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[Gotdatmoney]

I feel FF7 remake will be even bigger than XV.

Fans have been asking for a remake for ages. So much that it was going like a running joke (along with half life 3). Honestly it still feels surreal that it's happening.

The fact it's episodic is why I dont think its gonna be huge. The brand has lost a lot of strength and a remake of the biggest game that is only goig to be 1/3rd of the whole game strikes me as a weird way to go about it.

Personally as soon as they said it was episodicI lost interest. Just wait til the whole thing comes out.

 

[LordKano]

While I understand the sentiment, Level-5 has the following Yo-Kai Watch mobile games:
- Yo-Kai Watch 1: Enhanced Edition
- Yo-Kai Watch Match-3 Monster Catching
- Yo-Kai Watch Dancing
- Yo-Kai Watch Dancing: But This Time It's A Game
- Yo-Kai Watch Bibliography Companion App
- Yo-Kai Watch Quiz RPG
- Yo-Kai Watch: Here are our arcade games, but now on phones because arcades don't exist in the West

I don't think it's actually out of the realm of possibility they're launching two types of Inazuma Eleven mobile titles.

The thing is, it's a companion app for the main game. As in, it's not "two types of mobile titles", it's one mobile game supposed to be taken alongside a main game. I have a hard time seeing how it would be possible with anything else than a console game.

Plus, it's not a 3DS game judging by the graphics of the first screen. Everything seems to point to it being the first Level-5 Switch game.

 

[Mpl90]

They have also talked about changing the gameplay which might have a negative affect. Especially if they make it an action RPG.



My favourite one was when Harada was asked about Tekken 7 and gave a complete non-answer.

Just a reminder of the answer and overall question's context

http://www.gamespot.com/articles/tekken-7-producer-on-pc-and-console-ports-esports-/1100-6445485/

GS: Have you considered incorporating PlayStation 4 Pro or Xbox Scorpio support for the game?

KH: Those platforms are relatively new as far as what we know about them and what's been released publicly about them. It's hard to comment on that right now.

GS: So, no Nintendo Switch version to reveal?

KH: We're quite surprised by the Nintendo Switch announcement; read into that what you like.

...Which brings to the table how the game

- Was absent from PSX as a playable demo
- Did not get any trailer at TGA/PSX (at the latter despite Ace Combat 7 and Ninokuni II being shown on stage, and despite the former VR-mode announcement for Tekken)
- It's still slated for Early 2017

 

[Nirolak]

The thing is, it's a companion app for the main game. As in, it's not "two types of mobile titles", it's one mobile game supposed to be taken alongside a main game. I have a hard time seeing how it would be possible with anything else than a console game.

Plus, it's not a 3DS game judging by the graphics of the first screen. Everything seems to point to it being the first Level-5 Switch game.

I think it's almost assuredly a Switch game. My question is if it's also a mobile game.

Monster Stadium is actually an example of a mobile game (Monster Strike) with a companion game: http://japancodesupply.com/blogs/ga...itunes-store-this-weekend#.VUB30w8xb18.reddit

It's a PvP version of Monster Strike, and imports monsters from your Monster Strike game into a separate app. I don't think Monster Stadium even has in-app purchases of its own judging by App Annie.

 

[LordKano]

I think it's almost assuredly a Switch game. My question is if it's also a mobile game.

Monster Stadium is actually an example of a mobile game (Monster Strike) with a companion game: http://japancodesupply.com/blogs/ga...itunes-store-this-weekend#.VUB30w8xb18.reddit

It's a PvP version of Monster Strike, and imports monsters from your Monster Strike game into a separate app. I don't think Monster Stadium even has in-app purchases of its own judging by App Annie.

I'm not sure if it's the wisest choice for reviving a dead IP to launch one console SKU + two mobile ones based on the same game. It feels way too much for something like Inazuma Eleven. If we were talking about The Snack World, which Level-5 made a huge fuss about, that may have been more possible but in that case...

 

[Stefarno]

I'd be interested to see what another kid-focused game would do on Vita in a post-Minecraft world. It's a shame no-one's going to take that shot.

They started releasing the Lego games on Vita after the sales of Minecraft...

