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Plenty on the first page of this thread do, and now they've directed their ire not at the company that made the decision, but a legion of strawmen and 'outrage culture' who denied them their fun game about boobies.

People are disappointingly willing to go to bat for companies that don't give two fucks about them beyond the cash they spend, to the point that they will actively attack and harass people who likely had nothing to do with, and were indeed not even aware of, the company's decision.

It's shitty of Koei Tecmo to actively stoke this bullshit, fuck them for fobbing of their business decision and playing to baseless fears about the evil feminists coming to take your games away.

Tecmo Koei is propping up the spectre of the dreaded SJW and some of you in this thread are eating it up instead of directing your attention toward the publisher itself. Bravo.

For real.

 

[-Horizon-]

My question to Koei Tecmo is: Why bother making a PS4 game if you don't plan on releasing it worldwide?

*looks at God Eater resurrection*

...no idea

 

[Asriel]

This week on the Jimquisition: whining on the internet is important and can affect change for the better.

This week on Jim's blog: whining on the internet is meaningless and can never affect change for the worse.

You speak as if this can't be applied to different scenarios for different reasons.

 

[MUnited83]

A south park image of Tecmo Koei shitting on your mouth while telling you it's cake would've been more accurate.

This is the offended and concerned era we live in, folks.

Do you mean "the era of people believing stupid excuses"?

 

[Kama_1082]

This is the offended and concerned era we live in, folks.

 

[MightyHedgehog]

Honestly, the only reason the first two DOAX games even came over was because of Tecmo/Team Ninja's cozy relationship with MS as their publisher. Hard to believe that those games were money makers, anyway.

 

[Warxard]

Tecmo Koei is propping up the spectre of the dreaded SJW and some of you in this thread are eating it up instead of directing your attention toward the publisher itself. Bravo.

Yep.

 

[PsychoSoldier]

It's a niche game and they would probably be unlikely to make tons (if any) money off a release here.

Them writing about potential backlash is probably just an excuse to take the heat off them.

 

[mgs2master2]

I fail to see how this is a bad decision. The people have spoken and K-T clearly understands such misogynistic games will no longer be tolerated in the west.

This makes no sense. Explain every detail. Explain why would it effect just K-T and not XSeed with their Senran Kagura games or any other company. Don't worry I'll wait.

Pretty much this. I planned on getting it when a US version was announced. Now I have to import.

 

[mdubs]

Still waiting for someone to theorize on what the actual, realistic consequences of the supposed backlash would be that would be so damaging

 

[sensui-tomo]

*looks at God Eater resurrection*

...no idea

Thats namco bandai... but the pain still hurts along with GE2

 

[Son Of Sparda]

That's not the reason they aren't bringing it.

They may even try the class action suit and companies must take those risks into consideration too.

Yes. Tecmo is so afraid of some bad press from the gaming media that they are opting not to make money from a title that clearly a lot of people want. That is how businesses operate.

You can interpret Tecmo's words however you want but that mere fact of them being able to use the backlash as a somewhat valid excuse pretty much proves my point.

 

[Zolo]

Why bother localizing a niche game in the west when the vocal backlash from people who didn't buy it will just hurt the DoA brand?

One of the most well known things about the DoA fighting games is the fanservice costumes. All localizing this would do is simply reinforce what people already know about the series.

 

[KatamariOnTheRocks]

It seems like games tend to be better received when they're upfront about the content/tone like the Senran Kagura series and Onechanbara where they make sure you know those are games about boobs and feature boobs at every turn but there exists a competent framework beneath the fan service that's a fun game that decides to focus on boobs as subject matter rather than tacking it on as an ill-fitting afterthought.

Where as many games that get flak are called out for shoehorning unnecessary fan service onto characters that have nothing to do with that shit and it results in a weird tone where it feels tacked on rather than embraced.

If you're going for fan service, do it from the start and embrace it, don't take an existing franchise and shoehorn fan service where it has no place.

I see DOA in the group that's upfront about its content/tone so I feel like they'd be given due credit in that regard, but I guess you never know.

