as during current fiscal year, which ends March 31, 2006)

a) 25+ titles for next gen consoles
b) 26 titles PSP & DS (presumably for both?)
c) 20-30 titles for the PS2
d) 10 titles for XBox & GC (presumably each? - sounds like sports games + a few others + that's it)

Are they really going to abandon the Xbox & GCN so quickly? And this is from the largest 3rd party developer?

http://www.gamespot.com/news/2005/07/13/news_6128960.html

EA’s David Gardner outlines corporate plans to expand in Japanese game market by developing locally.

According to the latest issue of Famitsu magazine, Electronic Arts is planning to increase its market share in Japan by developing titles targeting the country's gamers. The magazine features an interview with EA's David Hardner, Senior Vice President, International Publishing. Gardner currently oversees EA's European and Asian publishing operations, which account for more than half of the company's $3.1 billion annual revenue.

In the interview, Gardner revealed that his company will take two major strategies in order to expand its market share in the Japanese gaming industry. The first step will be to narrow down on the number of titles that the company imports to Japan, selecting games most suited towards the taste of local consumers.

However, American games are still generally cult products in Japan, aside from a few titles such as the Grand Theft Auto series. Gardner said that it will be easier to win over the Japanese customer's interest by developing games locally, rather than to try and convince them that American games are good. So as its second step, EA is also expanding its studio in Japan.

Gardner revealed that EA has been doubling its investment into its Japanese studio since last year, and that an original new title for a next-generation platform is already under development. Gardner didn't disclose a platform for the game yet, although he added that the game should be officially announced in the near future. EA could announce its Japan-produced game at Microsoft's Xbox Summit coming up on July 25, or Sony's PlayStation meeting on July 21.

Although Gardner admitted that the tastes of the Japanese game consumers are different from American ones, he also said that their preferences should be changing in the future. He explained that the Japanese consumers currently prefer anime-style graphics, but the next-generation consoles will bring about the demands for more realistic images. Gardner believes that the Japanese users will begin to look at American-made games differently when realistic graphics become more standard.

Gardner added that EA acquired Criterion Studios (the developer of the Renderware game development suite) last year to help prepare for next-generation console development. Gardner explained that Criterion‘s Renderware effectively allows for EA’s developers in different countries to work together on a single project. When the developers in one country are sleeping, the developers in another country will work on the game, which effectively shortens the period required for its creation. Gardner raised FIFA 2005 as one such example, saying that 20 percent of the game was created by developers living in Japan, 40 percent by developers in Canada, and 40 percent by developers in Europe.

At the current time, Electronic Arts plans to release over 25 titles for the next-generation consoles, using a multi-platform release strategy that will be based on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. In terms of game releases for the existing machines during the current business year, Gardner said that EA plans to release approximately 26 titles for the PSP and DS, 20 to 30 titles for the PlayStation 2, and about 10 titles for the Xbox and GameCube.

By Staff -- GameSpot
POSTED: 07/13/05 11:32 AM PST

 

[Ranger X]

"Are they really going to abandon the Xbox & GCN so quickly? And this is from the largest 3rd party developer? "

It's a given to me. People will be surprised how fast GC and Xbox will disappear from this world. GC is almost dried up already and the Xbox will disappear under the 360.

 

[Mrbob]

The first step of EA lowering GCN support has already happened. There is no Gamecube copy of NCAA 06.

 

[donny2112]

Although Gardner admitted that the tastes of the Japanese game consumers are different from American ones, he also said that their preferences should be changing in the future. He explained that the Japanese consumers currently prefer anime-style graphics, but the next-generation consoles will bring about the demands for more realistic images. Gardner believes that the Japanese users will begin to look at American-made games differently when realistic graphics become more standard.

Isn't that putting the cart before the horse?

[paraphrase]
Realistic games will become standard next-generation, therefore Japanese consumers will change their tastes to like them more.
[/paraphrase]

He may just be saying that as more (quantity) realistic games are released in Japan, the consumer will see more of them and accept them more. However, the consumer could very well see more of them, and still not buy them.

As for expanding their development presence in Japan ...

Wasn't that Microsoft's tactic as well for garnering more Japanese sales? I guess we'll see how that pans out next generation.

Thanks for the article, sonycowboy!

 

[sonycowboy]

"Are they really going to abandon the Xbox & GCN so quickly? And this is from the largest 3rd party developer? "

It's a given to me. People will be surprised how fast GC and Xbox will disappear from this world. GC is almost dried up already and the Xbox will disappear under the 360.

Microsoft claims that the original Xbox hardware will be shipped for "years" more and Wedbush has projected another 5-6M more units over that time period. And the GCN will still be selling for another 2 years or so.

I just don't see how they can drop support so soon for both of these systems. It just seems way too early.

 

[NotMSRP]

Even when realism arrives, there is still a difference in artstyles and the gamers in Asia will still prefer the artstyle approach done in Asian markets than in Western markets. Game design philosophy is also approach differently in the two markets so the Japanese and other Asian gamers will still not be interested in EA games besides the cult followers. Too bad for you EA.