First of all the team is not the same at Midway that's just a flat out lie, The Co-Creator of MK Tobias isn't even on the team and the entire programing staff and people in charge are different. Boon is one of the only people to remain constant throughout the entire process.
Oh really, I'm lying now?
Midway MK team's last game:
Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe (MK8)
Art Director: Steve Beran
Tech Director: Alan Villani
Software Director: Micheal Boon
System Software Lead: Alexander Barrentine
Game Programming Lead: Jay Biondo
Graphics Programming Lead: Jon Greenberg
Animation Lead: Carlos Pasina
... More
First NRS Game:
MK9
Director of Art: Steve Beran
Director of Engine Engineering: Alan Villani
Art Lead, Animation: Carlos Pesina
Director of Engineering, Gameplay: Micheal Boon
Lead Software Engineer, Systems: Alexander Barrentine
Lead Software Engineer, Gameplay: Jay Biondo
Lead Graphics Engineer: Jon Greenberg
.. More. Take a look at yourself. Now tell me again that I'm lying.
You keep glossing over your own point which is MK sells cause it's on console which AGAIN has nothing to do with why it sells well. MK sells well because it's a Cultural Icon. It has had 2 Hollywood movies, 2 Live Action TV series, Animated Cartoons, tons of toys action figures, and merchandise ALL in the WEST where the majority of the console gamers are now. Not to mention it's wide spread "controversy" in the early 90s that put it all over the news.
OK sure, now explain to me how despite all of that "iconic" and cultural relevance MK 1 - 8 never reached the popularity that Tekken 1 - 5 reached (which MKX is only reaching now)? How come that iconic popularity never transferred onto those pre-MK9 games? Despite all of MK's branding and stuff why was it always dwarfed by Tekken until very recently? And why does the "MK is iconic" argument only apply now to MK9 and MKX and not the deadly alliance, deception, and armageddon era? It's almost as if people don't want to admit NRS's effort in advancing their franchise.
And despite all of that Midway went under. You know why Mortal Kombat9 and X sold so much? It's because Warner Brother's had infinite cash to throw at MK to rebrand it, remarket it, and it had the brand recognition in the WEST to pull it off. Tekken does not have that kind of brand recognition in the West, not even SF does.
Everyone keeps bringing up WB's "infinite" money as if Tekken's budget is some paltry amount.
Show me the proof of MK's budget and how much larger it is compared to Tekken. And don't pretend for a second Namco doesn't have that kind of money either allocated to Tekken. And then you were mentioning a bunch about MK's brand recognition in the US.... and that's where MK's brand recognition stops. Tekken's brand recognition is world wide. Tekken has a significantly higher brand recognition in Europe, Middle East, South America, East Asia, Australia, you name it. Why are you depreciating how relevant Tekken is by comparing it to an IP's relevance in a 350 million country compared to the potential of the rest of the world? Tekken's IP is WORTH investing in.
You talk about going console only but funny enough it was going console only that hurt MK's sales as well. Once they stopped releasing arcade games after 4 the popularity and sales took a huge dip as well.
But let's back that up, WHY did MK stop releasing arcade versions all the way back in the late 1990s? Guess what it's the SAME reason Tekken is still in arcades. MK went to console because American arcades were dying and their game doesn't make money Japanese Arcades so why produce arcade games? Why is Tekken in Japanese Arcades, because TEKKEN is the #1 arcade game and sells in Japanese Arcades. You are literally asking Namco to concentrate on marketing to a region that is less profitable where they have weaker brand recognition. It would be exactly like asking NRS to release MK in Japanese arcades. That's not where they make the their money, that's not where their brand is powerful so why would they?
Are you only going to attribute MK's fall to the lack of arcade releases? Not on the design philosphies which NRS completely changed going into MK9 and now MKX?
But more importantly, here's where you are shoving things into what we're saying. NO ONE is trying to deny Namco it's Arcade sales. What we're talking about is how Namco are consciously obstructing anybody else access to the game. I'll get more into that shortly...