 

[crinale]

I didn't mean that. Calm down please.

A large chunk of PS4's installed base are situated in North America and Europe.

Okay I understand what you meant, and that argument has the point too.
However as PS4's install base bigger in West I think it have larger risk to become target of those who want to punish such things. Just my guess though.

 

[atr0cious]

Why bother localizing a niche game in the west when the vocal backlash from people who didn't buy it will just hurt the DoA brand?

The DoA brand synonymous with "she kicks high?" Some of you folks are really funny with how you make martyrs out of a video game company.

 

[kadotsu]

They probably fear import from the west to Japan more. Doesn't the game have a $300 edition or some shit.

 

[Crossing Eden]

The game is already getting english subs in the asian release, so basically its a "Dont want to just slap it through certification thing" I'm starting to think this is a push for controversy to announce it later on as a digital only release... or sell it through their store only with a special edition possibly... They got those 3d mousepads. (bad joke on my end, i believe they messed up the person on the mousepads for the wrong system, honoka on psv and marie on ps4... vice versa makes sense if i shit talk the vita i love my vita)

Maybe, are they actually putting in english VA?

I 100% agree with that. This thread had enough cringe to be sated for awhile.

Yep. Surprisingly it took 5 pages for someone to post that image of the principle from south park.

Probably far fewer if sexual imagery in general (in games and elsewhere) wasn't predominantly focused on one sex.

Oh snap.

 

[Takao]

Those games seem a lot cheaper to make.

I've never played a DoA Xtreme game before, but I highly doubt it costs more to translate than Nobunaga. Even if it did, Koei Tecmo is translating DoA Xtreme 3 into English for parts of Asia anyway.

Protesting against a thing that is happening isn't really the same as protesting/petitioning *for* something to happen.

Maybe I worded that poorly. I'm saying that yesterday Jim commended people for complaining about microtransactions in Payday 2. He came out and cried out against those saying companies never listen to feedback. Now he's saying there's no way complaining about DoAX3 could've prevented it from seeing a release here.

 

[mothball]

GamerGater?

damn you destroyed his argument with those hot counterpoints

 

[Steve Youngblood]

You can interpret Tecmo's words however you want but that mere fact of them being able to use the backlash as a valid excuse pretty much proves my point.

But it's not a valid excuse. Thus you have no point.

 

[Deleted member 47027]

Tecmo Koei is propping up the spectre of the dreaded SJW and some of you in this thread are eating it up instead of directing your attention toward the publisher itself. Bravo.

This is exactly what's going on. Hook, line, and sinker. Honestly it's impressive that KT has done this and it's working so very well. "And get this...we won't need to bring it over there, because the 1,000 people who would buy it will just import. Saves us money!"

You win and they win.

 

[cityhunter]

Well, I get where you are coming from but at the same time the fans voices sadly, ain't anywhere close to the voices of those that are "offended" and write novels or make 30 minute videos dissecting what a sick game DOAX3 is and it's developers are.

At that point it seems to me having a "fuck this shit" attitude being the best and save yourself the stress. Maybe the next generation of people will learn to enjoy life abit more instead of pushing agendas or saying developers did this because they are this and that or forcing developers to add something in the game because it proves what exactly in the end? I mean if you had to force your words on developers to do something they wouldn't have done originally then what's the point?

I don't know, I prefer not to get into these discussions because I don't have time for "problems within entertainment" when I already got far more important things to care about in my own life. But hey, I speak only for myself and no one else so others are free to care about such things. More power to them.

Same here. This is how I feel about it. Just look at this thread is tiring.

 

[Acosta]

A corporate decision likely based on market interest and sales projections.

The mere fact they are using this as an excuse is bad enough. "That's not what they are really thinking" it´s a poor excuse.

In any case, I'm just going to say that this is stupid and leave at it, I'm not interested in the holy war at all.

 

[GrantDaNasty]

You can interpret Tecmo's words however you want but that mere fact of them being able to use the backlash as a somewhat valid excuse pretty much proves my point.

But it's not a valid excuse.

So...what exactly is your point?

