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[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

Following the launch of the Vanillaware tactical RPG Unicorn Overlord, outlet Destructoid interviewed Vanillaware’s lead game designer, Wataru Nakanishi, game director, Takafumi Noma, and Atlus producer Akiyasu Yamamoto.

Several facets of the game are discussed in great detail, including the gameplay systems, setting, and art direction. Moreover, a question about why the title isn’t making its way to PC was asked, and Yamamoto responded. While not elaborated upon, he answered that while Atlus would’ve liked to launch Unicorn Overlord on PC, they were unable to do so due to an agreement the publisher has with Vanillaware. As a result, there are no plans for the game to make its way to PC.

You can view the quoted relevant exchange below:

Unicorn Overlord is heading to PlayStation, Xbox Series consoles, and Switch, but not to PC – is there any reason in particular you chose not to aim for PC at launch? Has there been any discussion about a PC port later on?

Yamamoto: As a publisher, we would like to deliver it to PC users as well, but per our agreement with Vanillaware, we are only releasing on console. In other words, there are no plans to port it to PC currently.

You can view Destructoid’s full interview for additional questions and comments.

Unicorn Overlord Not Coming To PC Due To Vanillaware

Atlus has confirmed that while they had a desire to port Unicorn Overlord to PC, an agreement they have with Vanillaware has made that impossible.

t.co

 

[Deft Beck]

Very odd that it is coming to Xbox but NOT PC.

 

[Cert.in.Death]

Very odd that it is coming to Xbox but NOT PC.

Give it time, Satya is working on it

 

[Kurotri]

What kind of BS agreement is this? Are there any more examples like this where a game specifically isn't allowed to have a PC version? Absolutely nothing comes to mind.

 

[Danjin44]

Vanillaware:

 

[Pejo]

What kind of BS agreement is this? Are there any more examples like this where a game specifically isn't allowed to have a PC version? Absolutely nothing comes to mind.

George Kamitani (Vanillaware) basically has always been against PC games because he thinks his assets will be ripped and stolen. I can't find the quote anymore but it was something like that, if I recall. Really dumb honestly because you can rip assets just fine from console games too.

 

[Jinzo Prime]

Vanillaware has no idea how popular their games would be on Steam. Maybe they are afraid of piracy and mods?

 

[StereoVsn]

George Kamitani (Vanillaware) basically has always been against PC games because he thinks his assets will be ripped and stolen. I can't find the quote anymore but it was something like that, if I recall. Really dumb honestly because you can rip assets just fine from console games too.

Yep, it’s super dumb considering his games have been on PS3, PS3, PS4, Wii and Switch and all of these have been hacked so one could easily export art assets if they really wanted.

 

[Shake Your Rump]

Very odd that it is coming to Xbox but NOT PC.

I wish I could find the source again, but what I read is that Xbox wasn't initially planned. Someone must have thrown some extra money their way.

 

[Krappadizzle]

I'm actually surprised how long Vanillaware has avoided PC. To each their own, but it seems like they are missing out on a long-term revenue stream. But what they've done has worked for them for a long time, so I can't say I blame them for sticking to their status quo.

 

[Bkdk]

That sucks, hopefully MS would appraoch vanillaware and pay them more money for this to come to pc. If MS really don't want to spend extra money, then just sell ninja theory, stop being a bagholder for that studio and use some of that money from that sale.

 

[nial]

Based.
/jk

Very odd that it is coming to Xbox but NOT PC.

This was talked about in the last thread, it's because of a deal with MS.

 

[BennyBlanco]

If it’s on Switch there is a PC version

 

[Zathalus]

Sounds like the main developer has a very conservative outlook on PC gaming that most developers in Japan used to have. Right up until they actually begun mass releasing games on PC and started getting that cashflow.

 

[Jinzo Prime]

Sounds like the main developer has a very conservative outlook on PC gaming that most developers in Japan used to have. Right up until they actually begun mass releasing games on PC and started getting that cashflow.

Same mindset Atuls used to have untill Sega dragged them kicking and screaming onto Steam, with huge success.