 

[Kresnik258]

It's a chibi monster catching game. Square Enix muddled it by trying to play on nostalgia but that's a text book grab at a young audience.

To be honest, I completely forgot it was a monster-collecting game until you mentioned it. My immediate thought was "chibi turn-based nostalgia RPG" then your post reminded me.

Regardless, I think that the problems with it stemmed from WoFF itself, not anything else.

They started releasing the Lego games on Vita after the sales of Minecraft...

They started releasing LEGO games on Vita since about March 2012, long before Minecraft. Also when's the last time a LEGO game achieved any kind of notable sales milestone in Japan?

 

[Nirolak]

I'm not sure if it's the wisest choice for reviving a dead IP to launch one console SKU + two mobile ones based on the same game. It feels way too much for something like Inazuma Eleven. If we were talking about The Snack World, which Level-5 made a huge fuss about, that may have been more possible but in that case...

To be clear, I don't think it's impossible it's Switch only. I'm just not removing the possibility of the new game showing up on mobile either at launch or some point down the road.

 

[Chris1964]

Level 5 will be one of the biggers supporters of Switch. At the end they left the 3DS only with IP, even being the largest they ever created in Japan. There should be variety on Switch, at least in the biggening, since it doesn' t make sense launching or reviving IPs on 3DS so late at its life.

 

[L~A]

Well, Level-5 had quite a lot of different IP on Nintendo 3DS (Fantasy Life, the Guild games, Inazuma Eleven, Professor Layton, LBW, and some other minor stuff I can't remember).

Though it's true YW was the only major one (that didn't go on hiatus, that is).

And I agree that launching new IP so late in 3DS lifecycle is not a good idea, which is why I'm fully expecting The Snack World and Lady Layton to come to Switch at one point. Again, we will most likely have a clearer picture of Level-5's plans in January.

About Inazuma Eleven, I'm curious as to why they're going to do. The new anime series is supposed to start this Summer (so July), so I could see the game launching in Fall (not July, since that's The Snack World's slot).

 

[Man God]

Ideally you want a game in a cross media venture to land 4-6 weeks after the tv show starts to build up hype.

 

[L~A]

Ideally you want a game in a cross media venture to land 4-6 weeks after the tv show starts to build up hype.

So a September release, maybe? With YW, they released the game first, but no way they're going to do that again (it's not a new IP anyway, and IE certainly isn't going to be released in January).

Well, as I said, we will most likely get settled in January.

Anyway, just realised something. If nothing is delayed (this is Level-5 we're talking about, so there will be delays), Level-5 could launch all that in a single year:

- Lady Layton (mobile, 3DS)
- Otome Hero (mobile)
- The Snack World (cross-media with anime, mobile and 3DS game, and more)
- Inazuma Eleven (at least the anime, not sure about the game but it has to follow soon after)
- their Yo-kai projects (2nd big update? All the mobile stuff announced for it)
- Ni No Kuni II

(Don't think they gave a year for Megaton Musashi, but I'm sure it's not out in 2018).

That's a lot for one company, especially one like Level-5. Of course, stuff will get delayed, so...

 

[djtiesto]

Ouch... Time to move mainline Final Fantasy games to mobile.

Please don't even joke about this I'd rather them even go full on western RPG at this point, which is saying something.

 

[saichi]

I feel FF7 remake will be even bigger than XV.

You mean combine all episodes together, right?

 

[Oregano]

Please don't even joke about this I'd rather them even go full on western RPG at this point, which is saying something.

I think we briefly discussed it a few months ago but I don't know why they don't take the DQXI and go even further. Have a big budget PS4/XBO/PC WRPG (Co)developed by one of the Eidos teams, then have a Switch/Mobile(maybe PS4 too) JRPG developed in Japan.

 

[JoshuaJSlone]

I don't think Square's problem isn't that they don't have enough variety of FF. They've released several 2D non-gacha Final Fantasy games for mobile, and we've seen attempts like Crystal Chronicles/Crystal Bearers to get something different for the Nintendo crowd. It's become so much the FF name doesn't mean nearly as much anymore.

Unless you specifically mean something like having two completely different major games called Final Fantasy XVI?