 

[Klossen]

The DoA brand synonymous with "she kicks high?" Some of you folks are really funny with how you make martyrs out of a video game company.

I've already criticized KT. The blame is on KT for listening to a crowd that spends more time being angry at videogames than actually playing them. That's the explanation given by their representative and I see no reason to doubt that.

 

[UCBooties]

This is disappointing. Part of me can't blame them but if we can get stuff like Senran Kagura brought over why not this? A lot of the costumes in Last Round were pretty suggestive and no one made a big fuss over that.

I don't really understand what has them so scared. This game is made for a very specific audience, they're not gonna win hearts and minds with the defense against a vocal minority. If you don't want to talk about it then don't engage them, simply cater to your audience.

Because it's a smokescreen for a business decision. They know that the decision will be unpopular among their dedicated fan base in the west so they blame *potential* backlash that diverts attention from themselves onto a nebulous other. As noted, Senran Kagura or their own previous costume packs haven't caused any stir, so it's not a reasonable supposition to say that this definitely would.

Again, if they thought this was going to make money they would bring it over. Because they don't, they're covering their decision with a narrative they think their user base is already primed to be receptive to.

Exhibit A: This thread.

 

[hamchan]

If they don't want to deal with the controversy then that's on them and y'know, it's probably not a wrong decision. Of course it probably is just an excuse to hide their business decision too.

It's not hard to import things these days and thankfully the PS4 and Vita are region free.

 

[Ludger Kresnik]

Mmgh, that's disappointing. I'll play into their twisted schemes and import.

 

[PapaEmeritus]

do play asia pre orders charge now or when they ship, anyone know?

 

[Tom Nook]

 

[-Horizon-]

Thats namco bandai... but the pain still hurts along with GE2

I know, its just that, you would think ps4 games in general would have a better chance of making it out of japan

 

[UrbanRats]

Well, I get where you are coming from but at the same time the fans voices sadly, ain't anywhere close to the voices of those that are "offended" and write novels or make 30 minute videos dissecting what a sick game DOAX3 is and it's developers are.

At that point it seems to me having a "fuck this shit" attitude being the best and save yourself the stress. Maybe the next generation of people will learn to enjoy life abit more instead of pushing agendas or saying developers did this because they are this and that or forcing developers to add something in the game because it proves what exactly in the end? I mean if you had to force your words on developers to do something they wouldn't have done originally then what's the point?

I don't know, I prefer not to get into these discussions because I don't have time for "problems within entertainment" when I already got far more important things to care about in my own life. But hey, I speak only for myself and no one else so others are free to care about such things. More power to them.

This makes no sense.

This is a game about ladies in bikini frolicking about.
This is not a game made to gain prestige, this is a game made to make money off of a "small" niche of audience.

You cater to the people who give you money, the people that "write novels or make 30 minute videos" are not, and never were your audience, why would you even listen to those people? It's not like they can really get the game banned.

 

[MUnited83]

You can interpret Tecmo's words however you want but that mere fact of them being able to use the backlash as a somewhat valid excuse pretty much proves my point.

It's not a valid excuse at all though, so your point is still, well, pointless.

 

[Necromanti]

If the fear of any criticism stopped people from making works of entertainment, then I can't imagine a lot would ever get made.

 

[shadow2810]

My question to Koei Tecmo is: Why bother making a PS4 game if you don't plan on releasing it worldwide?

So you can use PSVR.

 

[Palculator]

This is a game about ladies in bikini frolicking about.

Disgusting.

 

[Zolo]

Again, if they thought this was going to make money they would bring it over. Because they don't, they're covering their decision with a narrative they think their user base is already primed to be receptive to.

Community manager's doing his job!

 

[Meier]

They did a cost-benefit analysis and determined it wasn't worth it. This wasn't some decision based solely on "backlash" concerns. It was based primarily on the fact the market for this game is tiny and they probably wouldn't make much profit off it. Not enough at least for them to feel like it's worth any hassle associated with it.

That's on them.

 

[IcyEyes]

I think it's less fair to say they fear the verbal backlash this will create and more fair to say that the projected sales the bean counters worked up already don't make it worth any fight.