That's why this debate is so stupid. Obviously they are going to continue to support the arcade model, it makes them a shit ton of money. Why is MK going to keep having guest characters? Cause it makes them a lot of money.
I told you guys I talked with Michael Murray for a long time at Final Round. Guess what? Namco was ready to put a Tekken 7 machine in every single Dave and Busters in America but Dave and Busters didn't want to. Namco gave D&B every opportunity to bring Tekken 7 Arcade to America. You could have Tekken 7 at your local D&B but you don't. They tried to bring it to the west. You guys are hating but what more can they do? D&B is the only established arcade chain in the West. They did it with Round 1 as well and even though Round 1 loved it, there are not enough Round 1 arcades currently to make it worth it for Namco to do a US release of the game.
Now this is where I'm lost in comprehension. All I hear from MM is " something-something Dave & Busters something-something Round 1". Are those avenues REALLY the only way to sell your software???? Why can't Namco do a Europe-NA EXCLUSIVE console release while Japan-Korea still gets the arcade version??? Make the game region locked also so Japan can't import it. That way the entire world finally has access to the game. Are they worried about selling an incomplete product like SFV? Then release a F2P "competitor's edition" or something on PSN/Steam/XBL akin to Tekken revolution where the people can still PAY AND ENJOY the game? Will Japan bitch? Sure, but no where near the amount the rest of the world are collectively bitching with this current model. And this doesn't impede the Arcade business at ALL since arcades are GONE everywhere outside of East Asia. And the few arcades that are left don't even invest in Tekken. The Japanese will still be forced to go to arcades to play Tekken in this potential scenario...
no different than how it is now except now the rest of the world can also share in the enjoyment. Again, nobody is every saying Tekken should become console-EXCLUSIVE. This archaic arcade - exclusive BS is the problem where you've basically fractured your market.
Seriously you guys need to relax about the Tekken 7 thing. It's going to be launching with the PS4K next year, it will be the first fighter on the PS4K and it will look amazing and will support VR and get lots of love.FR is super fun, it's going to be great. Just fuckin do something else with your time while you wait. Play Dark Souls 3 or Splatoon or Revelator or SFV or something. If you can't handle it get off your ass and go to a Wizard World Event or tournament and play the game.
You can sit here till your blue in the face and complain but your complaints mean nothing. Namco is making smart financial decisions with Tekken and you can't say otherwise. You have nothing other than MKX and Smash Bros to claim console release first or only structure is better for fighters and their success has NOTHING to do with that. Every other fighting game suffer going console only financial. Stop using that to justify your bitterness that you can't play the game from the comfort of your living room right now.
You know, you're sounding more and more like a Namco apologist rather than a Tekken fan. If you care more about Namco's financials than playing the game you're free to do so. As a Tekken fan, I want to indulge in the discovery phase of this game which has now been forcibly relinquished because of Namco's model. As a Tekken fan I'm trying my damnest hardest to build my local community into playing the game in order to enjoy the mechanics the game offers in an offline presence. Again after my exprience with T6 and TTT2 it's also something greatly dwindled because the vast majority of my local community has no interest in a 2 year old game with so many fresher fighters available all because of Namco's model.
And don't think that if Namco catered to BOTH the European/American audiences along with the East Asian markets they're finances would all of a sudden plummet. There's a huge market here for fighting games especially with the 3D vacancies. Again, no one is denying Namco from harvesting the arcade whales with their gambling-esque schemes. They can do the same for the west in other avenues that don't involve Dave and Busters/Round 1 while still making a hell of a lot of money. And when the console version eventually comes around they can finally do a full on Blu-ray release with the story mode + bells/whistles that can be marketed to the casuals.
I also keep bringing up MK not only because they successfully show how much fighting games are viable on consoles but with their ideals when designing a sequel. NRS understood how important it is to rejuvinate the game's presentation with their sequel along with designing brand new gameplay paradigms to sell their new product. Another thing I've been harping on Namco to adopt from them.