 

[Oregano]

I don't think Square's problem isn't that they don't have enough variety of FF. They've released several 2D non-gacha Final Fantasy games for mobile, and we've seen attempts like Crystal Chronicles/Crystal Bearers to get something different for the Nintendo crowd. It's become so much the FF name doesn't mean nearly as much anymore.

Unless you specifically mean something like having two completely different major games called Final Fantasy XVI?

I'd probably consider dropping the numbers altogether but the best past example of what I mean would probably be Type-0. At the time it looked like Type-x was basically going to be an equivalent portable series to the main series.

It would need to represent the fundamentals much more than something like the Crystal Chronicles series(not an insult, I love those games).

 

[L~A]

Leg-o-meter, November Edition:


Nothing much has changed in the past few weeks. Unfortunately, Monster Hunter Stories dropped out of the Top 20 after the 7th week, and so couldn't climb any higher. Mario Party: Star Rush is most likely going to catch up with the Nintendo block at the top if it doesn't drop out of the Top 20 before the end of the year.

 

[BKK]

I'm not sure if it applies to Japan, but my problem with FF is that it never really grew up with it's fans, same as a lot of Japanese games, it's difficult for older gamers to relate to. Yakuza does a pretty good job of that, and I would guess MGS too, but I don't really follow that close enough to know.

I might try FFXV out for cheap in the bargain bins, but not at full price, FFXIII really put me off, and made me realise that I'm not really into non-turn based FF.

 

[ZSaberLink]

I'm not sure if it applies to Japan, but my problem with FF is that it never really grew up with it's fans, same as a lot of Japanese games, it's difficult for older gamers to relate to. Yakuza does a pretty good job of that, and I would guess MGS too, but I don't really follow that close enough to know.

I might try FFXV out for cheap in the bargain bins, but not at full price, FFXIII really put me off, and made me realise that I'm not really into non-turn based FF.

Honestly in some ways I think simply not releasing titles more frequently (mainline I mean), is part of their problem. If you release 1 title every 5 years, and then have a bad/mediocre one, you're now sitting with that for a while. Ironically I feel like if they had turned 13-2 (or at least Lightning Returns) into another spinoff (like X-3, or just something rather different like a Type-1), it may have been better off.

 

[ArkhamFantasy]

Honestly in some ways I think simply not releasing titles more frequently (mainline I mean), is part of their problem. If you release 1 title every 5 years, and then have a bad/mediocre one, you're now sitting with that for a while. Ironically I feel like if they had turned 13-2 (or at least Lightning Returns) into another spinoff (like X-3, or just something rather different like a Type-1), it may have been better off.

Agree that they cant go 7 years between mainline single player games, thats twice as long as we should be waiting.

 

[BKK]

Honestly in some ways I think simply not releasing titles more frequently (mainline I mean), is part of their problem. If you release 1 title every 5 years, and then have a bad/mediocre one, you're now sitting with that for a while. Ironically I feel like if they had turned 13-2 (or at least Lightning Returns) into another spinoff (like X-3, or just something rather different like a Type-1), it may have been better off.

Maybe, after not liking XIII I didn't try the sequels, but I was still interested in Versus as it was trying something different. Still, after all this time it still looks like it's aiming for Japanese teens who weren't even born when FF first started. I like Japanese games, but they're nearly always targeted at kids who would rather play mobile games than targetting the appropriate age range who has the disposable income and is still interested in traditional gaming. So yeah, maybe a Japanese publisher should target a game at 30/40 year olds (that works great in the West).

 

[BKK]

Oh ... and for Asian release .... I lived in Asia at FFXIII release, I bought the English version on release date. It was some time after the Japanese release, but sometime before the Chinese (and Korean?) release. SCE Asia localised and published it in Asia, and broke records for an Asian game (100k+), pretty good on PS3 which would go on to be pirated, where the default attitude was to pirate games. It's quite remarkable how the "Asian" attitude to software has changed over the last decade. Cynically I'll say that online and console piracy protections helped change the attitude.

 

[Chris1964]

After 2DS there is another succesful hw update.

 

[Apt101]

Any chance positive word of mouth can boost FF XV sales next period, or does that kind of thing not happen?

 

[Kanann]

Any chance positive word of mouth can boost FF XV sales next period, or does that kind of thing not happen?