 

[Complistic]

I'd buy it again on PC

 

[Hudo]

Sega need to send some people over to Vanillaware, it seems.

 

[Fermbiz]

 

[Topher]

Vanillaware:

I love how that woman in the background gets up to see what the commotion is and then sits back down as if to say "oh....that's just Bob"

 

[BlakeofT]

Vanillaware:

Hilarious that the girl in the background sits back down after about a second to continue what she was doing.

 

[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

Sega need to send some people over to Vanillaware, it seems.

The people that Sega are sending over to Vanillware:

 

[StereoVsn]

Vanillaware:

 

[Guilty_AI]

George Kamitani (Vanillaware) basically has always been against PC games because he thinks his assets will be ripped and stolen.

There's a whole ass project dedicated just to ripping assets from their games. If that's his reasoning it isn't working.

 

[hyperbertha]

Does this clown know his technically and graphically simplistic games are the easiest to run on a switch emulator?

 

[Guilty_AI]

Does this clown know his technically and graphically simplistic games are the easiest to run on a switch emulator?

Tbf we have no idea what his reasoning even is. He could be secretly a Pony, or perhaps he hates Lord Gaben because he's fat.

 

[nikolino840]

What kind of BS agreement is this? Are there any more examples like this where a game specifically isn't allowed to have a PC version? Absolutely nothing comes to mind.

Gta

 

[Hudo]

The people that Sega are sending over to Vanillware:

I mean, these are the ones I'd be sending as well!

 

[Trunx81]

Yuzu was banned right in time, it seems.

 

[near]

PC port begging has honestly got out of control. Never thought I'd see the day that people actually begged for a Vanillaware game to be ported to PC.

 

[Skifi28]

 

[Davevil]

meanwhile ryujinx/yuzu's user

 

[near]

Or a Switch, or a PS4, or a Xbox... like if you really want to play this game it is accessible.

 

[Leonidas]

At least its on Xbox.

All the Vanilla Ware games I own I waited for them to drop to $4-5.

Will wait for a steep discount here too, if it remains console only...

 

[Ribi]

Vanillaware has no idea how popular their games would be on Steam. Maybe they are afraid of piracy and mods?

Piracy? I mean in on switch so any uzu's will work

 

[The Pleasure]

The people that Sega are sending over to Vanillware:

Are they going to the karaoke bar?

 

[Skifi28]

Or a Switch, or a PS4, or a Xbox... like if you really want to play this game it is accessible.

Yeah, but this image was lovingly created for the PS5. Not my fault.

 

[Guilty_AI]

PC port begging has honestly got out of control. Never thought I'd see the day that people actually begged for a Vanillaware game to be ported to PC.

I mean, they have absolutely no contractual obligation with any party and have full support of publishers for multiplat releases. All their games have been pirated already and their assets ripped from them so that can't be used as an excuse either.

This is a studio that struggles to even make ends meet, a PC port at this point is more than just a reasonable suggestion to increase revenue and popularity of their titles, it's a borderline necessity. Or would you rather see them keep struggling like that until they get shut off?

 

[willothedog]

Yuzu was banned right in time, it seems.

was it Seems to be running fine on Yuzu.

 

[near]

I mean, they have absolutely no contractual obligation with any party and have full support of publishers for multiplat releases. All their games have been pirated already and their assets ripped from them so that can't be used as an excuse either.

This is a studio that struggles to even make ends meet, a PC port at this point is more than just a reasonable suggestion to increase revenue and popularity of their titles, it's a borderline necessity. Or would you rather see them keep struggling like that until they get shut off?

I don't think any of that justifies port begging to be fair. I think games should be accessible on every platform and as someone who games heavily on PC, I'd love to see their games released here too. But if you actually care about the company or the game you'll support it regardless of which platform it's released on. The same arguments could be made for literally every game released that isn't ultimately released on every modern platform. Vanillaware have survived by the skin of their teeth for a very long time due to a loyal fanbase that have followed them throughout various projects. It is not a borderline necessity for them to release on PC to survive, when they're still alive today and have continued to grow in popularity. Mind you, it would still be a financial and resource constraint on a small studio to add another platform into a development cycle as it is. It is a miracle that they've even managed to release on so many platforms for UO.

