It's pretty obvious to anyone that a lot of Japanese console games make it over to the U.S., but how come whenever I walk into my local gamestop and look on the wall, I don't see any Japanese PC games? What's the deal with that? There aren't any Japanese PC games or is it that they're really difficult to port or something?
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How is PC gaming in Japan?
- Thread starter Vieo
- Start date
DaCocoBrova
Finally bought a new PSP, but then pushed the demon onto someone else. Jesus.
Sonic Heroes is slated for PC.
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Original Japanese PC games (that aren't console ports or visual novels) that have been brought here usually haven't been very good and haven't done well. There aren't very many Japanese companies around now that carry out original PC development of this kind, and the market for it isn't very big over there. The doujin-soft (amateur/homebrew) scene is pretty healthy, though, and there are a lot of great games to be found. Most are console-style action games and there are a lot of new and original ideas being thrown around in that area.
For an example of something good that was brought over, anybody remember Metal Marines?
For an example of something good that was brought over, anybody remember Metal Marines?
Culex said:
So remember this if you go to Japan, because for most shops I went into, "PC Geemu" generally meant NASTY SUPER HENTAI GAME.
There is other stuff though, including incredibly overpriced compilations of classic games like Valis, conversions of console games like Guilty Gear XX #Reload, etc.
FortNinety
Member
I always heard that this is due to PC's being more expesnsive than over here. Same with going online. Is this still true?
fennec fox
ferrets ferrets ferrets ferrets FERRETS!!!
That was the case until about two or so years ago; then the market exploded, and now you can get very fast broadband anywhere in Japan for cheaper than the US. This has set off a new market for local online games, although it still isn't quite as big as it is in the rest of eastern Asia.
As for the PC market, you could attribute it to cultural differences. For most people in Japan, their introduction to home gaming was via the Famicom. Over here, more likely than not, it was through one type of computer or another. Even so, there has been a real, non-porno PC gaming scene since the early 80s, and there's one monthly magazine in Japan (Login) devoted to covering all the non-porno stuff.
As for the PC market, you could attribute it to cultural differences. For most people in Japan, their introduction to home gaming was via the Famicom. Over here, more likely than not, it was through one type of computer or another. Even so, there has been a real, non-porno PC gaming scene since the early 80s, and there's one monthly magazine in Japan (Login) devoted to covering all the non-porno stuff.
Culex said:
I've heard this too. Lots of dating sim games, etc.
Though Ys VI came out for PC, and Atelier something or other, looked kinda cool.
I've read that it is because PC gaming and also kind of a geeky type of thing, like being an otaku, its seen as being really hardcore into computers. Plus I don't think they are too fond of FPS games.
Raganarok Online, korean developed, is the only other successful PC game in Japan I can think of, it seems quite popular, and even has its own anime series, and lots of merchandise and comics, so maybe the times are changing.
Uncle Dukey
Member
On the bright side, they do have a nice little doujin-soft scene. Team Shanghai Alice has made a number of fun shooting games. Imperishable Night is their latest one. Watanabe Seisakujou / French Bread have also made a number of great fighting games featuring characters from a number of different renai games. Their latest one, "Melty Blood" (also has an expansion called Re-Act), is a professional quality work in my opinion.
A free one you can try out is the QIX clone Gals PaniX by D5. There was actually a post about this one on the gaming-age forums recently due to the number of shooter references it has and its entertaining gameplay. The game does have a bit of mildly questionable content though --;...
A free one you can try out is the QIX clone Gals PaniX by D5. There was actually a post about this one on the gaming-age forums recently due to the number of shooter references it has and its entertaining gameplay. The game does have a bit of mildly questionable content though --;...
PC gaming does not really exist here in Japan. Yes, there are people who do it, but most fo them buy the North American versions of games because they are quality.
Most of the PC game development does seem to go into "click through the stupid ass story to make a multiple-choice decision that will afect what kind of bad 2D-still of anime pr0n you get to look at" type of entertainment. They are not games. Every now and then some guys will get up enough brainpower to make a 3D game.... like Biko, where you get to stalk and rape a chick.
Most anyone who is into game development here in Japan goes into game development for the home consoles, GBA or the cellphone.
Most of the PC game development does seem to go into "click through the stupid ass story to make a multiple-choice decision that will afect what kind of bad 2D-still of anime pr0n you get to look at" type of entertainment. They are not games. Every now and then some guys will get up enough brainpower to make a 3D game.... like Biko, where you get to stalk and rape a chick.
Most anyone who is into game development here in Japan goes into game development for the home consoles, GBA or the cellphone.
I still remember the first time I walked unawares into a PC game shop in the bookstore district in Tokyo. I reckon it was a Might & Magic poster that lured me in, although the windows were darkened...
There was a corner with a few simulators, a few western RPGs... and all other stuff was hentai.
But I reckon with even Square getting more and more into pc dev things are changing.
There was a corner with a few simulators, a few western RPGs... and all other stuff was hentai.
But I reckon with even Square getting more and more into pc dev things are changing.
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Illusion SUCKS.Culex said:
I remember I posted a thread just like this a while back, I always figured there was two sides of gaming just there is here in america, kinda messed up to find out it's all mostly smut. (Even though I'm ok with the smut. ) FPS games I can understand, but japanese style pc rpgs could be a huge market, and since people will already sit down and play porn adventures, the standard adventure genre seems like it could be popular over there too. I don't know why some company doesn't at least try to tap into the market.
) FPS games I can understand, but japanese style pc rpgs could be a huge market, and since people will already sit down and play porn adventures, the standard adventure genre seems like it could be popular over there too. I don't know why some company doesn't at least try to tap into the market.Ferrarisimo
Member
Aside from the Hentai stuff, simulators are fairly popular in Japan. They have a lot of JR expansion packs to MS Train Sim, and strangest of all, expansion packs of MS Combat Flight Sim that let you alter the events of WWII battles to Japan's favor--change the Battle of Midway, relive the British ambush at Singapore, etc.
Warcraft III had a decent presence at game stores last time I went, and I know that we ship some of our PC games like Sims and Generals over there.
Warcraft III had a decent presence at game stores last time I went, and I know that we ship some of our PC games like Sims and Generals over there.