Opposite, http://blog.esuteru.com/archives/20006372.html
this shitty blogger try to cheer up FFXV as hard as he can, but damage is already done on many board.

And this game is not that good, the only thing they did good enough to be trendy is bugs/glitch showcase on Nico and Twitter.

Even I like this game, I will not give it positive words, because after half of the game it was a shit show.

 

[Jon Carter]

Any chance positive word of mouth can boost FF XV sales next period, or does that kind of thing not happen?

Very unlikely for an RPG from a well-known series that isn't targeted at children. If it were a new IP or trying to appeal to a more casual audience that doesn't necessarily buy games day one, then maybe, but even then, is the word of mouth anything special? It has to be more than just good.

 

[duckroll]

Any chance positive word of mouth can boost FF XV sales next period, or does that kind of thing not happen?

When your game costs 90 dollars, even if there is good word of mouth, the majority of people who didn't care to buy it in the first couple of weeks will likely want a better deal. So they will either get it used, or wait for a budget re-release, or pick it up at a discounted price (which means stores aren't selling out their shipments).

 

[Chris1964]

There won't be a budget re-release for XV.

 

[MacTag]

There won't be a budget re-release for XV.

Never say never. XIII somehow got one.

 

[ZSaberLink]

When your game costs 90 dollars, even if there is good word of mouth, the majority of people who didn't care to buy it in the first couple of weeks will likely want a better deal. So they will either get it used, or wait for a budget re-release, or pick it up at a discounted price (which means stores aren't selling out their shipments).

Why exactly are Square Enix games so pricy in Japan? Like why does japan not have the seemingly standardized prices of the west?

 

[protomouse]

The fact it's episodic is why I dont think its gonna be huge. The brand has lost a lot of strength and a remake of the biggest game that is only goig to be 1/3rd of the whole game strikes me as a weird way to go about it.

Personally as soon as they said it was episodicI lost interest. Just wait til the whole thing comes out.

To me, episodic Final Fantasy makes perfect sense. Splitting development up in stages means less risk and higher returns. Each episode gets special editions etc., and together the episodes will be able to break the $60 barrier. It allows them to ship games at a faster pace and keep mindshare. At the tail end, they release a collection of all episodes (again with special editions etc.).

I think this is the future for the franchise.

 

[duckroll]

Why exactly are Square Enix games so pricy in Japan? Like why does japan not have the seemingly standardized prices of the west?

Square Enix? Yakuza 6 and Persona 5 were also 8800yen. It's not S-E. It's just how much "premium" console games cost in the market now. The "normal" console games cost 7900yen, and first party Sony PS4 games cost 6800yen. That's the standard.

Japanese entertainment is just really expensive in general. CD albums cost 40-50 bucks, movies cost anything from 40-90 bucks on DVD/BD, anime series are still released in individual volumes with 2-4 episodes each. The entire market is a joke.

 

[Kanann]

Not fun fact: Low budget, guarantee bombadu 140% Nier Automata is 8500 yen too (both disc and digital). I have 10,000 yen PSN gift point but feel really half ashame half "but I wanna support developer" to purchase it.

They price at highest profit because they know foolish fans will buy it.

 

[Chris1964]

Never say never. XIII somehow got one.

XIII was at a much better position for sellthrough and sales.

XIII sold 400k after its first week and it had a 1,5m opening.

 

[duckroll]

There won't be a budget re-release for XV.

Wut. The sales don't really matter. Once all the DLC is out, they'll dump it on the market again at 4800yen or whatever. Do you seriously think they will never do that? Games that sell 80k get budget re-releases.

 

[Chris1964]

If DLC is icluded it will be a Game of the Year Edition. That could happen but it's not a budget re-release of the original title.

Now that I checked it Lightning Returns didn't get a budget release (and that wasn't overshipped).

 

[JoshuaJSlone]

Wut. The sales don't really matter. Once all the DLC is out, they'll dump it on the market again at 4800yen or whatever. Do you seriously think they will never do that? Games that sell 80k get budget re-releases.

That 80K game doesn't have hundreds of thousands of unsold copies already out there, though. If they were to actually include paid DLC I guess it would be something slightly different, though.