 

[Topher]

PC port begging has honestly got out of control. Never thought I'd see the day that people actually begged for a Vanillaware game to be ported to PC.

Palworld.....Helldivers 2......Unicorn Overlord.....

Sorry.....but I can't keep up with who is accusing who of "port begging" these days.

Fact is everyone is guilty

 

[near]

Palworld.....Helldivers 2......Unicorn Overlord.....

Sorry.....but I can't keep with who is accusing who of "port begging" these days.

Fact is everyone is guilty

All forms of port begging should be shunned.

 

[bender]

Great news!

 

[Kiya's Guard]

This enrages me and makes me sad. Amazing studio that I have no recollection of them porting any of their games to pc

 

[Topher]

All forms of port begging should be shunned.

Personally, I don't see anything wrong with asking a developer if a certain game is going to be on a specific platform.

 

[near]

Personally, I don't see anything wrong with asking a developer if a certain game is going to be on a specific platform.

I think developers are aware of every existing platform and marketplace to distribute their games on. Asking them serves no one but your own dry hopes.

 

[Guilty_AI]

I don't think any of that justifies port begging to be fair. I think games should be accessible on every platform and as someone who games heavily on PC, I'd love to see their games released here too. But if you actually care about the company or the game you'll support it regardless of which platform it's released on. The same arguments could be made for literally every game released that isn't ultimately released on every modern platform. Vanillaware have survived by the skin of their teeth for a very long time due to a loyal fanbase that have followed them throughout various projects. It is not a borderline necessity for them to release on PC to survive, when they're still alive today and have continued to grow in popularity. Mind you, it would still be a financial and resource constraint on a small studio to add another platform into a development cycle as it is. It is a miracle that they've even managed to release on so many platforms for UO.

The ones doing the port would be Atlus, they said so themselves here. It wouldn't be a constraint for VW. There's no need to justify "port begging" either, asking online "realese this in X platform pls" isn't murdering anyone's family.

One bad game. One bad game and they'd risk going under. That's their current reality right now. You still didn't show me what's the issue with releasing their games on PC, making some of the fanbase that prefer PC happy and garnering new fans. At this point they're just being stupid.

And people who buy a game just to "support the company" are in a minority. I'd like to try their games but i ain't playing them on a Switch or a Ps4. While they keep twisting their noses like that i'll be playing other games from companies who are glad to make things easier for me.

 

[Topher]

I think developers are aware of every existing platform and marketplace to distribute their games on. Asking them serves no one but your own dry hopes.

This does serve a purpose. Not all games launch on all the platforms they will ultimately support at the exact same time. Since this question was asked of this developer, we now know that it won't be coming to PC. Now if we were asking the same question over and over again and getting the same response then I'd agree with you, but there is nothing wrong with getting that clarity up front.

 

[March Climber]

PC port begging has honestly got out of control. Never thought I'd see the day that people actually begged for a Vanillaware game to be ported to PC.

It's because there is an audience growing who wants there to be one platform with everything on it(Steam), and now that one of the Big 3 console's foundational pillars seems to be on shaky ground, there are more people who feel this should be the case. I feel that eventually everything on PC will be inevitable(not just Steam) but I also feel that it is too soon of a future to ask for.

When beloved Japanese companies go against this future, it breaks things, because it means that person still has to purchase hardware they don't want to own to play a game they want to play.

To me this simply means that there is a potential hidden avenue that a company like Xbox could take advantage of, where they would have a portable console which would combine Xbox OS and PC into a fusion of sorts to act as a loophole that benefits them. The one issue is that they would need to keep enticing rigid Japanese devs and publishers to release on their storefront.

 

[bender]

It's because there is an audience growing who wants there to be one platform with everything on it(Steam)

It's nice to want things but you can do so without acting like an entitled brat.

 

[March Climber]

It's nice to want things but you can do so without acting like an entitled brat.

Agreed, though I feel like this is a situation where it's 'entitled brat vs out of touch lead' and after the dust settles, either no one wins or everyone wins.