That is what we discuss here in office and probably this the most likely reality, but I hope they didn't use this excuse to not export the game in the west otherwise it would be sad.

Right now I want to give them a bit of credit, then we will see

 

[LiK]

do play asia pre orders charge now or when they ship, anyone know?

when they ship but they'll do the temp charge to check you have funds.

 

[Palette Swap]

Still waiting for someone to explain how a backlash, even if there was one, would actually hurt Koei-Tecmo.

They fear they would lose these millions of buyers who would have read words like "objectification" in media outlets or social media, and would have suddenly decided to not buy the beach volley game with tits on the cover.

 

[Jazz573]

damn you destroyed his argument with those hot counterpoints

That was bait, and you took it.

 

[muteki]

My question to Koei Tecmo is: Why bother making a PS4 game if you don't plan on releasing it worldwide?

To me, with the DOAX series the graphics have always been the selling point.

It makes less sense to me that the Vita version exists.

 

[sensui-tomo]

Maybe, are they actually putting in english VA?


Yep. Surprisingly it took 5 pages for someone to post that image of the principle from south park.


Oh snap.

I dont believe the other volleyball games ever had english VA. (if they did then my bad) Then again Koei kinda hasnt been putting English voices in their musou games in a while which is sad (dw8 complete and the nobunaga game are the only games i remember having english voices from localization) Again I think that KT is doing this as a way to see how much interest there is in faux outrage... They've sold lesser known titles out here that ended up probably not selling well yet also release their expansion (which will more than likely sell less than the original) I dont believe the "complaints in the west" is a valid argument and i love KT enough to know something is odd with that statement. And the game having low sales also makes no sense unless something changed dramatically within the past few months considering they still make Vita games in the west( i think it comes out today actually or soonish). .. Hell DW8 empires Vita edition will come out in the west... So sales are not an issue for them. (no DW8 empires is not going to sell well ... even if i wanted it to)

 

[Dazza]

I say go ahead and release it anyway Tecmo Koei, there's no such thing as bad publicity. Your market exposure is really niche, so such a move can only increase awareness and sales of all your games.

 

[hosannainexcelsis]

But it's not a valid excuse. Thus you have no point.

I don't care about Dead or Alive, which I have no interest in buying, but given Koei Tecmo's localization practices up through now it makes no sense to say that they would decide to not publish this game in Western countries solely because they thought it wouldn't sell. Koei Tecmo published a horse racing game in 2011 worldwide; how much did that sell? I can't believe that there wasn't something particular about this game that made them decide not to localize it when they localize everything else they make, and I can't see what that would be aside from the sexualized nature of it.

 

[UrbanRats]

Disgusting.

Not sure i get your point.
I'm not making a moral judgment on the game, i'm saying their excuse is bullshit, because the game was always going to be a niche product, and that niche was not the same that'd be complaining about the politics of it.

 

[21XX]

I don't think I'd get this game, but this is still awfully disappointing.

I don't see what's wrong with the game, sexuality for some reason is worse than extreme as fuck violence like in Mortal Kombat. I find it quite sad.

I'm all for Equality, but this isn't the answer at all. I'd like to believe this is mostly because the game wouldn't sell that well, but it's already in English so why not release it digital only then?

If you define "sexuality" as something akin to a middle schooler drooling over gigantic virtual boobs, then I guess this is "quite sad."

 

[Pellegri Testament]

Why bother localizing a niche game in the west when the vocal backlash from people who didn't buy it will just hurt the DoA brand?

Oh I believe the brand has been "hurt" enough as is. We've gotten both DOAX games in the past and this series has had jiggling boobs since day 1. People know what to expect with these games at this point. If "backlash" were really the reason why they're not releasing it, then why did we get all the other games or even most of the dlc not being censored?

Honestly not sure why the "sales" excuse would be used here either since the translation is already being done for Asia and surely they could scrape together enough sales to be worth the venture over to the US/EU. I guess it would be one thing if they weren't planning to translate it, but even then these games don't exactly have much text to begin with.