 

[Chris1964]

There is a million seller title that didn't get a budget re-release for the same reason with XV.

 

[ZSaberLink]

Square Enix? Yakuza 6 and Persona 5 were also 8800yen. It's not S-E. It's just how much "premium" console games cost in the market now. The "normal" console games cost 7900yen, and first party Sony PS4 games cost 6800yen. That's the standard.

Japanese entertainment is just really expensive in general. CD albums cost 40-50 bucks, movies cost anything from 40-90 bucks on DVD/BD, anime series are still released in individual volumes with 2-4 episodes each. The entire market is a joke.

That's crazy... plus do people in Japan buy CD albums still ? Do you think that it might help to start selling the games closer to Western prices in general? Or does that happen anyways because stores start cutting price real quick? I see the first party titles seem to sell close to the standard 3DS & PS4 game prices ($40 and $60) at least. Charging a premium in a declining market seems crazy.... Maybe that's speeding up the transition to mobile even more than it already would be. Btw, are the prices above pre or post tax (I'm assuming pre?)?

Edit: Also... Wii U first party titles were sold for basically $50 instead of $60? Interesting...

 

[Chris1964]

[FCM] Final Fantasy <RPG> (Square) {1987.12.18} (¥5.900)
[FCM] Final Fantasy II <RPG> (Square) {1988.12.17} (¥6.500)
[FCM] Final Fantasy III <RPG> (Square) {1990.04.27} (¥8.400)
[SFC] Final Fantasy IV <RPG> (Square) {1991.07.19} (¥8.800)
[SFC] Final Fantasy V <RPG> (Square) {1992.12.06} (¥9.800)
[SFC] Final Fantasy VI <RPG> (Square) {1994.04.02} (¥11.400)
[PS1] Final Fantasy VII <RPG> (Square) {1997.01.31} (¥6.800)
[PS1] Final Fantasy VIII <RPG> (Square) {1999.02.11} (¥7.800)
[PS1] Final Fantasy IX <RPG> (Square) {2000.07.07} (¥7.800)
[PS2] Final Fantasy X <RPG> (Square) {2001.07.19} (¥8.800)
[PS2] Final Fantasy XI # <RPG> (Square) {2002.05.16} (¥7.800)
[PS2] Final Fantasy XII # <RPG> (Square Enix) {2006.03.16} (¥8.561)
[PS3] Final Fantasy XIII # <RPG> (Square Enix) {2009.12.17} (8.800)
[PS3] Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn # <RPG> (Square Enix) {2013.08.27} (¥3.300)
[PS4] Final Fantasy XV # <RPG> (Square Enix) {2016.11.29} (¥8.800)

 

[duckroll]

[PS3] Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn # <RPG> (Square Enix) {2013.08.27} (¥3.300)

This has to be the best deal in the franchise history. Lol.

 

[Alrus]

Hot damn Final Fantasy VI was expensive lol.

 

[Chris1964]

The power of cartridge.

Pokemon got a price increase with Sun / Moon after many years.

 

[Herb Alpert]

Hot damn Final Fantasy VI was expensive lol.

24MB CARTRIDGES!!!!

 

[Chris1964]

As for Switch we know the low limit for first party. Bye bye handheld pricing.

[3DS] Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS <ACT> (Nintendo) {2016.12.01} (¥4.700)
[WIU] Super Mario Maker # <ACT> (Nintendo) {2015.09.10} (¥5.700)

[3DS] Mario Kart 7 <RCE> (Nintendo) {2011.12.01} (¥4.571)
[WIU] Mario Kart 8 # <RCE> (Nintendo) {2014.05.29} (¥5.700)

 

[JoshuaJSlone]

That's crazy... plus do people in Japan buy CD albums still ?

Forget that for a moment--they still buy tons of CD singles.

 

[Fdkn]

This has to be the best deal in the franchise history. Lol.

If you only wanted to play a month, sure

 

[duckroll]

If you only wanted to play a month, sure

How many FF games last the average person more than 2 weeks tops?

 

[Oregano]

Speaking of Square Enix how is it looking for Scarlet Grace? Isn't it out next week?

Spoiler

Will it beat Legend of Legacy at least?